The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-03
WERE STRUCK DUMB.
Congressman c. F. Scott Discusses
the Pollock Appointment

In some editorial correspondence to
his paper, the lola Register, Congress
man Charles F. Scott says that the
Kansas delegation was struck dumb
with establishment" over the appoint
ment of Judge Pollock as federal judge
by President Roosevelt in the manner
it was made. He attributes the APP
pointment to President RooSeveltS
habit of handing out surprises occa-
sionally. He says:
ITO say that the Kansas senators
and representatives were surprised
when it was announced just after the
adjournment of their meeting yester-
day that the president had sent the
name of Hon. John G. Pollock to the
senate as United States judge for the
district of Kansas, would be putting it
mildly. They were struck dumb with
establishment And they haven't yet
found out how it happened. The first
explanation suggested by those on the
outside was that the president had
grown weary of the wrangling and dis
sensions of the delegation and the de-
lay resulting therefrom, and therefore
decided to put an end to it ALL But the
trouble with that theory is that there
From the beginning the personal rela-
lions of the members have been of the
friendliest. and not a harsh word has
been sDol1en at any of their meetings
And there has been no delay for which
the delegation was responsible.
True, an agreement might have been
reached much earlier had it not been
for the charges brought against Judge
Pollock. But when these charges were
brought, the appeal of the friends of
Judge Pollock that he be given time to
answer them could not in fairness be
we'll denied. But even so, the delay has
not been unprecedented. The Iowa del
egation are engaged in an exactly SINH
lar contest and they have not yet come
to an agreement but the president has
not rebuked them. So the theory that
] he IF no q
responsible for the presidents action
cannot be maintained. There is only
one theory to account for it, and that is
that the president has a habit of per-
petrating such surprises Not long ago
the entire Indiana delegation waited
on him one afternoon and asked him to
not do a certain thing. The next morn
ing he did it. The appointment OF a
federal Judge is executive patronage.
The president has an undoubted right
to name any man he chooses without
consulting either a senator or repre-
sentative from Kansas. After. making
the Kansas delegation the referee in the
matter and asking them to recommend
man, it would seem as if he should
have waited until they came to an
agreement or until they notified him
that they were unable to agree, or that
he should have sent them word that I'M
less they did agree by a certain time
| he would have to send in name. Any
| other president would have done one OF
these three things. But Roosevelt does
not do things like other presidents. He
is in a class all by himself.
Another announcement made yeSter-
day, while not surprise to any of
| the Kansas members. was doubtless
read in the state with quite as much
| interest as that of the presidents ac-
ton on the judgeship. And that was
the announcement that E. F. Ware
would retire from the pension Office af-
! ter the next election. When Mr.. Ware
was called to Washington by the presi-
dent and rendered this office he prompt
! ly and enlphatically declined. The pres
| ident urged his acceptance as a public
duty, and pressed it SO strongly that he
finally yielded, accepting the appoint
ment, as he told me at the time, with
exactly the same feeling that he had
when he enlisted in the army,-not be-
cause he wanted to but because he felt
as if he must. Once in this great and
responsible position he gave to it's du-
ties his whole time and strength and
ability, and the result has been the
most successful and businesslike adj
/ mfnistration the pension bureau has
ever had. But the work has never
been congenial and it has involved a
/ very considerable financial sacrifice, and