Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-10
AN ABSOLUTE DENIAL.
Continued from Page One.)

Continued from Page One)
question for me personally to examine
or have knowledge of such multitude
or appointments and therefore as re-
CARDS them, normally accept the sus-
gestiOns of senators and congressman,
the elected representative of the people
in the localities concerned, always re-
serving to myself the right to insist
unon the mans coming up to the re-
auired standard of character and ca
.ncitv and also reserving the right
Z, .:"l..irate whomever l choose if for
any reason l am satisfied that l am
not receiving from senator or con-
-..ss, ,;.a good advice, of if 1 happen
rarsonaiTy to know some peculiarly
fit man.
Where the man has done well in OIL
flee, have therefore re-appointed him
and do so when l can get the consent
of the senators of his locality, but Ii
they refuse the disappointment cannot
be made. Ordinarily, as q matter o.
convenience. the appointment can best
be settled by consultation beforehand
the advice of the senator or congress-
man who is elected and his peculiar
means of knowing the wishes OF MS
constituents being taken. But where
a senator treats this not as matter
f consultation or mutual agreement
not as a matter of convenience and eX-
ycdiency, but as a matter of right on
MS part to nominate whomever he
chooses. the custom is necessarily dis
continued.
In the south Atlantic and Gulf states
which have contained neither senators
nor congressman of my own party,
have been obliged to seek my ADVICE
from various sources. In these states
| have appointed a large number OF
Democrats, in certain states the DEM
ocrats appointed outnumberlng the
Republicans. For advice in appoint
ing the Republicans l have relied
wherever possible, not upon Office
holders at all, but upon men of stand
ing and position who would not take
office. and on whose integrity could
depend.
AS instances merely. I will refer to
Colonel Cecil A. Lyon Of Texas, COM
harding one of the Texas National
Guard Regiments and man Of in
dependent means, engaged in active
business; ard to Mr.. Pearl Wight of
Louisiana, and to Mr.. Coombs Of Flor
IDA, also men of independent means
ard OF large business affairs: all of
them being among the most respected
men in their several states. These men,
md n st of the others upon whom l
rely, could not be persuaded to take
any office in my gift, and / could no
moro cnerce or control their political
.ction than I could, for instance, that
X presidents of Chamber Of Commerce
or colonies of National Guard regi
''-rts in some Of the states of the
North.
In all of these states I have done my
host. when 1 came to appointing Re
?ublicans. to put the best man in Of
fice--those whom the people of the To-
cality accepted as such and regarded
ne leading citizens; and I have every
reason to believe that the average ap-
pointments is very high. At present
efforts are being made to get up bolt
ing delegations from the Southern
states and the meeting at which these
so-called delegates are chosen arc
usually announced as mon officehold-
efS' convention. AS q rule this means
only, SO far as it means anything, that
they are held under the lead OF per-
sons who wish to be put in office, but
whose character and capacity are such
that they have not been regarded as fit
to BE appointed under this admins
tr1tiOn.
You quote a newspaper as saying:
we are now getting daily lessons in
civil service reform from the White
! ousc, which ought to attract national
attention. The appointment Of Taft
'.nrkers to postoffices in Ohio and of
the totally unfit George w. Wanna
maker as appraiser of this port is now
followed by the Presidents refusaI to
appoint a good Hughes man as col
lector Of customs at Plattsburg."
This article is a good example of
the accusations made by those Of our
o1ncnents whose partisanship renders
them especially INSCRIPTIONS and UNI
truthful. Mr. Wanamaker's appoint
ment was recommended by three con-
gressmen from New York county and
by the two senators, the appointment
c'dIS i''iie OltclSely as the nunQreuS
of similar appointments which are
confirmed by the Senate are made.
and In conformance with the custom
which has obtained throughout my
term of service, and throughout the
terms Of service of Mr.. Mckinley, Mr..
Cleveland and my other predecessors.
In this particular case as it hap
pened. Mr.. Wanamaker IS peculiarly
fit for the position. being already an
assistant appraiser, who has rendered
good service in that place and his ap-
pointment is the promotion of a proper
man.
The refusal to reaDpoint a good
hughes man as collector of customs at
Flat;sburG" refers to the case of Mr..
walter Witherbee. and the accuse ton in
TINS case is particularly comic. because
Mr.. Witherbee was an open and avowed
ait man, the classmate Of Secretary
Tafts brother at Yale and both Secretary
Iaft and his brother requested his reap
only New York officehold-
ed Tor whom they made such n request
Inc congressman from his district and
have not agreed about his sue
cessor and he is still in office These