The Port Gibson reveille., 1909-05-27
MR.. TAFT IS INDEPENDENT
Disregards Politics in Making
Appointments
SOME SELECTIONS BIG SURPRISE
Politicians Are Worried Over Pres
ident's Attitude. Breaking Away
From old Customs In
Southern States.

Washington Taft In
developing a tendency To independ-
ence that is giving the politicians
much worry. This tendency has nGe
been in evidence as yet to any siren
uous extent or in any strenuous fash
ion. Nevertheless. it is in evidence
and the politicians are distressed
over it. They are wondering what
the end of it is going to be.
The latest foreeful exhibition OK
this disposition is seen in the aE-
pointment of William Williams OF
New York, to be Commissioner Of Im-
migration for the port of New York
This appointment not only does not
meet the wishes of the New York
Republican organization. but the or
ganization is, as matter of fact. mot
a little displeased over it. Repre-
sentative Herbert Parsons, chairman
of the New York County Committee
was not IN favor of Williams, and
wanted Secretary WhittIe OF the
county committee named. The pres
ident took the position that he was
interested in having the man most
competent for the job named. so
he addressed himself to disregard
ing politics and picking out a man
whose past record in the fmmigra-
ton service satisfied him he was tbs
individual best suited for the an
pointment.
The case of Williams would not
be so interesting If 1t was the only
one of the kind, but as a matter or
fact the prominence of this case em.-
phasizes the disposition the PresE-
dent is manifesting in a number oE
cases. A number of his judicial aB-
pointments have shown the little ro-
gard for political demands. The In
stance of Judge Charles A. Willard
appointed to succeed Milton d. Pur-
dy in Minnesota, is a case In point.
Willard was appointed because Taf&
wanted him, and a way was found
to circumvent the objections of Sen
ator Nelson. Now, Willard, is coz
f1rmed, though Nielsen stood out far
a year or more successfully against
that action. 4
In the South the president n
breaking away from the old Repuh-
lican politicians, and is consultiR8
Republicans and Democrats freely
He is seemingly showing a sincere
desire to appoint men of merit theF&
without reference to introductions
that are wholly political, though Of
course, he feels that by proper poE
icy of appointments much can b@
done to break up the solid South
In Ohio, the other day, the PFez-
ident appointed Hyman ID. Davis as
United States marshal for the north
ern district. Senator Dick opposed
the appointment outright. Senator
Burton did not oppose it, but he did
not recommend Davis in the first
place. Davis was not his selection.
but the selection of John Hays Ham
mond.
These instances are sufficient In
show that whGe Mr.. Taft is getting
along on terms of peace as far as he
can with the politicians and thas
Republican leaders, he is given tU
doing things a good deal as he sees
fit. The peculiar feature of this SORE
of thing is that up to date his ap-
pointments are not being opposed I'm
the senate.
The question some of the Repuh
lican political leaders are asking nnW
is whether this tendency of Mr. TafE
is not going to be manifested In
plenty of other things before his adj
ministration gets very old Plenty
time is left for the president to acc
independent of the wishes of Senator
AIdrich and Speaker Cannon as rs
CARDS the tariff, and there is .
strong belief in many quarters that
he may do it.
At any rate, he is gathering up
some data for his own use and has
got some figures from the Treasury
Department to show he Is keeping
the consumer in mind and is finding
Just what the poor man is taxed On
the necessaries of life.