The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-12-22
Commissioner M'Ilhenny Confirmed.

Commissioner M'Ilhenny Confirmed.
The Chief is glad to be able to re-
port that the nomin alton OF Senator
John A. McIlhenny of Louisiana TO
be a mem Der of the civil service COM
mission has been confirmed by the
sen ate. Special dispatches from W ash
ington to the New Orleans daily papers
Of Thursday, Dec. 13, stated that SEN
ator Foraker of Ohio would endeavor
to defeat the confirmation on the
ground that Mr.. McIlhenny is Dem
ocrat and that his appointment would
make the civil service commission q
Democratic body. One of these de-
spatches went so far as to declare at
Sen ator Foraker was so sure of his
position that he hal 'slet it be known
that the Louisianian would not be
confirmed to this office.n A different
tale was told the following day, how
ever, as is frequently the case in these
Washington special space-fllers, the
announcement being made that after
talking the matter over with Congress-
man Nicholas Longworth of Cincin-
natl, who is warm personal friend
OF Mr.. McIlhenny's, the strenuous
stand-pat Republican senator fom the
Buckeye state said he had nothing
against the appointee, shut that he
did not particularly like seeing an
other Democrat go on the commission.
AS he did not care to carry a fight
along on these grounds he decided to
withdraw his opposition. That settled
the matter, and the nomin alton of the
popular and able young Louisianian
was forthwith approved without dis
sent.
Subsequently the New Orleans
awoke to some reali-
cation of the high compliment Presi-
dent Roosevelt has paid TO Louisiana
by selecting one of her citizens to FIJI
the digniied position of civil service
commissioner, and took cogniZance of
the matter in an editorial article from
which the following is quoted:
The incnmbency OF Senator McIlhenny can
not fail to rebound to the general good Of the
civil service. It will certainly strengthen it by
causing very important section of the country
TO take greater interest in it than ever before.
The fact that he is a southern man and DEM
ocrat will do much to remove many mistaken |
which are responsible for the in
dlfference heretofore manifested in various |
southern states. Apart from this important I
TACT, however, there is another very substantial
reason why the service will be benefited by his |
That reason is to be found in the /
personality OF the new commissioner He is |
able, energetic and enthusiastic. Those who |
know him best are quite certain that The presi-
lent made no mistake in this case. He can be |
-elied on to administer his high office with an |
sye single to duty. In political opinion he is
IT'LL Democrat; but in the discharge of the |
functions of civil service commissioner he will |
De simply just official.
Now that the Times Democrat has
spoken. perhaps others Of our esteemed
,ontempora of the Louisiana Dem
ocrat press may deem themselves at
liberty to accord modicum of recog-
lition to the political magnanimity OF
be Republican president, who has
rome outside the ranks Of his own
party into that OF the Louisiana
Democracy to fiji an Office that is only
. grade below that OF cabinet min
ster. OF course, no one will expect
his recognition to parbake of the
7armth with which the same papers
7ould criticize and lambast the presi-
emit for some compar atively trifling
ction not to their political liking,
ut it will be concession for them TO |
& least sit up and take notice OF the
lcIlhenny appointment as not Alto !,
ether unworthy OF consideration.