Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-01-28
TO ABOLISH THE REFEREE


 That President elect Taft has decided to abolish the referee system for the dis tribution of federal patronage in the south is the reliable report.
 This means that in his effort to strengthen the republican party south of the Mason and Dixon line he has come face to face with the proposition that he must thoroughly revolutionize the political conditions which have pre- vailed in the party in this section for the last forty years.
 Under the referee system, two or three men have dictated the personnel of the federal officeholders in each southern state. The south has been po- litically so remote from the national capital, and there has been such wide spread absence of political activity in this section, that the various adminis- trations have considered it necessary to accept the pronunciamento of these self constituted referees who we've usu- ally themselves occupants of federal po- sitions.
 The result was inevitable. Tie ref erees used their power for the'r. own ends, rewarding with promise their friends and supporters. So grossly has the federal patronage been misl,andled in some of the states that the resul- tant conditions have made it impossible for the republican party to grow or com mand consideration at the hands of the people.
 Now, the friends of MT. Taft s,y, this old regime, which has been blansed for the ineffcctiveness of the party in the south is to be done away with, and in its place new agency employed for deciding who shall and who shall not get place at the pie counter. Several plans have been suggested and discussed One is that the agents of the civil ser vice could be used to pass on the fitness of applicants in regard to their ability and standing in the community. Anoth CT is that good work of this kind could be done by the independent clubs whici are to be organized throughout the soutl under the management of John Hay Hammond, president of the nationa league of republican clubs.
 Still third idea is that the club and the civil service agents should co operate in selecting and recommending to the next president the men best fit ted for the positions under considera tion. This would be undertaken witt the clear understanding that if a fl republican could not be found, demo crat should get the job.
 With a unanimity that must hay been convincing, Mr. Taft has been toll by independent democrats and high class republicans that the referee sys tenn should be abolished, and that new plan for selecting officeholders rus be made.
 From the referees themselves cam protests long and loud. They were sur that, with their ruin, would come tn eternal and everlasting fall of republi canism in the south. They, and the. alone, were the captains tried and tru who would lead on the increasing host to victory. Some of them went to Au gusta in person when the rumor of tn impending decision went abroad, an the letters sent in by others would nov a cigar store Indian to unrestraine tears.
 Some one put up the argument that would be useless to try tc elevate tn personnel of the officeh olders becaus the "best citizens" would not accep the offices, so contaminated mad thes places become from long msuse. It wa pointed out, however, tb1t not man seemd to be in the busipess of side-steI ping government monYy. and this ot jecting argument was removed. |