Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-02-02

want. The merit system works on the
members of the house of representa-
tives. but not on the members of the
senate
$50 much for the admission of this
particular member of the cabinet. AS
a matter of fact. the only result of the
merit system order is to make the rep
resentatives woefully dependent upon
the senator's III the postoffice depart
ment insists upon retaining in office a
postmaster whose record has been eff
ficient. but who has not the endorse
ment of the congressman from his dis
trict the congressman can block the
appointment by appealing to the sena
tors from his state. Consequently the
only real effect of the order is to give
the senators absolute control of all fed
eral patronage. making each and every
one of the members of the upper house
of congress a political master in his
state. When the order was first is
sued the senators were somewhat ruff
fed. but after they worked out this
condition of affairs they sat back in
their Zig arm chairs and smiled.
Mos any day now one may see
the lobby or the cloak rooms of the
senate awaiting the pleasure of the
senator's from their respective states.
Here and there on the lounges and in
the chairs of the cloak rooms are sen
ators anal representatives engaged in
conversations They are dis
GUESSING pOstmasterships and surveyor
ships ard cOllectorships and various
other KINKS of ships, some of which
pass in the night. The senators are
the BOSSES of the situation.
In proof of this there are three inn |
portant c;Ises. involving the senators
from Ohio. Illinois and California The |
Ohio case is well known in Cleveland. |
Senators F oraker and Dick wanted = |
certain Obi . man retained as consul at
Glasgow. The president nominated d |
man from Tennessee, whereupon the |
Ohio senator's promptly declared they |
would block the confirmation of the
Tennessean. The senators won out.
nd We're SO encouraged they decided |
q follow the same plan with refer
,noe to the surveyorship at Columbus
md it is understood that they are 10
AVE their way in this appointment
hat the merit system should apply TO
he postmaster who had served excel
emily at Chicago for two terms. and
Ir. Roosevelt thought he should be
etained. BSIt Senators Hopkins and
,ullom thought differently. and so in
ormed the president. Two or three
onsu tations were had at the White
House, but the senators stood pat. and
inally the president named another
nan. who. by the way. was promptly
onfirL1ed.'
The Rock Island instance is one
which in no way concerns The Argus.
eyond the interest that attaches TO IL
$ involving. on one hand. the question
T fitness and a recognized creditable
administration of public office, which
hould be above partisan3hip: and, ON
he other. Il singular exception TO
reclaimed policy. And these com
rents are not intended in disparage-l
lent of the appointee. for. apart from
ie faG that The Argus has never had
Jason to entertain other than the ut
lost respect and most cordial feeling
1r Capr. Mcdonald. the affair has be-
Dme one of republican politics, after
II. When the line is drawn over CON
liberation of merit and recognition of
ublic service. then the politician steps
/. and it is his funeral after that
But where the power reposes in the
ands of the senators TO block the pres
lent in well meaning effort, the execu-
We ord 9r becomes a farce and a mock
~. politics continues to win out. and
lithful service fails in the balance
gainst considerations of party fealty
ppealing for reward