The citizen., 1905-04-28
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
April %. 1905.


The President has made some
extremely unfortunate appoint
ments recently. That some few
unworthy ones will secure recOg-
milton among the great mum ber
of selections which a President
is compelled to make is inevita-
BILE, but when such accidents
happen in the selection of men
for life positions on the Federal
bench, it is an occasion of regret
for every one interested in the
welfare of the nation. Taking
the appointees OF PreSi d e II
Roosevelt as class and they are
so much above the average that
it is only fair to assume that he
means to confer public Office only
on men worthy of preferment. but
if that be his intention he is oc-
caSionally badly imposed upon
and he should take heed and
never again listen to the recon
mendationS of the men respon.
sible for his mistakes. That he
does listen to men whom he knows
have tried to foist upon him and
upon the public service unworthy
officials is probably the reason
for his mistakes.
The lareSt appointment made
by the President Is that of EX-
Governor Atkinson. of West Vir-
9lnia, to the vacancy on the Court
OF Claims. caused by the death of
Judge Weldon. The general com
meut of those who know Mr..
Atkinson. the place to which he
has been appointed, and who are
willing to speak frankly, is that
he is IA cheap man for a highly
responsible position" Those who
know politics and who seek the
reason for the Presidents being
miSled i'll this instance will tind
the cause without much trouble.
Mr.. Atkinson was endorsed by
the two Senators from West Vir
ginla. In fact. 1t is generally
believed, that Mr.. Atkinson owes
this endorsement to the fact that
he withdrew from the late Sena
torial contest in his State in
favor of Senator Scott who de
sired 10 return to the Senate for
which lie is SO lilly fitted.
OF course The Senate cuuid
reject Mr.. Atkinson. The power
to confirm him lies with the Sen
ate alone. but there are no
charges 10 be preferred against
the Ex Governor He is honest
man. so far as any body knows.
and for the Senate to refuse 10
contirm him would doubtless
place an unjust stigma upon him.
AS TO his untitneSS. witness Tie
following. The judicial position
10 which President Roosevelt has
appointed him is one that calls
Tor the most expert judicial Sklll.
comprehensive knowledge OF TIE
law anu fine ability to weigh
legal propositions. Mr. Akin
son began life teaching school
which lie abandoned to qualify
for he Methodist ministry. Since
then he has been connected with
several newspapers and has held
public office almoSr continuously.
Not more than eight years have
been devoted to the practice of
law in the EX- Governors career
since he graduated with conSid
erable honor from Howard Uni
verSity Law School about 1872.
In a word. it is not because he
possesses a record or any partic
ular disabilities which would de
bar him from the bench. but be-
cause he lacks those qualities,
especially experience, which every
prominent member of the judic-
iary should possess
Another instance of President
RooSevelt's being misled in
regard to the character of man
he appointed 10 the bench is that
OF Judge WickerSham of Alaska.
Judge Wickersham has been at
tackled i'll the Senate. not on per.
soual grounds but because there
are certain things in his record
which seem TO demonstrate his
untitnesS for the position to
which the President has appoint
ed HIN. The Senate has thus far
failed to confirm Judge Wicker.
sham and he will be compelled to
come TO Washington and answer
charges before the Senate Judic.
Iary Committee next fall. If he
is unable satisfactorily to refute
these charges he will not be con.
tirmed at all, although he will
have served considerable time
under the recess appointment.
Still another instance of an
unfortunate appointment. al
though one of less Importance,
has recently come TO light. For
some unexplained reason the
President has conferred a Consul
GeneralShip on newspaper man
Il