The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-12-22
HtmPH|lL IlFT's ADVISOR.
CHARLESTON EDITOR CONSULT
ED IN SOUTH CAROLINA AP-
POINTNfENTS.
Urged Kuker's Nomination, Also
Had . Hand I'm Appointment of
King OF Darlington-Capcrs Set
In Background.

modern ana radiant days OF Big Bill
Taft. what has become OF that an
Client and honorable institution for
msriy designated Republican Ref
cree" beatifically transmogrihed, as
you may recall. under the be-ac-
curate dispensation Of Hon. George
Bruce cortelyou into "Adviser"-But.
regardless Of nomenclature. where Ia
hs at? In brief. Who's 1t In South
Carolina when II comes to pie?
The man who secured the nomin-
alton Of Louis c. Kuker to be post
master OF Florence and 8. Koke
King TO be postmaster at Darling
ton was Maj. James Calvin Hemphill.
editor OF the Charleston News and
Courier and Mr.. Taft's closest and
most confidential friend In South
Carolina Captain John @. Capers,
Republican national committeeman
and erstwhile referee" for South
Carolina recommended other men
for these ofiices. Capt. Caper's re-
commendations have been wont to
90 In South Carolina postmaster
ships. General Francis H. Hitch
cock. Political Charge d'Affairs of the
Administration. still consults him
about these ofiices, but bigger, than
the General has been taking hand.
Senator Il. ID. Smith. who represents
Florence In the senate and who had
The power of holding up any ap-
pointment Objectionable to him, "did
his durndest." In the language of the
classic poet to influence the presi-
dent to name another man for Flor
snce. But there was one more DO
tent In the councils Of the president
than the senator. and the Majors
man was named.
Captain Capers, says he is no longer
''Eeferee" or Adviser" In the cstab-
ushed sense. $50 far as know
there Isn't any such job," he says, ct
have retired to my private law prac-
tice and am devotiug my time to II,
intending not TO accept any further
political ONCE. OF course, until the
next national convention I am still
the national Committeeman. and
having advised about South Car olina
emces 80 long. and still desirious OF
sssins good men In Office az we'll as
% see tho party prosper In South
Carolina. why whenever I am asked
% advise. advise. When I am not
asked. have nothing to say In
passing Il 10 an evidence of Mr.. Ca
per's sincerity that he has had the
refusal OF at least two good federal
appointments slice he left that Of
General Revenue commlssioner.
Now upon the election OF Mr.. Taft
different policy with respect to ap-
pointments In the South was .determ-
med upon. Mr.. Taft had been down
70 Greensboro. N. c., several years
before he was an active candidate
for the presidency. There he shocked
his fellow Republicans who for sew
srai years had been engaged In one
continuous and conspicuous exhibition
dognsht over federal patronage by
selling them that the Republican
party In the South would be better
on II the Democrats held all the off,
nces. He seems not altogether to
have got that idea out of his head.
and II is believed. he would have en-
tered upon a wholesale policy of ap-
pointing Democrats to office had II
not been for the more astute po,itI-
cal head of his postmaster general
and chief politicals adviser. There ia
. difference only of Judgment be-
tween Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Hitchcock.
The object Of each Is to break the
solid South. Mr.. Taft thinks he can
DO Il by coddling a few Democrats
with Republican leanings. and while
Ar. Hitchcock does not wholly dis
asrce with this idea he wants to be
quite sure Of the leanings. Mr.. Taft
seems willing to take greater
chances on this score. The regular
aforetime referees" have not been
formally abolished or superseded 40
much as they have been Just sort
O. deiunctionized. as IT were, per-
haps temporary and experimentally
I'm order that the beaming and per-
susive personality OF the big hearted
Bill Taft might beam direct.
This personality has been beaming
upon the Charleston editor ever since
that famous Gander and Hen incl
dent. when the News and Courier
conducted raffie for the Bryan
campaign fund. This tickled the Re-