The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-31
Working for Taft.

whose recommendation the President re-
Gently made a nomination which was re-
iected by the Senate az the instance Of
Mr.. Gallinger. has written long letter
| 10 the Boston Herald in defense of his
course. He roundly denounces the Gal
llnger machine in New Hampshire as
aligned with railroad interests, and so
naturally opposed 20 Taft, and severely
comments on Senatorial use of patronage
10 build up political machines. He leads
US to infer that the appointment in ques-
ton was one OF the best -men' variety.
and had no relation to the Taft canvass
for delegates In fact. Mr., Churchill as
sures us that "the President believes and
has many times emphasized that belief.
that one Of the chief political evils of the
day consists in political activity by Of
fceholders." And, of course. holding that
belief. Mr.. Roosevelt would not appoint a
man to Office who would be expected 10
hustle for Taft
But. Notwithstanding the correctness
of the Presidential theory, something Is
interfering with its application in prae-
tice II may be that Mr. Roosevelt has
made no appointments with reference TO
their Influence upon the political aspIra-
tons of Mr.. Taft or it mag be that he
is ignorant of the extent 20 which Fad
eral employees are engaged in political
activity IN Mr.. Taft's interest. He is per
fectly well aware, according TO his apollo
gists, that such employees are actively
at work for other Presidential candidates.
= L. IL.
for his own candidate, it becomes the
duty of the press 10 put him in posses
sion of the facts. The Boston Herald,
for example, believing that when the
Presidents attention is drawn TO the mis-
Use of Federal patronage he VIII put a
stop TO IL, declares that somebody has
instructed postmasters that they must
obtain from their subordinates either
their designations or their pledges of sup
port for Taft delegates TO the conven-
tons" Worse still, If possible the Bos-
ton Herald asserts that "a member OF the
Cabinet, a politician of no mean order
having financial interest in an important
corporation. has put pressure upon the
officers Of that corporation to the end
that they must do their utmost 10 secure
a Taft delegation from a certain State"
What is going on in Missouri is thus told
by the Kansas City Journal;
1.-THE crack of the administration whip has
drowned all other sounds in Missouri and the
deadly menace of the big stick has uyeThunE eyeT5
Republican politician who has an office OF who
hopes To get one Postmasters district attorneys.
marshals revenue collectors p0st-of5Ce inspectors
bank examiners, railway mail clerks porters, keep
egs If cuspidors and deputies Of every kind and
description in the Federal service, not 10 mention
State committeeman. county committeeman Con-
gressional committeeman, and other more or less
distinguished outs who hope 10 get a slice 81 Fed
eral pie when IL is cut next scar, have joined IN
the Federal if not national. anthem: I'm
Taft man-beat me 20 It If you can or words to
that effect, choFally expressed"
It seems unnecessary to make more
than passing reference to the action Of
the Federal crowd" In New York,
which has just indorsed Gov. Hughes
for the Presidency, certainly not without
the consent and knowledge of the White
House. after having, within a month,
turned down such an Endorsement on
direct orders from the President. And
yet We are solemnly asked 20 believe
that such performances by oficeholders
are regarded by Mr.. Roosevelt as a
serious political evil!
Who is responsible in the last analysis
for the crack of the administration
whip" that resouuds from one end of
the country TO the other? Let an adj
ministration apologist answer. A staff
correspondent of the Boston Transcript
writes:
The President is not using Federal patronage
I'm ans vulgar. commercial sense. or anything Of
the kind He remains the hgh-miBded man We
have always known him to be. But he is using his
influence as Theodore Roosevelt. persistently and
nightly, for the nomination Of William H. Taft.
and this same Theodore Roosevelt happens 10 be
the President Of the United States and so at the
head Of the greatest army Ct apDointige officers
that exists under the light Of the sun. The stronger
the Roosevetjte in the Cabinet or elsewhere in the
public service. the greater his enthusiasm for Taft
All along the line, from the wOod-choppers in gov
eminent ressrTatisls to the Cabinet ministers whose
political future Is staked in the Roosevelt line,
present and prospective. the Roosevelt men are for
Taft"
1t is "Roosevelts fight for Taft" that
is at the bottom Of the whole business.
The great influence of the Presidential
Office is being exerted to procure a nomi-
nation for a member OF the Cabinet and
no matter what disclaimers Mr. Roosevelt
may make concerning the pressure upon
Federal of1ceholders, he cannot escape
responsibility for a situation created
solely by his own political activity. His
ambition to name his successor is the
head and front of his offending.
\ Florida postmaster refuses to get out,