The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-14
President Will Place Federal
Patronage in Commit
tees Hands.
REFEREES TOLOSE
CONTROL OF OFFICES
Regardless of Loss in Convention.
Executive Begins Reform in
North Carolina.
By JAMES HAY, il.

BEVERLY. Mass, Sept I4-President
Taft has taken his first important ster
towards cutting loose from the old Re
publican custom Of dispensing patronage
In the Southern States according 10 the
recommendation Of referees. who, being
given the control OF the patronage. gen
erallV delivered delegates Of their
states 10 the Administration at the fol-
lowing national convention for the noaf-
nation Of q President. This move Is
taken 10 mean the ultimate disappear
a1Ce Of the negro as q strong factor in
Southern ReDUbIicanisn.
The new regime has been started with
North Carolina, according 10 informa-
JiO- received here today.
Ri Tar and his advisers believe they
have chance 20 carry North Carolina
IN the coming elections. and they are
busy building I'D a business mems PARTY.
They desire TO NIKE ReDublicanisn
respectable in North Carolina and other
Southern States.
BY the innovation Just determined
on, National Committeeman H1Incaf-
loses his old position as the handler
OF the patronage At a recent con
ference in the State. with and under
the approval Of the President. Repre-
sentative elOreh cad and a large com
throughout the state took upon them
selves the task Of making recon-
nelldatlonS TO washington in the fu-
turs regarding the men who should be
put on The Federal pay rolls.
HencerCrward Duncan. who had All
the power as referee. VIII have but
little II anything to say in the matter.
Change Long Desired.
Ever since his Inauguration the
President has said that his Southern
policy was 10 change the old referee
system into more lively organiza-
ton an organization which would put
the best men into Fe5eral positions
and do swSy with the old habit Of
using the pay roll for the advantage
and remuneration Of small grouD
which did little work at the polls and
the question OF delivering DELEGATES
at the national convention
Of the political wisdOTf OF the move
some Of Mr. Taft's advf sers have been
mistrGstfuI. They have argued that
Taft having once offended the ref
erses, could scarcely. expect support
from them and their dele gates At the
next national convention
To this the President has reDIied
that ne was not worrying about the
next convention, but what he wanted
was 70 give ms party strength and
influence N the Southern States In q
speech IN Tennessee during the cam
paiEn for J1e Presidency, Mr. Taft
warned the Republicans that they
must do all in their power TO improve
their standing in TIE community
It cannot be denied that the blow
at the referee system Is also the death
blow Of any great influence on the
part of the negroes in the makeup
Of delegations to national conven-
tiOnS IN the future. The whole move
ment for a business mems party and
for improving Repubiicanism in the
South tends to the selection of white
delegates rather than negroes
Committee to Control.
North Cardinals committee on patron-
age viii control the Federal jobs absO-
lutely- It IS made up of the best men
in the State II the committee cannot
hnd good Republicans, IL viii pick out
good Democrats There is TO be an end
OF the old CRY in the South thae the Re
publican party Is dominated bv an Oh
jectionable element Of the rsop5rIa ton
II Is accepted as certain here that the
patronage committee plan viii be ex-
tended to the other Southern States and
operated as IL is IN North Carolina
BY a strange coincidence on this dav,
when the Information about the upIift
Of the party in the South and the ex-
peCted decline Of the negro's influence
Dr. Wilbur P Thirkield president Of
one Of the largest negro institutions in
the country Howard University, viii
see the President this afternoon.
Whether the visit Is OF a political nature
was not announced. but II is known
that Dr. .Thirkield wired that he had
urgent business TO take Up with Mr..