The Washington herald., 1908-02-04
HOw officehoIders Ger Their Cue.

The Baltimore American quotes former
Postmaster General Gary az praising and
indoTsing the efforts Of the collector Of
customs at Baltimore TO bring about the
nomination for President Of "a man
best fitted 20 carry out the Presidents
policies in other words, Mr.. Gary sees
nothing wrong in the political activity OF
a Federal officer. The collectors point
Of view is thus described by the Ameri-
can:
As the President has, apparently bestowed Hs
preference upon Secretary Taft for Presidential
nominee and. therefore, deems him best qualified to
carry out his policies Collector Stone has been will
ing 90 fall in line with Mr. Roosevelt"
That is to say Mr. stone considers the
mere fact THAI Mr.. Roosevelt is promot-
ing the Taft boom as notice TO Federal
offceholders 10 get busy in the Secre-
tary of Wars behalf A similar state Of
mind affects the Missouri Federal crowd.
according TO the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Because 3Ir. Roosevelt is known to favor the as
pirat.ons Of Secretary Taft the assumption seems to
be that all laws. rules, and regulations affecting the
civil service have been set aside and Republican
oficialism in Missouri Is scheming managing, and
domiueeriHg exactly as it did before Guiteaus bullet
drew attention to great evil"
The error into which all these SUPER
serviceable ofFiceholders have fallen is I'm
assuming, as the Post-Dispatch intimates.
that the civil service regulations forbid
ding them from taking part in the man
agement Of political organizations or I'm
conventions have been abrogated. We be-
lieve Mr. Roosevelt would be the first
TO deny the validity Of any such assump-
ton. for he has in effect reaffirmed the
principle OF nOninteTference in political af-
fairs IN his instructions Of December %
last that any activity on the part of Fed
eTal officeholders 10 procure his renomi-
nation for q third term would be regarded
"as a serious violation of official pro
pTiety." Why is not such activity a
serious violation Of official nroprfety when
eXerted on behalf Of Mr. Roosevelts can
didate? But that it is not so looked upon
every of1ceholder knows, and he governs
himself accordingly He assumes. wrong
fully. Of course. that the civil service
regulations have been suspended. but the
tacit acquiescence Of the administration
m their labors for the Roosevelt eandi-
date has all the force of a reversal Of the
regulations. A regulation which is not
enforced IS assumed not TO exist.
Mr. RooseveIts apologists assert that
he has brought no direct pressure TO bear
upon Federal officeholders in favor of
Taft. We may admit the truth OF this as
sertion without relieving the President of
responsibility for the political activity of
Federal ofIiceholders. They know that
he is for Taft, and. like Collector Stone.
they "fan in line with Mr.. Roosevelt. 4"
A hint is often as good as a direct COM
maud, and the Presidents L am for
Taft has an influence with the army OF
place holders under him that is the
practical equivalent of pressure. Strange
TO say, there are those who defend this
method Of obtaining a Presidential nomi-
nation The St Paul Pioneer-Press open
Iy declares for the use of r'ederal
patronage to attain political ends. and the
Kansas City Star afiiTms that. inasmuch
as the Presidents opinion has weight
with the voters, it ought to have weight
with officeholders. Certainly; but should
It have the effect of sending them scurry-
ing around for Taft delegates and in
trguing for the control of district con-
venuons?