Arizona republican., 1908-02-14
PHoENIX ARIz. FEBRUARY II, 1908
HOW THE PRESIDENT DEMO-
 ISHES" HIS ANNIVERSARIES

that the statement of the president ir reply 10 the charge that he had i'm properly used federal patronage to fur ther the political fortunes of Secretary Taft, if not of himself, has completely demolished" his adversaries and put them to rout. Yet to the unidolatrous observer, it will appear that the state ment consists only of a bare denial garnished with Rooseveltian platitudes on the subject of the high standard of character and capacity of those whom he chooses to serve under him. All this is not a refutation of the charge made. not by one, but by many sena- tors and by persons outside of congress familiar with the character of the appointments of which con- plaint $ made.
 IL is not too broad d statement, 10 declare that not a thinking or obserV- ing man in the United States has been convinced by the presidents denial, which is weakened by the numerous
  been involved. Moreover, the circum- stantial facts are all on the side of his adversaries.
 So intense and unblushing a partisan as the president himself, has never occupied a high place in the nation. His last special message to congress was a most astounding bit of partisan ship. Two motives have been suggest ed for the transmission of that remarkable document - either to strengthen the movement in behalf of Secretary Taft, or to resurrect the third term movement The circum- stances leave little doubt that the in- tent was political There could have been no other object in sending the message. It purported to be a recom- mendation for the enactment of an employers liability law, when already an employers liability bill was before the senate There were other recom- mendations mingled with the tide of epithets against predatory wealth" and sinister offenders" but the pres ident, assuming him to be of ordinary perspicacity, must have known that they would not receive the attention of congress.
 Another circumstance was the day of the transmission-s Friday, over which the senate intended to adjourn, but re- mained in session at the urgent re- quest of Senator Lodge. the presidents friend. 10 receive the worse than use less message Friday night was the time set for Governor Hughes decIa- ration of principles. Why then, was this day chosen for the message. which contained no advice that the congress needed or would heed. unless it was intended by the president, that it should smother the Hughes speech in the newspapers of Saturday morn ing?
 Whether or not the president had such a purpose, there is still the gen. cral and ineradicable impression that the message was meant to serve only d political purpose. It may be reasonably asked whether a president who prosti- tutes the prerogative conferred upon him by Section 3 of Article II of the Constitution and in the guise of message to congress delivers an in- flammatory stump speech to the ma tion. would hesitate to use improperly his power of appointment for partisan political purposes.
 In this relation, Representative Douglas, an adherent of the president, and whose letters were read by Sena- tor Foraker the following day in the senate, himself uawittingly convicts the president of the charges. Not withstanding Douglas attributes to the president the highest motives in the careful weighing of appointment matters. in one of his letters to Bry- son, tn" Athens. O.. postmaster w hose appointment had been held up because Bryscn had stated his belief that Taft was losing ground in Ohio. he writes
 
 he saw no reason for the appointment of those who were not in harmony with his policies"
 Douglas furthermore inferentially criticised Senator Foraker. as the cuckoo press is doing. for making use of the letters that had passed between Rryson and Douglas. Yet, only week earlier, the president himself in his special message had made himself an accessory after the fact to the theft of letter stelcn from inc santa Fc offices al San Francisco by a discharg- ed employe This letter also by the Way. Was presented by the president