The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1910-01-20
OFF|CE-SEEKERS
NOT SATISFIED
Think President Does Not Pay
Sufficient Attention TO Rec
concentrations.
RELIES ON OWN JUDGMENT
In the Matter OF Making Appoint.
ments II Has Come to Be Under
stood That He Will Make
His Own Selections.


and representatives in congress have
more than limited TO President Taft
that IN he expects answering support
for all the measures which he recon-
mended for enactment into law he
ought to give more attention TO the
office-seeking demands OF the law
makers, demands made on the behalf
Of others. There are many Democrats
IN congress who say that the presi-
dent Is very much like President
Cleveland in the matter of dispensing
patronage. Mr.. Cleveland is dead,
aud naturally nothing but good is
said OF him, but there are Democratic
officials still in Washington who served
here In the Cleveland times, and they
have shsrp memories of office-seeking
difficulties that they are ready TO de-
clare are Just like the difficulties
which the Republican representatives
and senators are meeting to-day.
II Is now an assured fact that Presi-
dent Taft intends to be an absolute
Law unto himself in the matter OF MI.
ing court vacancies. and this does not
apply simply TO vacant positions on
the bench, but to officers OF the courts
and To prosecuting attorneys. The
president feels that his long expert
encs in law courts. and especially his
experience on the bench. ought TO give
him at least as clear an idea of the
fitness OF men TO serve the country as
Is given others who never sat on a
bench and perhaps never practiced
law.
Notable Cases In Point.
There have been several cases in
which the recommendation OF senators
have run counter TO the judgment of
the president and In the main these
cases have had direct connection with
court appointments. In the case OF
the Eastern district Of Missouri where
there was a vacancy in the Office OF
the United States attorney. the presi-
dent declined TO act In anything like
the hurry that he was asked to act
He went into the pros and cons OF the
matters diligently and sifted the facts
for and against the two candidates
most prominently mentioned. and he
did this irrespective OF the fact that
one OF the candidates had the endorse
ment OF the only Republican senator
from the state OF Missouri and the
endorsement as well OF the strong Re
publican organization OF the city of
ST Louis
Democrats Shown Consideration.
The Democrats I'm congress, being IN
the minority. OF course do not expect
TO get much patronage from the White
House. but as a matter OF admitted
fact they have been shown a good deal
OF consideration By the adminlstra-
ton in appointment matters. There
were Republicans who thought that
President Taft ought To have given
the supreme court vacancy to a mem
Der O: the majority party. Instead of
this the president appointed Judge
Horace IA Lurton OF Tennessee, a Cor.
mer COME lerate soldier and lifelong
Democrat When Judge Lurton's
name was reported favorably from the
senate committee to the whole senate
the honor OF making the report was
given to Democratic senator, Mr
Bacon OF Georgia
Many Lawmakers Dlsgruntled.
Another Grover Cleveland feature"
of the Taft administration is to be
found in the addition TO the presl-
dents message TO congress December
6. in which he urgently recommended
that a law be passed requiring that
,.,atI.t.g ia oT,off,po ~ MON, b,r. ~
the house of representatives and com
mittees In charge of their campaign,
should make a return to the United
States government OF all the expenses
that they incurred during the cam
paign for election. This has been
taken To mean that the president
wants to secure purity Of the ballot in
all federal elections, and II is In line
with what is said TO be his determine
ton to appoint only IL men to office.
Trouble may come to Mr.. Taft be
cause of his refusal TO listen to the
pleas of the senators and representa-.
tives to give preference TO their candi-
dates for Office The disappointed ones
may seek 10 obstruct some of the leg
1SlatlOh lhdl Nne pItSlutHl desires 10
have passed.
Civil Service Investigation.
There Is every indication that the
United States senate will sanction the
resolution introduced by Senator Bo-
rah of Idaho authorizing the investi-
cation of the whole system OF civil |
service OF the United States govern !
ment. The senate has been brought |
10 an investigating state of mind after
good deal of pressure from outside
and many trials and trlbulations that |
have met the senators themselves.
The Borah resolution is in the hands |
of the senate committee on civil serv-
Zee. OF which Senator Cummins OF |
Iowa Is the chairman. The resolution |
has majority in the committee IA
vorabe to its provisions. and when IT |
comes to the floor of the senate with
an Affirmative report back of it there |
seems TO be little doubt that II will |
pass without much difficulty.
The changes that may come in the |