The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-12-10
MUST BE Renewed.
Presidential Nominations are
Side-Tracked by House.
STATUS is COMPLICATED
No Hiatus Occurred Between Closing
Of Extra and Beginning Of Regu-
lar Session of the Fifty
Eighth Congress.

BY the manner of adiourning the
house Saturday the extra session OF
the fifty-eighth congress expired by
constitutional limitation Monday, when
the regular session began. This elimi-
mated the possibility Of recess be.
tween the two sessions and opportun-
ity for the president to review his civil
and military recess appointments.
Such of these as were not confirmed
by the senate during the extra session
must be reviewed simply in the form
of nominations, which, in effect, are
but recommendations and do not be-
come effective in any case until con-
frmed by the senate.
In effect this action will demnote
General Leonard Wood from his pres:
ent rank of major general, to which the
senate has not confirmed him, to the
rank of brigadier general, which he
held prior to August last. 1t also
will denote, in like manner, 167 army
officers who were promoted respec-
lively to fill the vacancies caused by
the promotion Of General Wood.
The important civil appointments al
fected include William D. Crum as col
lector of customs AZ Charleston, S. C.i
Charles P. McCle1land as member OF
the board of general appraisers OF
merchandise at New York. and L. v.
McAllister, of Vicksburg, Miss, as re-
ceiver of public moneys, all OF whom
are serving under recess appointments,
the effect being to vacate their present
positions.
AS Collector Crum's recess appoint
ment has thus been terminated and
the situation in the senate has been
such that his confirmation Is despaired
of, the collectorship Of the port OF
Charleston will remain vacant until
the expiration of the regular session os
congress unless the president selects
some one else for this place and the
nomination is confirmed by the senate.
While no official representation was
made by the senate to the house, sew
eral informal conferences were held
between th elading republican senators
and Speaker Cannon. In these con
ferences the speaker stated that the
house had no constitutional authority
over executive appointments or con-
firmations and that If the creation Of
recess was necessary to take care OF
such matters, the senate should have
taken care of the action looking to
adjournment Of the special session by
concurrent resolution. In the absence
Of such movement, the speaker said
he would not interfere in any way in
the expiration of the extra session by
constitutional limitation, all the nomi-
nations, including army, navy and civil
appointments made by President
Roosevelt during the extra session and
which have not been confirmed by
the senate will have to be renewed
at the regular session.
At the war department the officials
are not quite so clear in their minds as
to the exact status of the military Of
ficers whose nominations failed Of con-
frmation. There is disposition to
take the point of view that between
the expiration of the extra session and
the beginning of the regular session
there was necessarily an appreciate.
but practically infinitely small period
of time where there was no session,
and consequently congress was tech.
nically in recess.