New-York tribune., 1908-02-10
DENIES MAKING APPOINT
MENTS TO AID TAFT.
In AnsTerBg Accusation Mr. Roose-
Uet Predicts Other FaIsehoods
VII Be InUented.
vFrorn TIE Trfbun. B,rreau-J

and others that he was using the federal ap-
pointfve power TO further the candidacy Of Sec
retary Taft Mr. FouIkes letter. suggesting tho
Presidents defence against the unfcUneed accu-
sation. is also made public TO afford the unpretu-
diced reader opportunity OF measuring the
different steps In the interesting little Journey
from political darkness 10 official light
That the President is skepticaI OF forever ST.
Iencing his detractors. with such a
strong argument as his letter proves 10 be, 10
evident He plainly expects that they viii forth
with invent anothe-'' like those which stirred
,p the Senate over the Ohio posrmasrers and
certain newspapers over equally Innocent ap-
pointments in New York The President. there
fcre makes the explanation rather 70 please
his correspondent and friend than because hs
expects 10 put an end 10 the political mud
throwing
REPLY OF TH1 PRESIDENT
The reply Of the President 70 Mr- FouEs. is
as follows:
February :. 1908
Ny dear Mr.. FouIks- The statement that
7 have used the Offices in the effort 20 nom
mate any Presidential candidate is both false
and malicious II IS The usual imaginative m
vention which flows from a desire 70 say Some
Remember that those now making this aocu-
sation were busily engaged TWO months ago N
asserting that was using the Offices 20 secure
my oUn denomination II is The kind o. acc1sa-
ton which for the next few months VII %
rife This particular slander will be used ur-t1i
exploded. and when exploded these Who have
used it viii promptly invent anorne- Such
being the case I almost question vherhe- II IS
worth wnIe answering. but as u IS you wno
ask Why, the answ- you snail hava-
Since the present Congress assembled NO
nonLhs ago have senr 70 the Senate lns lanes
OF all the officials nave appointed ror tne en-
tire period since Congress adjourned OF the .fn
OF March IasC-rhat IS. for eleven u1o1-1s- ES-
cIuding army and navy officers. scis--iac ex-
perts health officers and those OF reEsn1s
cutter service. I have made during Ills Pe-icd
about thirteen hundred and hry-rVo appclnl-
ynents subject 70 confirmation by me Senate
eleven hundred and sxry-1our being posrn1as-
ters.
consular services and in the Indian service nave
been made without regard 70 pollrcs; n Lns
diplomatic and consular service more De-nocrars
than Republicans having oeSn appollLec, sS N9
are trying 20 sven up tne quotas q tne Sourne-n
states
In nominating Judges I rave treated politics
as wholly secondary consideration. and instead
Of relying solely upon the recommendations OF
.i+ha- Senators or Cougressuaen have always
conducted independent inquiries myself person
ally through members OF the bench or the oar
whom happen TO know. OF through Atrornsy
General BonaparIe. Secretary Taft who was
himself z judge; Secretary Root because OF IL
great experience at the bar. or Senator h1oS-
who was formerly my Attorney General
IN a number Of the other Offices chiefly assist
ant secretaries or heads OF bureaus here az
Washington, but also governors of territories 0r
men holding peculiar pOsitious-sUch. for IN
stance. as that OF commissioner OF education in
Porto RicO-and also IN few other cases. n0sS-
bly, those Of marshaIs in certain OF the Western
states. but including various Offices also nsTs
and there throughout the Union. have either
felt that the position OF such Character
that the initiative in the choice could only win
pTOpTiety come from me or from one o. the CaR-
met officers or else have happened personally
to know, to know OF, man OF such per'iiia-
qualifications that desired to appoint him on
my own initiative
INSISTS on HIGH STANDARD
There remain the great bulk OF me Onces.
including almost ali OF the posyofdces. the COL
Iectorships Of customs, the appraiSerships, the
land officers and the ike, numbering sor-s
twelve hundred and fifty or tnere2 bouts Ir
is, OF course. out OF the question for me- person
ally examine have knowledge o. such .
multitude Of appointments, and therefore a.
regards them I normally accept the suggestions
Of Senator's and Congressmen. the elected rep
resentaLive OF the peOpls in the localities con-
cerned- always reserving TO myself the rlgnT 20
insist upon the man coming 10 70 TIE rsqcLSd
standard Of character and capacity. and also
reserving the right 70 nominate WhOnever
choose II for any reason I am satisfied that
man good advice. il l happen personally ~
know some peculiarly TT
Where the man has done well In Office pre-
fer TO reappoinr him, and DO SO when l can GET
the consent OF the Senators from his locality.
made Ordinarily. as a matter OF convenience
the appointment can best be settled by cousulLa-
tion beforehand the advice OF the Senator OF
Congressman who IS elected and ras peculiar
means OF knowing the wishes OF his consriru-
ents. being taken. But where a Senator treats
this not as a matter or consultation or n1rTsSk
agreement. not matter OF convenience and
exDedienCy but matter of right on his part
to nominate whOmever he chooses the custom -
discontinued
In the south Atlantic and Gulf states. which
have contained neither Senator'S nor Congress
men OF my own party, l have been Cbl1seC 20
SEEK nv advice from various sources. In these
states 1 have appointed 2 large nuEnoer oe Dem
ocrats in certain states the Democrats appoint
ed ournumbering the Republicans For advice
in appointing the Republicans I have relied
vherever possible not upon ohcehcids-s az all
but upon men Of standing and position who
would not take o1fice and on whose integrity
could depend
As fuzra1 noes merely will refer 20 Colonel Ce-
Gil A. Lyon. OF Texas. commanding one Of the
Texas National Guard regiments and man cf
independent means. engaged IN active business. :
and 20 Mr.. Pearl wight OF LOUISIANA and 20
Mr.. COonnbs. CT Florida also OF independents
means and OF large business affairs. all % tam
being among the most respected men n their
several states These men. and most OF the ON
upon whom / rely. could not be persuaded
take any oftce in my gift and could ~
more coerce or control their political action
than I could. for instance, that OF presidents ~
chambers of commerce or Ct lOnels OF national
guard regiments in similar states in the North.
In all OF these states I have done my best.
when I came appointing Republicans. 20 puC
the best men in Office-thOse wnOm the people
of the locality accepted such and regarded "a
leading citizens: and have every reason 20 he
lieve that the average OF my dppoinIees is very
high.
A. present various EFFORTS are being made to
get up bOitng delegations from the southern
states. and the meetings at which these so-eali-i
delegates are chosen are usually announced
non -oftiCehOlders' conventions. As rlls
This means only far II means anything
that they are held under the lead Of persons Who
wish 10 be put In Office but whose character
and capacity such that they nave not been
regarded as fiI TO be appointed under this ad-
mnIstration- In these cases, be IL remembered.
the failure 70 secure Office Is not the result
Of