The Washington herald., 1909-05-13
Mr. Tafr's Southern hnnointments.

III AZ . O1lllcAI appointments
Il IS evident that President Taft is ex-
ercising great care in making appoint
ments TO Office in the Southern States.
with d view TO improving the quality OF
the Federal service His policy IS more
than merely partisan. for he is not fol-
loving closely the advice Of machine
leaders, and has in one or two cases
given important places 10 Democrats. OF
former members Of that party: but II is
altogether probable that an independent
course viii eventually result IN strength
ening the Republican organization by CIV
ing the people greater confidence in its
methods and purpose. Even the selec-
ton of Judge Connors. Of the North
Carolina Supreme Court. for a place on
the Federal bench is acknowledged to
be better for the Republican party than
would be the choice Of a machine candi-
date IN spite Of the judges lifelong
Democracy. Probably. however. his
Democracy would not m the definition OF
that type Of political belief as promulgat-
ed by Mr. Bryan, who has virtually
ruled thar any Democrat who accepts
Office under a Republican administration
ceases. ipso facto. to be a Democrat aIr.
Bryan has undoubtedly noticed that AIr.
Taft does not tender Office to Bryan Dem
ocrats.
As there is q disposition in some circles
70 contrast Mr.. Taft's Southern appoint
ment policy with that Of his predecessor.
Il may be Of interest 10 inquire what 8Ir-
Roosevelt's poicy was, or. at any rate.
what his ideals were He had plenty Of
ideals, and they were stated frankly in
q letter written 10 Clark Howell. editor
of the Atlanta Constitution. in 1919. about
the time an oTtcrv was raised over the
appointment Of Collector Crum al Charles
ton 3Ir. Roosevelt maintained in this
letter that he had sought 10 consult local
feeling so far as he could without sacri-
fcing principle. the principle being that
he could not treat color as a bar 10 hold
ing Office. Character, fitness. and abil-
ity were the prime tests he applied in
making selections, and he had not hesi-
JaJed 10 make appointments from mem
.bers Of the opposite party In several in
stances ne had replaced coIored uen. with
white. and the proportion OF blacks 10
white he put at about one in hundred.
He noted that a large percentage Of Fed
eral ofhces IN Georgia were filed BY
Democrats He had consulted freely
with the Georgia Senators and Congress
men concerning appointees as to whose
character there was any question. Among
his advisers in Georgia and other South
ern States were Democrats Of high stand
ing in their communities. AIr. Roosevelt
thought his appointments had notably i'm
proved the public service. representing a
higher standard Of Federal service than
had hitherto prevailed IN the South.
Thus We see that so far as ideals OF
appointment are concerned Mr.. Roosevelt
started of with about the same inten-
ton as Mr. Taft The chief difference
between them relates 20 the appointment
OF negroes TO Office over the protest Of
Southern communities. Mr.. Taft has In
effect pledged himself not TO make an
pofntments Of colOred men where the
appointment would cause local friction
Air- Roosevelt made one or two such aD-
pointments. which maintained his pria-
ciple OF treating all men alike, but 9th
erwise his practice was not much differ
ent from that Of the present administra-
ten But Mr. Taft Is giving his judicial
selections q loving care that his predeces-
sor never dreamed of. It's another 6ff-
ference worth mentioning.