Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-01-16
TAFT SENATORS DEFIANT
Throw OIL Ftu' o. prssIdsnt's
Postmaster Appointments In Ohio.
THEY BACK UP FORAKER IN FIGh'
Said Also to Recognize Bay State
Mans Political Astuteness-Payn
Said to Have Advised President as
to Nomination.

polntmonts made on the recommends
ton of Arthur l. vorys. manager for
Secretary Taft in the contest for the
Ohio Endorsement for the Republican
presidential nomination.
The rejection OF n presidential APP
pointment IN unusual and Is regarded
as decisive action. Ordinarily offend
ed Senators or Il rebellious Senate
are satisfied TO neglect confirmation,
without hurting back defiance into the
teeth of the Chief Executive. Today's
vote Is significant. 1t means that the
Senate will support all efforts OF the
two Ohio Senators-Foraker and Dick
Ito prevent the use OF federal patron.
age against them In the TaftForalter
fight In Ohio. 1t means more than
this. The Senate Is the stronghold of
the opposition to Taft MS It is antag-
onlstic TO President Roosevelt. It's
presiding officer. Vlce-President Fair
banks, is one OF Secretary Tnfts RI.
walls for the nomination; Senator
Knox Is another candidate. willie Sen.
ator Crane, of Massachusetts. Is the
strategist OF the "favorite son" COM
blnation. The Senate indicated by to-
days action that 1t means to dull the
edge of the federal weapon with which
President Roosevelt has armed the
Taft boomers. From now on the
Taft-Forakor contest will be enlivcned
by contest between the President
ana the Senate.
Third Degree for capers.
II Ia significant that before John q !
Capers was confirmed few days age
al Commissioner of Internal Revenue
he had privately to retract public
Endorsement of the Taft candidacy.
Capers was calldc upon by the Sena.
torial carpet and asked how strong
an enthusiasm no felt for Secretary
Taft. He is declared to have seen
which way the chilly Senatorial winds
were blowing ana concluded that his
Taft sentiments were none too Wig.
orous. In short. while President
may Use the appointive power to the
advantage of the desires for his sue.
cessor. the Senate intends to demon
strate that appointments are really
of little value without confirmation.
Some hllnrlty marked the turning
down of the Senatorial thumbs over
the four Ohio appointments. This
amusement ut the expense OF the
President and his cabinet reached It's
height when Senator Foraker arose
anu gravely remarked II move that
the President OF the United States be
Immediately notified of this action"
Those Who Were Rejected.
The rejected appointments are those
of John II. Wetherill, of Spencerville.
Allen county, and Emil H.. Moser, of
Wapakoneta. rAuglalze county. both IN
the Fourth Congressional district, and
David c. Mahon. of Dennlson, and
George w. White, of Urichsvllle. both
In Tuscarawas county and the Sew.
enteanth Congressional district. The
technical case which Senators For.
aker and Dick had to offer the other
Senators rested on the Democratic
complexion OF these two districts.
which would make all their postofflces
Senatorial appointments under the
unwritten laws of politics anu patron.
age. iqdr
The two Ohio Senators told their
colleagues that they had not even
been consulted in these appointments
by the President, and under the ira.
dition OF Senatorial courtesy. this was
enough to result in the capital YER
dict.
Used to Help TAFT.
The Fourth and Seventeenth dis.
tricts. like the Fifth. have long been
regarded as Foraker strongholds, and
they were counted by the Senators as
supporting territory against Taft I'm.
I'll lately. But Vorys has been sue.
cessful In capturing the organization
In these Democratic counties. The
Ohio Senators told their colleagues
that tho appointments of Mahon and
White. In Tuscarawas county, follow.
ed the visit of e. S. Sauers and other
local Republican politicians to Coluin.
bus, where they saw Yorys. On til,irl
return the Tusoarawas County Repuh
'crr Committee met and indorsed
Taft and tho appointments of Mahon
and White followed. In short, the
Ohio Senators complained that Vorys
was securing Taft Endorsements with
federal patronage. and they asked the
Senate TO help them defeat these tao.
tics. The tale told TO the Senate of
the Fourth district appointments was
much he same. Wetherill was a For.
nker man until he decided that The
Taft managers had the disposal of
federal patronage In Ohio. so the Sen.
ate was Informed. AS for Moser. tho
Ohio Senators had been ready to in
dorse him year ago. Tat the admin.
istration at that time replied that the
record of w. C. Davis, the Incumbent.
was so good that he must not be dis.
placed. But after Moser got on the
Tart bandwsgon. the administration
forgot all about the good record OF
Davis and gave the job to the new
convert.
Foraker Speaks Boldly.