The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-11
Feared He Will Continue Work
Of Taking Patronage" Out
Of the Hands of National
Congress.
ARMY OFFICERS QUAKE
OVER THE PROSPECTS
Thought Many Will Be Retired
In Favor of "Younger
BIood"-The President May
Use "Hot Shot," 4~~e
(By Sheldon S. cIine.C

(sy Sheldon S. cIine.r
Washington. Dec. 11.-A lot OF peo-
pie grow uneasy when they contem-
plate the things it is possible for The
odore Roosevelt to do during the less
than three months that remain of his
administration. Already a consider
able number of congressman are in
the slough of despondency because of
the executive order placing $4,000
fourth-class postmasters under the
protection of the civil service laws.
and there is every reason TO believe
the order will be extended 10 cover the
remaining $4,000 fourth-class offices
And there is disQuieting report from
the white house that the president has
in mind the placing of some 10000
other offices under the civil service,
including deputy marshals, deputy
surveyors. deputy collectors, assistant
district attorneys, etc.
Lose Their Patronage.
Already, for all practical purposes,
consular appointments have been re-
moved from the class OF congression-
al patronage. and should the president
carry out the program he is reported
10 have under consideration. senators
and representatives will have left TO
them no more patronage than has the
resident commissioner from Porto
Rico, who has no say in the distribu-
ton of offices beyond the appoint
ment of his personal secretary
Seven out of ten members of con-
gress then will be ready to get up and
declare that "a foul outrage has been
perpetrated." The other three in ten
possess unbounded satisfaction at
the prospect. That's because there is
a difference of opinion. The seven
who feel outraged hold TO the belief
that the patronage a member has To
distribute makes him more friends
than II does enemies and enables him
to hold on to his seat in congress.
The other three believe a man makes
more enemies than friends through
the distribution OF patronage, and
don't want to be bothered with office
seekers, anyhow. Mostly. such as
these belong to the high brow" class
of statesmen, who don't like even TO
send out garden seeds.
Army Officers Fearful.
Army and navy officers of long SEA-
vice constitute another class who are
Ill at ease. The rumor is persistent
in circles of the service that the presi-
dent proposes wholesale retirements
some time between now and March L.
Mr.. Roosevelt has repeatedly gone on
record as favoring younger men in
the higher ranks of the army and
navy, and as the law provides that
the president may, 'in his discrea-
tion," retire an officer who has reach
ed the age OF 62 years or been 10
years in service under a commission,
II Is only natural TO expect that while
power yet remains In his hands he
will do something to put his theories
into practice.
In the army two major generals.
four brigadier generals and more than
80 colonels and lieutenant colonels
have passed or are very close TO the
age OF 62. All of them are subject TO
| retirement by order of the command
er-in-chief Their retirement would
| furnish an opportunity for the promo
| tion Of meritorious young officers.
| which must appeal powerfully to the
president Nor is there any certainty
that these promotions would be made
according 10 seniority. There is no
law compelling the president to OBJ
serve the time-honored rule of senior
| ity and he has ignored it in a number
of very notable instances. The cases
| of Gen. Wood, now commanding the
| department of the east, and Gen. Gro
Zier, chief of the ordinance bureau,
are illustrations.
| The navy does not afford so many
opportunities for retirements. but
| there are quite a number of officers
eligible to involuntary relief from ac-
| tive duty who are not ready to quit.
and they jump at every unusual noise.
Prospective retirements. however. are
| not needed to keep the navy in hot
water. The reorganization of that
/ branch of the service which the presi-
dent already has under way Is suffi-
cient to engage all the spare attention
OF naval officers.
Interesting Exchanges Expected.
That during the present session Of
congress there are going to be num-
Der of interesting exchanges between
the white house and the capitol goes
without saying Theodore Roosevelt
has personal and very pronounced
i views regarding congress and con-
gress il NOT withVt its specific and
(Continted on Page Tvol