The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1904-12-02
His own SELRCTOR
president Roosevelt Writes a
Pointed Letter.
Serves Notice That Appoin,ma.,s
MUST stand on Merit, Not on
"PuIl"-President Selects.

President Roosevelt has written a ,at
ter To Representative Gardner Of Mas.
achusetts, which has found it's wsv into
PRINT, and IL causing cold chills to run
up and down the backs of PATRONAGE
loving senator's and representatives.
In his characteristic. terse stvle tho
president, through Representative Gard.
ner, has served notice upon senator.
that he will carry out their recommen.
datons for appointments onIy when he
is satisfied they are making good RECON-.
mendations; and that whenever he fnds
them recommending unworthy men for
MS consideration, he will immediately
set them aside as men whose eonnaeI ;s
worth nothing. As to the recommends.
tlons OF mere congressman, he seys in
effect, that they ought to be glad To be
able TO name the postmasters in their
home towns, and TO leave all other an.
pOlntments to senators in whom he has
confidence. lt is rather a severe Jolt to
De administered before the new admins
tratlon begins, but it shows in advance
what consideration pure patronage brok.
ers may expect at the White House for
the next four years.
Representative Gardner. who ia Sen.
stor Lodges sOn.in-law, attempted tn
prevent the appointment OF a certain
postmaster in his district in Massachu-
setts, and to name man OF his own
cholce Tor the office. In reply to Repre-
sentative Gardner's letter of recommen-
datlon. President Roosevelt said:
Senators Do Not Select"
You speak of your privilege of nam.
ing tne Haverhlll postmaster You say
In Massachusetts it has been under
stood that congressman shall select
the postmaster in the cities and towns
in his own district
10 clear up any possible misappre-
henslon, would like at the outset to
say that the senator's do not .'select'
postmasters IN any state while | am
president.
II consult them always, and in the
vast majority of cases act on the recon-
mendations they make, but the selection
IS mine and not theirs, and time and
time again during the three years |
have been president | have positively re-
fused to select individuals suggested to
me for nomination az postmasters by
various senator's. Ii am not satisfied
with the character and standing of the
man whose name is suggested to me,
never nominate him.
Il understand perfectly that under the
first article of the constitution the sena-
tors are part OF the appointing power,
and that therefore the appointment must
represent an agreement between them
and me, and, as the acquaintance OF
the senator with his state is always
much greater than the knowledge OF the
president can possibly be, it is the nor
NAL and natural thing that / should
listen TO his advice as to these appoint
ments, and | generally do so.
but l stop listening to it as soon as
| realize that he is advising me wrongly.
The relation of congressman to the
appointments rests not upon law, but
upon custom. | wish to point out to
you that it is also the custom to paw
heed to the wishes not only of cabinet
officers, but even senator's of the oppo-
site party, and, occasionally, to the
wishes OF congressman of the opposite
party in the case OF nominations to Of
fee in their own towns"