Evening star., 1901-12-14
President Roosevelt's Hesition Upon
Many Subjects. -
his STANDING MtBE PLAIN
No Lack of PositiveneA When
Mind is Made Ur
SOME ISSUES TED

President Roosevelt has shaped policies
| on many important matters with sufficient
| defniteness for the public and the poll
ticians to know just how he stands on
| these subjects. On these matters as on
| everything else with which the President
| deals, there has been no lack of positive
ness when the executive mind was once
made
Civil Service Reform.
The President has been active in carry
ing out his ideas Of civil service reform,
| extending the classified service over the
| rural free delivery system and over some
| places in the War Department, removing
officials who have violated the rules and
approving rules to make civil service re-
form more effective in operation. When
he appointed William Dudley Foullxe as
| civil service commissioner he gave notice
of his purposes. During this week impor-
| tant changes have been made in the civil
service rules that will lessen the tempta-
tion to evade them. The civil service COM
mission has now power, In the case of a
person holding position in the civil SER
vice in violation of the civil service act
or rules, to certify to the head of the de-
partment the fact of violation. and if the
employe is not dismissed in thirty days
to have his pay stopped.
Then there is to be no transfer from one
department to another unless the employe
has worked six months and In some posi-
t!on in the classified service. This will
prevent the appointment Of men with po-
litical pulls to unclassifed positions, their
almost immediate transfer to the classified
service and promotion to good position,
as has been frequently done tn the past.
Again. the same strict adherence to the
merit principle is insisted upon in the in
sular service; SO the Philippines, Porto
Rico and Hawaii are not to be dumping
grounds for political favorites
His Position on Judicisl Appointments
This week the President announced that
he will make judicial appointments him
self, but will be glad ofsrecommendations
and advice. 1t means that judicial ap-
pointments are not to be used to pay poit-
ical debts, and that the President, after
consultation with his Attorney General.
will decide who of those@presented to him
deserves appointment. The President fully
understands the necessity of judiciary Of
the highest standard, and proposes to main
tain that standard. Senatorial influence
is not to be regarded, only the question as
to what lawyer. no matter by whom recon-
mended, comes nearest to filing the re-
quirements Of federal judge. This posi-
tion was taken in the Indiana appointment.
Merit to Govern Army Appointments.
This policy is practically the same as that
governing military promotions, which was
announced some time ago, when the Presf-
dent let it be known that he proposed to
make his promotions upon the service rec
ords of the officers of the army. And he
does not regard seniority in rank as giving
preference in making selections for line
officers, where the law does not give senior
ity the call The question In his mind is
as to the fitness and capacity of officers
whose names are brought to his attention,
and the fact that an officer has youth,
with the steadiness and experience which
usually comes with age, is rather to his
advantage than otherwise. In his annual
message the President, appreciating that
there was some dissatisfaction with this
attitude. made it stronger by saying that
where senatorial or social influence was ex-
ercised in an officers behalf it would milf
tate against him.
Can't Mix Politics.
The President has shown that he will not
countenance, much less will he permit, in
reference in local politics by federal Off
cials. for he has removed several who pro-
moted factionalism by. their meddling with
local concerns. He does not object to le-
gitimatc political activity to promote the
success of the party, but he removes i'm
mediately the officials who promote faction
alism or become too partisan. He wants
federal officers to attend to their business
anu AhohS lAlSAt OulCe puSluGSS-lh6 III every
respect.
The President has several times Impress
ed senators and representatives with his
objection to receiving written recommen-
cations. he knows how easy 1t Is to sign
a petition or a letter Of recommendation
and that this is so often done to get rid of
a persistent applicant or to place the re-
sponsibility for failure to secure an office
upon the President.
President Roosevelt wants recommended
tions made in person by senators and rep
resentatives, and then he interrogates them
regarding the men they suggest, and holds
them to account for the representations
made. If, however, he finds that a salts
factory man has not been proposed, he in
sists that another being named or selects
him himself
Southern Republicans Not Recognized
The President has astonished southern re-
publicans by generally declining to follow
their recommendations-in fact, no southern
republican organization can claim to have
had its recommendations carried out by
the President, and If a good republican is
not proposed or discovered the chief ex-
ecutive appoints democrats from the south
That may lose him southern votes in tho
next national convention, but, just now he
Is not giving consideration to bis renomina-
tion and will probably newer plan to Sc
cure 1t. being contant to- kndw he has done
t1ra Mat cars he dee%sa aer tsa, right and the fu
Most Of the southern argantzations, par
ticularly those south OF NORTH Carolina
are almost In open revolt against the ad-
ministration. going SO far as ITO fight his
nominations Virginia ana North Carolina
are about the only strictly snnthern states
where the organization las5soafar had its
way In recommendationsi
BICYCLE RACE nnDs TDDAY.
Five of the Teams Tied fs,s the First
Place.
NEW YORK, December 14.-Nine tired
teams, five Of them American RIDERS, wheel