The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-12-17
Boss Belrman's Little Joke.

BOSS BehrMan,S Little J0kes
The New Orleans Item prints a re-
porter's story of a conversation with
Mayor.eleet Martin Behrman of that
city, wherein his bosslets is repre-
sented as expressing hearty and very
commendable approval Of the action
of the city's commercial org CARNATIONS
in deciding to extend a joint invita-
tion TO President Roosevelt to visit
New Orleans at an early date. Among
other more or less Well-turned sem
fences which the facile pencil Of the
reporter fashioned as alleged utter
ances Of the genial Algerian were the
folloWing:
| Ishave already been privileged to meet Presi-
| dant Roosevelt, being introduced to him by
United States Senator Foster on one occasion
| when happened to be in Washington. The presi-
| dent appeared to me to be man of charming pet
| was shown when after had been introduced
he said in that sharp, incisive way that is.his
MIR. Behrman, sdown in your state we have
| rather paradaxicaI condition in the Republican
party. see that there is about $500 federal of
hceholders and the total Republican vote as
shown is about 1906. What became of the 800
LAUGHED heartily aad NJ
dent | replied. II am afraid that 500 rep
resents those on leave OF absence, and again
the president laughed loudly and with evident
good humor.
Ii this be not an DER true tale-a
proposition concerning which The
Chief reserves the right of thinking as
it pleases- artin probably enjoyed
his little joke even more keenly than
the president did, though he may not
have laughed SO loudly; for Martin
knows, what the president possibly
doesn't know, that a majority of the
''2300 federal officeholders" in Louis
iana-if there be that many, which We
doubi-are Democrats, male and fe-
male, who never vote the Republican
ticket. The men wouldn't think of
doing such thing; the women couldn't
if they would and wouldn't if they
could.
AS o matter of fact there has never
been an instance where the Republican
vote in Louisiana, even eas shown:
by doctored Democratic election re-
turns, was as small as 1900 or twice
1900. Furthermore, it is doubtful if
there are 5O0-and we'll wager odds
there are not 75O-Republicans among
the qualified voters occupying federal
positions in this state; and we'll go
the same odds that there are more than
the larger number of Democr attic voters
holding appointments in Louisiana
under the several departments OF the
federal government. A very large ma
iority OF our federal offcehol ders'
are postm asters and postmistresses in
rural communities, selected without
regard TO political considerations and
receiving such small stipends for their
services that the positions cannot be
classed as an appreciate asset in the
distribution of federal patronage; and
it is Well-known fact that very
large proportion, If not an actual ma
jority of the occupants of classified
positions in the customhouse, post
Office, sub-treasury and mint at New
Orleans, are Democrats, whose tenure
of Office is secure SO long as their con-
duct and performance of duty are sat
isfactory according to the require
ments OF the civil service regulations.
Federal and state oficeholders in
Louisiana are not to be judged or estl-
mated by the same rule. Lots of good
Democrats, and some not so good,
have been given places under Repub-
lican national administr ations, but no
man, good, bad or Indifferent, hopes
for an appointment under the Demo
cratic state administr alton, even TO
the smallest kind of an Office, unless
he is a Democrat, and an administra-
ton Democrat at that.
President Roosevelt not infrequently
ignores party lines il making ap-
pointments, because he ranks public
officers personal worth and capacity
as more important than his mere opin-
ions or alignment on questions of par
tisan politics. The rule of selection is
reversed in Louisiana, and mans
fitness for Office is minor matter here
as compared with his partisan ortho-
doxy and political pull The elevation
of Martin Behrman to the mayoralty
Of New Orleans is conspicuous case
in point.