The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-16
TURN DOWN FOR TAFT
NOT PERMITTED TO APPOINT | COLONEL FINLEY.
President Roosevelt Insists That the Vacant comnaissionership Shall Go to General Basil Duke
 oe Kentucky.
Advertiser Bureau.
 fsnlnradn RnildIr1n
&UluiduO bulluliAbs WaShinRtnu. Feb. IS,

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 Amaxemeiit is the nearest word to de- scribe the state of feeling with which the Tennesseeans today learned that Presl- dent Roosevelt had caused Secretary of War Taft to reconsider his determination to appoint Colonel Luke Finley of Mem phis Shiloh Battle Park Commissioners in place of the late Colonel Josiah Patter- son. sge today EAying that on account of a promise previously made, the President thought 1t best to appoint General Basil Duke of Kentucky.
 When Senator Bate called on the Sec retary of War on Saturday. this occurred: Secretary Taft, after Sens tor Bate had laid before him the enlargement by citi- zens of Tennessee of number of appli- cants for the position, or of persons who were urged for 1t by their friends, brought up the name of Colonel Finley. Judge Taft spoke of the fact that he and Colo mel Finley were Yale men and of his be- ing a friend of Governor Wright. He then asked Senator Bate questions in- tended to elicit whether the two Senators from Tennessee would have any objection to the appointment of Colonel Finley.
 Senator Carmacl had already, us had Senator Bate. spoken In high terms of Colonel Finley, without asking his ap- pointment
 '.I. would appoint him now, if had the power" said Secretary Taft to Senator Bate.
 Senator Bate advised the Secretary that he himself drew the law affecting the appointment and that 1t belonged to the Secretary of War. Thereupon Secretary Taft made it plain to the Senator that the appointment would so to Colonel Fin ley.
 Many telegraphic messages went out of Washington last night on the strength of the Secretarys statements to Senators Bate and Carmack.
 Other applications continued to come including several from Alabama. Arkan- sas, Mississippi and Kentucky, as well as Tennessee. When the Taft message to Senator Bate was made known at the Capitol today, it was first doubted as mere rumor, notwithstanding that it was known that President Roosevelt was par tial to General Duke, but when it was known that the President had in fact in- sisted that the Secretary waive his right of appointment of Colonel Finley as de- cided upon Saturday. the story was re- ceived with the utmost astonishment.
 The least pleased were the Democrats from Kentucky, who regard General Duke as a political renegade who had made himself particularly obnoxious to his old comrades in arms as well as for mer party associates during the Goebel- Taylor campaign.
 President Roosevelt had some time ago promised General Duke that he should have the first vacancy that occurred on any of the Battle Park Commissions. and had offered him Federal judgeship, which the General declined.
 The Presidents robbing the new Sec retary of the small satisfaction of favor ing two friends. Governor Wright and Colonel Finley. Is regarded as a charac- teristic piece of Roosevelt smallness for the appointment by law belonged to Taft and the President was absolved from any promise to General Duke
 Senator Bate saw Secretary Taft just before he went to the White House and the latter was still decided upon the ap- pointment of Finley. The note to the Senator came to the Capitol an hour later.
 It cannot be ascertained from anybody whether General Duke was at the Battle of Shiloh, which Is condition precedent to the appointment It is believed that if he was not participant in the battle, the appointment will go to Colonel Finley.
 R. H. Watkinus.