The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-11-11
Roosevelt and PenrOSe.

An echo of the Philadelphia fight
for reform viii be heard in Washing
ton these next few months. The
independents and the machine will
clash here over the most desirable
Federal appointments the city af-
fords-to the posts of collector Of the
port, postmaster. and surveyor of
the port By an elementary cafcu-
lation. Senator Penrose is certain to
propose and ask such appointments
as will help him recOnnect his bat
tered machine; and by the same cal
culation the Independents will fight
any nominations the Senator may
make.
The Penrose Endorsement has al
ways been suspicious in itself. 1t
Will now be especially 50. He was
the Iegatee of Mr. Quays infamous
organization. He only served as the
head of the Quay machine after the
death of that prize plum-tree shaker,
but assumed responsibility for the
deeds OF the most infamous branch
OF the Quay machine By cooperating
with its bosses so far as to have
them meet IN his office; and these
were the men who were at that very
time attempting to steal the city's
gas works, to steal over $4,000, 1000
on the filtration plant, and to steal
,,,,.o,,,+o5 o+h1- Gums, from, hosDffa |
contracts, boulevard contracts, and
loans of State funds to workers of
the machine Now the organization
has been put out of business, and
every step its head may take-in the
absence of a conversion as complete
as Mayor Weaver's-will bear the
stamp of procuration for it.
The Presidents course viii be
peculiarly difficult Ordinarily
this is the only course which is at
all practical-it would be 10 accept
the recommendation OF the Con-
gressmen most interested in the ap-
pointments il question if. on inquiry,
it We're established that the man
recommended was entirely fit Sup
pose he were to make an exception
of Pennsylvania, suppose he were to
exclude all the Penrose candidates
On the ground that they were identi-
fed with graft-where could he draw
the line? Every applicant who
failed to get the Endorsement Of his
Congressman as long as Theodore
Roosevelt was President would at
once plead that he. too. was an in
dependent and that the unperceiving
statesmen were all in the Penrose
class.
Two elements enter into this Penn
sylvania problem, however, which
may simplify it. The Philadelphia
independents may claim with every
show of right that the Penrose wing
no longer represents the Republican
party; and Senator Knox, if he
choose. can confirm that claim be-
yond any White House doubling.
If the Independents are wise they
viii proceed Immediately to Valley
Forge or shington-whereve Mr..
Knox may be-and get that gentle
mans ear. They viii then have gone
a long ways toward finishing the
work begun so well with their revolt
against the gas steal. If they do
not do this. and any man proposed
TO the President by Senator Pen
rose is in character and qualifications
suited to the Office in question, they
mEst not be surprised that he seems
still to have influence at the White
House: and they may be unhesitat-
ingly confident now that if any Pen
rose nominee ever is appointed the
fact of that appointment viii be
magnified throughout the State into
a confirmation Of the Penrose meth
eds. and a denial TO the just claim
of the reformers that in their fight
on graft they had the hearty sup
port Of Theodore Roosevelt.