The National tribune., 1910-09-22

of the insurgents as Republicans will
rebound to the party benefit. There
had been much controversy over the
question all during the Winter. Many
contended that il WAS unwise for the
President TO withhold the patronage in
the first instance, and that he would
have gotten along just as well with his
legislation if he had given the insur-
gents their Postmasters. From time to
time during the Winter certain of the
insurgents made forceful complaint
against the President for his treatment
of them. and once or twice minor con-
ceSsions were made.
The President wishes he could be
free of the dispensation of patronage,
and has contemplated different plans
by which the bestowal of office may be
minimiZed in our political system. 1t
NAV be that the President will make a
public utterance on the subject before
many weeks go by. He has thought
well of an idea by which the Civil Ser
vice should be extended to a great
number of offices where now the Presi-
dent appoints and the Senate confirms
There are constitutional and statutory
obstacles i'm the way, but the President
has had it in mind whether Congress
might not confer authority for the Civil
Service Commission or some kindred
authority to make the appointments in
cases where he did not exercise his
prerogative.
While he thinks very favorably of
some such plan as this, the President
is also much impressed with the argu
ment that great numbers of Govern
ment employees under the Civil Service
are something of political embarrass-
ment. They organize thoroly and swoop
down upon Congress and the Executive
with demands for larger salaries, longer
vacations and divers other things. This
has been the case particularly with
employees of the Postal Service, and
more than ever since the Rural Deliv-
cry Service was we'll established. The
| carriers have their organizations, and
maintain a lobby at Washington on oc-
casion to look after legislation in their
interest. AS much is true of postal
clerks and of employees in the other
branches of the service.
AS the postal army has now become
very large. having hundreds and even
thousands of men in every Congress
sional district, the situation becomes
troublesome for many a Congressman
who does not think he ought to yield to
their demands. The President is well
aware Of this tendency, and does not
want to urge plan that would likely
encourage the unionizing of Govern
ment employees.
President and Second Term.
BY the time President Taft comes
back across New Jersey into New York.
where he is to make a speech before
the New York League of Republican
Clubs, and fares forth for Beverly, con-
ditions will have settled somewhat, and
the Republicans may have gotten them
selves into a better position. If that
should be, and if he is able to rally his
party friends in Ohio to activity, he
will enter upon his October vacation
witt Inc
ports are in circulation that he is so
discouraged that he does not contem-
plate standing for a denomination in
1912. These reports, it should be said,
are utterly without foundation. They
probably have been started for sinister
purposes, and will be persisted in for
awhile to ascertain what effect they
may have upon public sentiment.
The facts are that the President has
given very little thought to the matter
of a second term. He is very intent
upon discharging faithfully the duties
of his Office for the term to which he
has been elected, and is willing that
for the present the matter of another
term shall take care of itself. If the
people are well satisfied with what he
accomplishes and there is a call for
him to continue in Office he viii not be
averse. 1t may be that as the months
roll by he viii find himself willing to
make q fight for denomination as
against certain Republicans who may
aspire. But all that viii be determined
after the Autumn elections. The agita-
ton of the subject may bring a deci-
sion from President Taft before next
Winter is over. It is quite possible
that if Col Roosevelt tries to crowd
him too hard the President will fight
back. and not allow the Predecessor to
become his successor if he can help it.
Some observers think that is about
what vii! happen.
The President now is exercising great
forbearance in not doing or saying any
thing at which the Colonel can take
offense. His friends believe that he is
giving the Colonel a lot of rope in
which the latter may become badly
entangled. While the evidences of Col
Roosevelt's popularity in the West are
abundant, there are wise men who
claim that he is losing popularity, and
that he is certainly contributing much
to the party's embarrassment in the
campaign. It Is all but openly charged
that he has been fomenting discord in
the belief that there will be a RepubH-
can defeat, resulting in a great cIarnor
for him to come forth as the savior of
the party.
In such an emergency it is almost
certain. say those who know President
Taft, that, his fighting blood up. he
would enter the lists against his erst-
while friend and try conclusions before
the people The organization of which
the President is leader would not tame
ly submit. They would resent the of
year defeat as a result of the CoIoneTs
ACTIVITY in stirring up progress;ves, op-
pose him in the National Convention,
and, should he win there, which would
De by no means certain, oppose him at
the polls.