The Washington herald., 1908-01-21

The fifth instance within week ~
the rejection Of alleged Taft adherents.
when nominated for Federal positions. is
said TO have aroused the President TO the
point Of threatening TO do some "decap-
itating' himself, as measure Of retslia-
tion against Senators who have been in
sIrumental in causing the Senate to turn
down his appointees.
Yesterday in executive session the SEN
/ ate definitely and without a dissenting
vote refused to concur in the nomination
Of Charles Fairbanks as pension agent
at Concord. \. H. Last night Il was re-
ported that the President might retaliats
by abolishing the Office TO fill which Fair
| banks was appointed. And thereupon ru-
mors which have been IN circulation for
several days took definite form in the
/ statement that the President proposed
/ TO institute a cOunter-campaign against
the nominees Of Senators who have Sc
cured the rejection Of his candidates.
Candidate of Taft Men.
Fairbanks was the nominee Of Gen.
Frank 5. Streeter, member of the Re-
publican National Committee from New
Hampshire, and until recently an aspirant
/ for Senator GalIinger's seat in the Sem
ate With the general were associated
Winston Churchill the noveIist-poIitlcian,
and others. Streeter and Churchill wers
the originators Of the attempt 10 send
New Hampshires delegation 70 the ma
/ uonal convention instructed for Taft.
The pension district Of which Concord,
Senator Gallngers home town, is the
center, comprises New Hampshire. Yer
mont. and part Of Maine At least two OF.
those States, according TO the statements =
/ of political observers from that section
/ who have been in Washington recently,
I are inclined TO favor Speaker Cannon for
the Republican nomination for President.
Recently the incumbent Of the pension
Office. who had been named by Senator
/ Galiinger, died, and according to official
/ ethics il was the Senator's privilege 10
nominate his successor for the unexpired
/ term However, there was a split in the
! delegation.
Give President Choice.
Senator Gallinger and Representative
CUrrier Joined in recommending one can
didate, and Senator Burnham and Repre-
sentative SullOway Joined in recommend
ing another These opposing candidates
were Capt. r. W. Musgrove and Mai.
MUrry. Before the delegation could unite
on either man, a rumor reached their
ears that Winston Churchill and Gen.
StTeeter. representatives OF the Taft boom
in New Hampshire. had commenced %
lay wires TO capture the plum for Fair
banks. a special pension examiner. who
formerly lived in Vermont but was sta
toned at Concord The Senators. called
on the President and submitted the two
names that the delegation had indorsed
and told the President he could make
a choice between them and they would
accept the result.
The President saw an opportunity 10
recognize the Streeter- Churchill faction
and sent the name Of Fairbanks to tbs
Senate.
The Senate made short work OF the
nomination. The Committee on Pensions
voted unanimously at a meeting yesterday
morning TO report the nomination ad-
versely. and the Senate in executive ses-
sion the same afternoon promptly re-
jected the nomination, without a dissent
ing vote. and without debate Senator
BuTnham, Of New Hampshire. who is 4
member Of the Committee on Pensions,
was authorized to present the adverse re-
port. and 1t was upon his motion that the
nomination was rejected
President Not Pleased.
Only last week four proposed Ohio post
masters, nominated by the President de-
spite recommendations from the POST
Office Department that the incumbents oS
the respective offices be retained owing
10 their efficiency, were turned down by
the Senate In executive session at the
instance Of Senators Foraker and Dick.
of Ohio. Il was the claim sf Senators
Foraker that the reason for the nomina-
ton I'm each case was that the NOMINEES
had agreed to support Secretary Taft for
President. Senator Foraker afterward
took up one of the cases for reconsidera-
ton, and has not yet finally acted upon it.
All this has not pleased the President,
naturally and he is not the sort Of man
TO calmly accept. defeat for any great
length Of time. 1t has been d matter Of
speculation for several days whether he
had made the threats attributed to him,
To the effect that if the Senators con-
tinUed to reject his nominations for ths
cause assigned. he would retaliate by
chopping off the official heads of some Of
their cherished constituents. in getting
positions for whom they had been instru-
mental.
His COnfdants Differ.
Some who claimed 10 have secured their
information at first hand declared that
the President had made or implied a
threat TO this effect. Others. also in the
confidence of the administration as stout
" assert that the President never made
such a threat or implied a disposition 70
such a purpose. There the mat.
ter rested
Following yesterdays events. however.
relating TO the Fairbanks nomination. It
was currently reported that the President
entertained the idea of retaliating by
abolishing the Office in question and there
by relieving the Senators from New
of a valuable biz of patronage.
The outcome will doubtless he awaited
with general interest
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