The Washington herald., 1909-03-14
REFEREE SYSTEM
TO GET FINALBLOW
Taft VIII Choose 0fficehOld-
erS for South Himself.
NOMINATIONS COMING SOON
Probable that Judge Oscar r. Humid
ley, OF Alabama, viii Lose His
Official Head and Herbert +. Sea-
well viii Not Be ApDOinted-PrO-
tests Are Made to President.

The old Roosevelt referee system OF
appointments TO Federal Offices in the
South viii receive its final blow within
the next few days, It Is said, when the
President VIII send several new nominal
tons TO tie Senate, filling places that
have been the cause of considerable pro-
test during the last two years.
First, it is believed that Judge Oscar
r. Hundley. Of the Northern district OF
Alabama. win not be reappointed. fol-
lowing the fight made against him by the
bar association Of that State. and then
il is said by those who have talked with
the President, that Herbert F. Seawell
win not be the judge Of the Eastern dis
trict Of North Carolina Mr.. seaweTs
confirmation has also been fought bitter
ly by the people Of the Tarheel State.
support OF Referees.
Both OF these men have had the support
OF the referees Of their states. and both
have been opposed by almost everybody
not in sympathy in general matters with
the referees.
Judge Hundley was first appointed two
years ago by President Roosevelt. He
had the backing Of Joseph Thompson. col
lector Of internal revenue at Birming-
ham. but was bitterly opposed by both
Of the late Senator's from Alabama-Mor-
gan and Pettus. At their deaths the Ala
bama Representatives in Congress tool.
up the fight. and have been diligently
working against Mr.. Hundley They
have recommended no one else. but have
been content to oppose HundIey
Mr. Seawell was appointed on the rec
concentrations Of Judge Jeter c. Pritch-
ard, Of Asheville \. c., Of the United
States Circuit Court Of Appeals. and
Judge Spencer 3. Adams, the Republican
boss Of the State. Thomas S. Rollins,
the Roosevelt referee in North Carolina.
Is a sOn-in-law Of Judge Pritchard. and
they both supported Adams for the ap-
pointment- When it was announced from
the White House that no member of the
old machine would get the place. Judge
Pritchard. Judge Adams. and Mr. Rollins
then turned their support to SeaweIL
storm of Protest.
This like the HundIey appointment.
brought a storm Of protests from the pub
lie. and since then delegation after dele
cation has been TO the White House in
an effort 10 switch the favor.
It is now said that the President will
send new names 10 the Senate TO III
these places, and If he does this. it will
be the death stroke for the referees.
Probably none Of President RooseYelts
moves met more favor in the beginning
than the referee system His announced
intention was to appoint these men-the
positions being merely honorary-so that
the appointments to Offices in the states
OF the South would be handled within
the State. that he wanted to get in closer
touch with local conditions, and that he
would rely entirely on the Endorsements
OF the people for his ofiicehoIders.
appointment of Jones.
One Of his first acts under this new
regime was 10 name former Gov. Thomas
G. Jones. OF Alabama, 10 the North Ala
bama judgeship. This selection. because
OF Judge Jones' personal popularity. met
with almost solid approval. This appoint
ment was made on the recommendation
Of his referees. Later he made appoint
ments in Mississippi and Louisiana. and
the system was thought TO be the best
step ever taken By the administration.
Before then the people OF the States of
the South had had little to say as to who
should hold the offices.
But the popularity Of the system began
TO wane when the Minnie Cox trouble. at
the Winona post-office in Mississippi.
came near being the cause OF mob vio-
lence- Minnie Cox was a coIOred woman.
and was Endorsed by the referee. Later
the Crum dispute came up in South
Carolina and the appointment was made
on the recommendation Of the referee. de-
spite the protests of people who thought
they ought to have a word in the mat
ter
From this time on the referee system
was regarded as an inner circle in the
politics Of the Southern States. and grad
ually grew in disfavor. Mr. Taft's an
nounced p,.- = "f making the appoint
ments himself; his pieJse TO let the peo-
pie Of the locality say who shall hold
Offices among them. has generally been
approved, and it is thought he VIII begin
this policy with his administration.
Were Particularly Active.
Among the Roosevelt referees who have
been particularly active in getting ap-
poinments for the South during the last
few years are Representative Bascom
Slemp ard Alvah Martin. Of Virginia
John d. Capers, Of South Carolina:
Thomas S. Rollins. OF North Carolina;
Joseph Thompson and II. F. Tebbetts.
Of Alabama; l. S. Wilson and I. s
Mosely. OF Mississippi: John VI, Parker
and John McIlhenny. Of Louisiana:
Cecil A. Lyon. Of Texas; Representative
Brownlow. Of Tennessee, and John w
Yerkes, OF Kentucky.
That somebody has "unauthoritatively''
donned the garb OF the authoritative.
source and told of Presidential appoint-
ments during the Taft administration.
Is a rumor that gained considerable cir
cuiRtiOn in Washington yesterday just
who has told OF these appointments. that
later turned out 10 be Incorrect is not
certain, but II is said some one has really
wrested that authority.
Some person Of generosity told an
enthusiastic news gatherer that Frank
Wiborg, Of Cincinnati, had been selected
as Assistant Secretary Of Commerce and
Labor. and this statement was accepted
generally by the public
Senator Burton thought he ought 10
have say SO" IN Ohio appointments
and he made a hurry-up trip to the
White House and found that while Mr.
Wiborg was held in high esteem by the
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