Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-16
President Taft Announces That Patron
age Will Hereafter Be Given the
ProgresSives and Regular Re-
pubICanS on Same Basis.

treat all party leaders on the same
views in the matter were expressed to-
day in a letter written by Secretary
Norton to prominent leader of Iowa
whose name was withheld
In the letter Secretary Norton states
that while pending Republican legis-
lation in Congress was opposed by
certain Republican leaders, the Presi-
dent felt that his duty to the party
and to the country required him tC
withhold federal patronage from those
| senators and representatives who
seemed to be in opposition to the eff
| forts of the administration to fulfill
the promises of the party platform.
| That attitude, however. ended with
| the primary elections and nominating
conventions, in which the people have
declared themselves, and now the
President looks on "Progressives" and
"Regulars' only as Republicans, en-
| titled to his support and the support
of the party. In the future all will be
treated alike and federal patronage
will be restored to those from whom
it was withheld. Sec. Norton's letter
to the Iowa leader follows:
| Beverly Mass, Sept. Is, 1910.
| Your letters of the 9Th are at hand,
and have delayed replying until at
| ter the primary elections. The Presi-
dent directs me to express to you and
to your friends his deep appreciation
of the work which you have done and
the powerful assistance which you
| have extended to the administration
from the beginnlng-an assistance
that has contributed much to the leg
islative and other successes which
| have been secured.
The President recognizes that your
| efforts have been wholly disinterested.
! that you have fought sturdily and gen.
| erously for what you believed to be his
| interest and the welfare and success
of the party.
While Republican legislation pend
| ing in Congress was opposed by GER
tain Republicans, the President felt it
to be his duty to the party and to the
country to withhold federal patronage
| from certain senators and congressman
| who seemed to be in opposition to the
| administrations efforts to carry out
the promises of the party platform.
| dtIltuue, HOWeNSI, eHueu With
| the primary elections and nominating
| conventions which have now been
| held and in which the voters have
had opportunity to declare themselves.
| The people have spoken and as the
party face the fall elections, the ques-
| ton must be settled by Republicans
| of every shade of opinion. whether the
differences of the last session shall be
perpetuated or shall be forgotten.
| HE recognizes the danger that in
! certain cases expressions of feeling
| were so intense as to make it diff
] cult in some instances for fractions
| 10 come together and work loyalty for
| the party, but as he stated in his let
ter to the Republican congressional
| committee. he believes it can be done
and should be done. ,;t.F
The President is confident that you
| will yourself meet Yopr. local and
| State situation in this'spirit. and that
you will write to your friends and
| ask them to do likewise.
| 1.-THE President feels that the value
| of Federal patronage has been great
| ly exaggerated, and that the refusal
| to grant it has probably been more
useful to the men affected than the
| appointments would have been. In
tie preliminary skirmishes in certain
state like Wisconsin and Iowa and
elsewhere, he was willing, in the in
| terest of what the leaders believed
| would lead to party success. to make
| certain determinations; but the Pres
| ident has concluded that 1t is his duty
| now to treat all Republican congress-
men and senators alike without any
| distinction.
He will now follow the usual rule
| in Republican congressional districts
ard states and follow the recommen-
| dations made by Republican congress-
| mer and senators. of whatever shade
of political opinion, only requiring
that the men recommended shall be
| good men. the most competent and the
| best fitted for the particular office.
(Signed Sincerely yours,
CHARLES d. NORTON.
Secretary to the President"
In the opinion of politicians at Bev-
| erly, the views Of President Taft
| as expressed in Secretary Norton's
| letter to the unnamed Iowan should
not be taken as a concession to "insur-
gency." AS the party leaders view
| tae situation. Iowa is not violently
| insurgent. The Iowa Republican plat
! form, it is pointed out, has sub
scribed to ''such efforts as President
| Taft and his advisers have made to
| fulfill the promises of the national
reform" 1t Is also shown that the
| Iowa platform further approved "the
effort Of the President to secure the
, desired information for a tariff re-
vision through a board of experts"
Among these from whom the Presi-
dent temporarily withheld Federal
patronage were Senator'S La Toilette
| Of Wisconsin, Brlstow of Kansas and