Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-12-12

not take kindly to the booming
that springs from patronage. 1t is,
on the part of solar-walkers, too
much of the earth earthly, gives
rise to unfaith, and makes talk.
THIS is from the Kansas City
Post, printed in black letters on its
front page-which, according to
Attorney General Bonaparte, is its
wrapper" Let that journal look
a little out! You will note | am
placing it in a position immune
from Sec. 1888: cit has ever been
the belief of the American people
that federal patronage belonged to
them and that it was dispensed by
the President, their servant, as he,
after full and careful consideration,
believed would best serve the in
~terests of the public, his master.
There has been a long line Of
distinguished precedent to support
this theory. Before the present
incumbent was installed in the
White House it was the custom OF
Presidents to make appointments
according to their best Judgment
after all argument and evidence
as to the merits and dement's of
the aspirants had been duly pre-
sented. There is no record that
Washington resorted to the tickle
laws of chance in choosing men
for responsible place, that Jeffer-
son asked senators to cut a pack OF
cards for federal pie or that jack
son used a dice box to determine
his duty as the chief executive OF
the nation. These men thought
and acted for themselves and their
decisions were governed by an
honest desire to do the greatest
good to the sovereigns, the people.
Last Monday, at the suggestion Of
Theodore Roosevelt, President of
the United States, Senators Gam
BILE and Kittredge of South Dakota
drew lots in the White House for
the distribution of the federal
patronage of that state. The Pres
ident o~bligingly held the long and
short straws while the game OF
chance went on. One by one the
powers of appointment, vested by
thu people in the President, were
divided between the two senators
as luck and chance decided. A
serious duty was turned into a
fippant piece OF byplay, a solemn
obligation treated as a triviality
not worthy Of half an hours con-
sideration. Yet there is one pre-
cedent for this act of gambling for
the rightful possessions of others.
1t occurred long, long ago, and
was predicted by prophecy and
V erifed by fulflment. "They
parted my garments among them
and upon my vesture did they
cast lots" This is not the only
recent dissertation by the Pres
ident of the official home that is
given him by the American people.
Not many days ago all business at
the White House was suspended
while Mr.. Roosevelt and a party
of personal friends gathered in the
historic East room to watch a
troupe of Japanese burlies struggle
for a wrestling supremacy IN an
improvised mat. More than any
other part of the White House, the
East room is hallowed by sacred
associations of the past. 1t was
there that Dolly Madison cut the
painting of Martha Washington
from it's frame and fled with it
across the Potomac barely in time
to save it from the hands OF an in
yading enemy. 1t was there thai
Nellie Grant walked between
} solid rows of army and navy Of
fcers to the marital altar. In this
room there have lain in state the
bodies of the nations beloved
dead. The most recent use tt
which it was put was nothing short
of sacrilege. 1t is fortunate tha'
since Mr.. Roosevelt regards his
: high Office as he does, that he is
} open and public in the demon
stration of his beliefs. He serves
! notice on the people as to wha'
they may expect from him or from
a successor of his choosing. Anc
the notice comes in time to wa RI
the people against repeating Q
mistake"
= IN.A LLN