Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1910-09-16
NORTON LETTER
BEYERLYPUzNE
MEANING on TAFT VIEWS ~ v
LETTER AROUSIiS SUSPICION.
Observation-Disclosures
Policy of Withholding Patronage 10
"Progrcssi,cs' In Congrcs,
T. Withdrawn.

ny A"u'lhltu lltNNt
Beverly Mass sept t5-- Beverly
ie little puzzled touleht as to The
exact meaning of letter made pub
lic here today In which Secretary
Charles Dyer Norton, rejecting the
news Of President Taft announced
that the policy Of Withholding patron.
age from The progressive senators
and representatives had been aban-
doned aud that II was the purpose of
The administration to treat AN Re
publicans alike The letter was writ
ten to an unnamed political leader
In Iowa. the lnsurgout stamping
ground no Interpretation of the
document could be- obtained from Of.
ncial sources.
II was admitted that q variety Of
Interpretation might bee placed upon
II lrom the viewpoint of different po-
lilcal observers, but it was Insisted
that the letter rs simply formal au.
nuuncement Of policy that soon
would have been discovered by vari
Gus appointments uf postmust,rs. etc.
thar are about to bee made In some
of thc progressive" states.
Suggestion that the letter seemed
TO Indicate turn toward the pro-
gressives' ON the part of the prcsi
dent was met by the statement that
Tart has always been "pTuEressiyr'
himself that his record for progress
sivc legislation during his first year
of office has never been cqualled by
II was not admitted at the cNccu-
tive offices that the recent progress
sive' success In states Ike Iowa. Kan
sas, California and Wisconsin had in
nuonced the President. Neither was
II admitted that the results in these |
states were at all dispensing To- him |
President Taft declared last winter |
that the test of real Rcpublcanism |
was the support OF the partys nation !
al platform. All of the progressive" |
states have announced fealty to the
platform and the President Is said 10 |
be more than willing to take the pro-
grcssive" leaders at their word and he |
assuredly win give them an oppor- |
tunity this winter To carry some more /
OF the platform pledges into effect.
The President declares through Mr. |
Norton that the value of federal pa |
tronage has been greatly ovenestima- |
ted, but taken for what II may be |
worth he does not propose 10 let it |
stand any longer as a hindrance To !
party harmony
No distinct objection was raised at |
Beverly these days to the "insurgent" |
and on the other hand there is "A |
disposintion to point out many Of !
Taft's utterances and acts Ot the past |
as evidence of real progressivcness ON |
his part 1t Is also pointed out that |
the President had to work with the |
the party gave him.
II Is estimated that in a speech he |
Is TO deliver before the National |
League of Republican clubs IN New |
York on October /, the President may |
have something to say Of his own |
This does not mean |
radicalism or rampant insurgency. 1t |
is pointed out that II Is but recog- |
milton of the progressive movement
ln-the meantime, the Norton letter |
Is to be allowed to speak foS itself |
without explanation,
The letter In question was as fol-
lows.
The question must be settled by
Republicans of every shade of opin-
ion whether the differences of the
last session of Congros shall be per-
uetuated or shall be forgotten. The |
President recognized the danger that |
i'm certain cases that expression of |
feeling was so intense ms to make IT
difficult in some instances FOR the
factions to come together and work !
for the party. but as he stated In his
letter to the Republican congressional
committee he believes 1t
can and should be done President
TAFT is confident that you will your
self meet your local and state situa-
tlon I'm this spirit and VII write your
friends to do likewise.
"The presidIt feels that the value
of federal patronage has been greatly
exaggerated ana refusal 10 grant II has
been more useful to men af-
fected than the appointments would
have been,
"In preliminary skirmishes In states
like Iowa, Wisconsin and elsewhere,
he was willing In the interest of what
leaders believed VOW lead TO party
success to make certin Determinations,
but the President has concluded that
Il Is his duty now to treat all Repub-
Iicln congressman ana senators alike.
ole will now follow the usual rule
In Republican congressional districts
and states and follow recommenda-
tlons made by Republican congress-
men and senators of whatever politl-
cal opinion only requiring tho' men
shall be good men and
most competent and best benefited
Tor the particular office
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