The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-24
TAT I WILL SOON
 STYLE POLICY ypointnents h the South Cause President Some Worry AUTHORITY OF SENATOR'S Hitchcock Will Consult With Taft as to the Power In Appointments to
 Be Placed In the Hands of
 Southern Senators.
AUTHORITY OF SENATOR'S

Washington, March B. Especially in the next day or so President Taft will reach decision as to what will be his policy in appointments to federal offices in the south. The question is now square, ly up to him. He is considering it with Postmaster General Hitchcock.
 Are democratic senators from southern states, where there is a lame republican organization-a strictly pie-counter aggre- gation-to have the distribution of patron- age under a republican administration?
 Senator Smith of South Carolina is un- der the impression that this will be the policy of the new administration He bases his idea upon statements made to him by President Taft that he desired to consult him and Senator Tillmau as to South Carolina appointments
 Senator Smith also understands that the President has expressed this purpose to several other southern senators, among others Bailey and Culberson of Texas Foster and McEnery of Louisiana and Johnston and Bankhead of Alabama.
 Postoffice at Florence.
 Senator Smith saw the President to- day relative to the postoffice at Florence S. C.. the senator's home town The present postmaster. Wilson, negro, is not to be reappointed at that place. Many white republicans including a son of Representative Cassell of Pennsylvania, are applicants for the place.
 Senator Smith wants to know whether the postmaster is to be selected from the list of republican applicants or whether he wishes the recommendation of the senator. who is of the opinion that none of the men now applying are backed by the sentiment of the people. The Presl- dent told MT. Smith he would take the matter up with Postmaster General Hitchcock and give him an answer 4lS
 q am fully convinced said the sen ator today. that MT. Taft means to con- fer fully with democratic senators of some of the southern states as to federal of fees in their states, and that his policy will be to give careful attention to the voice of majority of the people. His appointments in the south, I think will not be made with any reference to the politics of the candidates, and he will seek only the best men, whatever their party faith"
 Man for the Office.
 Senator Smith stands ready to recom- mend postmaster at Florence if he is given the liberty of doing so. If 1t is de- cded that choice will be made from republican candidates for the office Mr Smith will make no recommendation.
 What the President means by the words consult" or "confer' as used in his converse tion with southern sena- tors Is susceptible of wide interpreta- tion. If the view of Senator Smith as to their sense should prevail democrat tic senator's will virtually have the patron age of a republican administration in practically all southern states except Virginia North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky.
 MT. Hitchcock knows the great value of even pie counter organizations about the time for making nominees for President by republican conven- tions. All who know him feel that he will aggressively urge the President not to fully abandon the better class of republicans who have worked in the past with the party. He will CO., operate with the President In raising the class of appointees in the south and will seek influential recruits to the party, 1t is safe to say But in his mind the question will arise as to wheth CT democratic senators are the right persons to intrust with the building up of a republican party in the south.
 Practical Side.
 The practical side of the question ap- peals to him in contrast with the sin cere wish of the President to have the southern people understand that their interests are to be cared for in the various appointments that are to be made.
 In every way possible MT. Hitch cock will undoubtedly advise the Presi- dent to favor respectable, upright re- publicans of long standing in southern appointm tments instead of individuals of the big army of recruits that are now putting out their arms for slices of the pie they have condemned others for scrambling for.
 Wherever satisfactory republicans cannot be had, democrats will be named if MT. Hitchcock can have his way. What MT Hitchcock cannot see is how he Is to keep republican organizations in the south if republican national com mitteemen and state chairmen are to be entirely ignored and democrats name the officeh older
 In the particular case of Florence, the decision may be reached to permit Senator Smith to name the postmas- ter. That may be done in his home town, as a matter of courtesy to the senator, 1t Is pointed out and not as part of a policy of turning things over to the democrats.
 In the naming of E. w. Durant, Jr., as collector of customs at Charleston in place of Crum, a negro, the South Carolina senators were not consulted. Mr. Durant was republican also, all though he was satisfactory to demo- cratic influences paramount at Charles ton.