The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-04
M'KINLEY'S GOOD LUCK.
SEEMS LIKELY TO CONTINUE FOR
ANOTHER TERM.

His Recent Appointments on the
Commissions Severely Criticised,
but the Funston Incident Gave
Him n Happy Turn-Secretary Root
and the Army officials Bitterly OPP
posed Funston's Promotion, hut 1t
Proved n Popular Move-The Re-
cent Promotions of Regular Army
officers Characterized by Fairness
and ImpartiaIity.
Washington, April S.-President McKin-
ley's proverbial good luck" seems to lin
ger with him as he advances into mis- sec
ond administration. This topic was the
subject of an animated discussion which
took pace at the White House yesterday
between number of distinguished politi-
clans. They were discussing the recent
appointments, civil and military, promul-
gated by the President. 1t was asserted
that the President had been most unfor-
tunate in the selection of the nine com
missioners for the St. Louis Fair. and he
was also open to criticism in the selection
of rabid anti-civil service reformer to
fill the vacancy on the Civil Service Com
mission.
One of the Presidents critics went on
to say that in the makeup of the ST.
Louis Commission, the President had per-
mitted himself to be influenced by per-
sonal motives rather than good politics
For instance, it was declared that the Sc
lection of former Senator John Nj. Thurs
ton of Nebraska as the ranking member
of the commission was contrary to the
wishes of every heading Republican and
every party newspaper in the state OF
Nebraska. So on down the line, the MEM
bership of the commission indicates that
the President did not strengthen himself
politically in a single instance. One of the
greatest surprises in the list was the APP
pointment of Mr.. Phillip b. Scott of Ar
kansas, whose only sponsor was Senator
Jones of Arkansas Many Republicans
and Democrats criticise the President in
severe terms for thus favoring the chair
man of the National Democratic Com
mittee, notwithstanding the latter's ar
raignment of the administration so fire.
quently during the recent session of Con-
gress.
The Funston Appointment.
Before public disapproval at the make
up of the st. Louis Commission could get
under way the Funston incident bobbed
up serenely and gave the President an
opportunity to display that peculiar quail
ity of tact of which he is eminent. 1t
did not take him long to discover that
public sentiment had been carried away
by the dramatic performances of Col.
Funston in capturing Aguinaldo, and he
at once concluded to yield to the popular
demand in behalf of Funston, notwith-
standing the almost violent disapproval
of such course by the Secretary of War
and his military advisors. The President s
action in appointing Col. Funston brig
adler general in the regular army not
only had the sanction of the American
people generally, but when it was orig
inally proposed at the cabinet meeting
last Friday, every member of the cabinet
except Secretary Root, heartily concurred
in the views entertained by the Presi-
dent. A member of the cabinet is re-
ported to have said on that occasion: Mr.
President, in view of the existing condi-
tions and the circumstances surrounding
the Funston incident, you could not do
a more popular thing in the eyes of the
American people than to make Col.
Funston a brigadier general. For YER
ification of this prediction, l suggest that
you consult the newspapers tomorrow
morning and abserve the tone of the con-
sentative press, without regard to poll
tics. I venture the assertion that nine
tenths Of them will advocate the ad-
vancement of Funston to brigadier gen.
eralship."
This advice, together with other cir
cumstances, evidently strengthened the
Presidents desire to reward the gallant
Funston in a substantial manner, for
within the next twenty-four hours, the
appointment of Funston was officially an
nounced at the War Department.
The universal approval of the Presi-
dents action in the Funston case, togeth-
er with his judicious selections for fav-
ors in the regular army, combine to dis
arm, to large extent further criticism
of the st. Louis Commission and for the
time being the praises of the administra-
ton for its wisdom and fairness in deal
ing out the regular army appointments
are sounded so loudly that the murmur
of disapproval over the latent batch of
civil appointments are scarcely audible az
this time