New-York tribune., 1910-09-03
TAFT APPOINTS HOLMES.
Head of the New Bureau of
Mines in Washington.
FROM GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
President May Put Assistant
Postmasters and Money Order
Clerks Under Civil Service.

Clerks Under Civil Service.
Beverly, Mass. Sept 2-President Taft
tonight announced the appointment of
Joseph Austin Holmes. Of the Geological
Survey. as director of the new Bureau of
Mines at Washington. DR.. Holmes had
been selected for the place some time ago
but his appointment was held up, il is
derstood here, the ground that Secre-
/ tary Ballinger. under whose department the
new bureau is placed, was opposed to him.
DR.. Holmes is the intimate personal friend
of Clifford Pinchot James R Garfield and
F H. Newell. director of the reclamation
service, all three of whom sharply criti-
| cised Mr. Ballinger on the witness stand at
| the Ballinger- PiHchot inquiry.
! II was reported here that Secretary Bal
! linSer felt Or. Holmes might have had
| hand in what he termed the conspiracy
against him. Friends of DR.. Holmes, while
admitting the latters close association and
friendship with Messrs. Pinchot. Garfield
and Newell declared nevertheless that he
had taken active part in the campaign
against Mr.. Ballinger.
Endorsement Almost Unanimous.
/ The Endorsement Of DR. Holmes for the
/ place was almost unanimous. 1t came from
the mine operators and the miners orsani-
cations alike. The purpose of the new
| bureau is to investigate and report on
safety appliances to prevent the great
waste OF life annually. The bureau will
also make an investigation looking to the
improvement of methods of mining.
/ DR.. Holmes is native OF South Carolina
For ten years he was professor of geology
and natural history at the University of
North Carolina, and from 1891 to 1904 was
state geologist of North Carolina.
A staff of engineers and experts will be
transferred with DR.. Holmes from the
Geological Survey to the Bureau of Mines
George Otis Smith. director of the Geolog-
ical Survey. has been acting as director of
the bureau pending q permanent appoint
ment by the President.
To Extend Civil Service.
President Taft is contemplating, and
probably will issue soon after his return TO
Washington from Beverly, an executive
order putting all assistant postmasters and
the permanent clerks at money order post
Offices under the Civil Service Postmaster
General Hitchcock recommended this step
TO the President some time ago, and he has
been considering II.
The President talked the matter over with
IL IL LANA, lTeSiQenI OF the National
Civil Service Reform League to-day
Mr.. Taft Will take the question up with
his Cabinet during the latter part of this
month and finally dispose of it. Mr.. Hitch
cock thinks the order will work a great
improvement in the postal service
PRESIDENT Taft has a long list of matters
TO take UP with his Cabinet advisers. He
viii reach Washington on September q for
ten days stay, and the Cabinet will be
practically in continuous session on Sep
tember 26 = and IS. All the members of
the Cabinet. whose families are still out of
town. will be the Presidents guests at a
stag" party at the White House.
Supreme Court Appointments.
One Of the principal subjects to be dis
cussed will be the forthcoming appoint
nlents to the United States Supreme Court
! Mr. Taft will have to I'LL the vacancies ere
ated by the death of Chief Justice Fuller
and the prospective retirement of Associ-
ate Justice Moody. II seems pretty we'll
settled that Governor Hughes of New York
who already has been confirmed as an as
| socate justice, Will be designated as Chief
Justice. This will leave two associate JUS
| tices to be appointed.
The President stated again to-day that 1t
was not his purpose to call an extraordi-
nary session of the Senate to confirm the
appointments They will wait until the
regular session of Congress begins.
! Mr.. Taft has stated in several speeches
| that he holds the Supreme Court to be one
OF the most sacred things Of this govern
men1 and the appointment of men to that
bench as one of the most sacred duties of
the President. He has stated also that he
! does not want to suggest that he is hurry
! ing the court in its deliberations by calling
| an extraordinary session. He also desires
plenty of time TO consider the various avail
able candidates and to listen TO all sugges-
tions coming from responsible sources.
To Take Up Postal Banks.
President Taft also will take up with his
Cabinet in Washington the final plans for
putting the postal savings banks in opera
alton. He will discuss the estimates for the
coming fiscal year with the heads Of the de-
partments and try TO hold them down
wherever possible The plans for conduct