New-York tribune., 1910-12-18
rFrcm The Tribune Bureau.l

with a weather eye on the convention and
election of 1912. President Taft has taken
his stand sauarely and unequivocally for
the recognition of merit in the postal ser
vice. without regard for the effect his stand
may have on his political welfare. and
nothing will shake him. The President is
very deeply impressed with the achieve
/ ments of the Postma ster General in the
line of economy. and he conceves it to be
essential to the further success of Mr.
Hitchcock to authorize him to assure every
nan in the postal service that merit alone
will count. Accordingly, no postmaster VIII
he removed. no matter what political IN
huence his would-be successor may bring
to bear. and despite the fact that his term
may have expired, If the Postmaster Gen
lerai certifies that he has performed his
duties conscientiously and efficiently. That
the public cares little for economy In the
public service that far more enemies are
ihnade by the discharge of a single employe
THAN are gained by the pecunisry saving
effected. and that the welfare of the po-
iiticaI organization depends largely on the
distribution of patronage have been urged
on til President by his political ADVISERS.
without avail He has his own ideals and
is determined 10 stand by them, and there
is no one in his Cabinet or elsewhere who
can shake him.
TAFT WOULD GO FAR.-The President
would go even further than to retain post
masters who have exhibited efficiency IN
the performance of their duties He would
include practically all other minor en-
ployes of the government who are not now
within the classified service. In his mes
sage he urged Congress to empower MN
Ito put all those places. such as the col
lectors of the smaller ports. district attor-
news and similar offices, in the classlieu
service and he has taken his stand TOT ao-
ministration along that line, even shouio
Congress fail to act. He has, OF course ii"
Intention of attempting to ignore the pre-
roeatives of the Senate which enjoys the
right to confirm nominations 1or THESE
pIaces. but he will he chary Of removing
any man or appointing his successor wheh
his term expires unless the law requires
and he will exert his influence t" secure
legislation which will take these places en-
tirelv out of politics Such a course causes
lconeterpatiou among those who believe the
time has come for Mr.. Taft TO give at least
reasonable attention TO politics Men loyal
! te him 10 the last degree, and close 10 h1ih
as well, feel that IL is a mistake, that ms
efforts 20 promote good government VIII
no. he appreciated and that he is JeopaI-
dizine his chances of reelection. but their
nrotestations are of no avail lie mas MS
ideal of what constitutes good admfn1s'ra-
ltion. and when his friends ana aoN'seiS
urge him TO consider the poiitlcal eHec, VI
his acts he only chaffs them ana 1rsis's
that he will he the best President he KNOWS
how IA be and let the future take care {"
itself
SECOND CLASS NATTER.-Every pos
sible effort is being made TO d1ssuaoe 'he
President from pressing the recommehua-
+ion of the Postmaster General for some fl-
crease in the rate on second ciaSs ma!teF'
hut without avail. Mr.. Taft says mat III
the first place it would be highly improper
for him not TO uphold the hands of fost-
master General who has done SO much
toward wiping out the postal dehc''' ana
+ba+ he has no intention of faiIi2; to do so.
11e ie. however far from convinced that the
neople and the press will not come to re-
a1ize the i1lstness of the proposition. The
daily press. he believes. has suffered in its
advertising patronage because of the in
roads of the .popular magazine, and while
he has no idea that the administra ton
should undertake to protect the daily press,
he does believe that no portion of the press
should receive advantages from the gov
ernment over any other portion. The arsu-
meut that a considera BILE element of the
press will be SO antagonized by his efforts
to have the second class rates on its adver-
tising matter increased that it will spare no
effort to injure him and to change the po-
iitical complexion of the administration at
Washington, makes no appeal whatever to
Mr.. Taft If such misrepresentation is
made he Will bear the burden, but he will
not he sNerved from the path which he
considers to be that of duty. The dire ap-
prehension and anxiety which the PreSi-
dents position causes to the politicians of
the party can be better appreciated than
described, but those who seek TO influence
Mr.. Taft or TO direct his energies and at
tention into other channels find no consola-
ton at the White House
A POLITICAL ARBITER-Some of the
best friends of the President have been
urging him to choose a political arbfter and
to intrust TO him the nagement Of the
political fortunes of this administration. in
view of the fact that their consideration is
SO distasteful to Mr.. Taft himself. There
is a possibility that eventually this may be
done, but thus far Mr.. Taft has refused to
consider the matter seriously. He hunor-
ously suggests that If what his political
friends tell him about his own conduct is
true such an arbiter would soon become "a
fit candidate for insane asylum and
with that he dismisses the suggestion. OF
course. one believes for a moment that
President Taft would intrust his political
fortunes any other affair of his admin
istration TO one of the old school politicians.
He could never reconcile himself TO the
methods which used TO be regarded as en-
tirely fair in the game of politics, but that
IL might help him TO have man of political
experience and high ideals-a man for
whom such things have an attraction
, rather than repulsion-at his elbow is sin
cerely and earnestly urged by some who
have not yet abandoned all hope of seeing
this course adopted.
DEMOCRATIC TROUBLES.-Let no one
imagine that the political troubles are all
on the Republican side of the fence. The
Democrats. who for these many years