The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1910-09-29
/ FRIGHTENED PRESIDENT.

That letter Secretary Norton
zrecently wrote to an Iowa repub-
ican promising a division of the
Federal patronage between regu-
lars and insurgents without re-
gard TO past and present align
ments clearly indicates the fear of
President Taft of an approaching
disaster at the coming Nov
ember election. During the last
session of congress, while admin
istration measures were pending,
a decree, pronouncing Judgment
upon insurgent representatives,
was handed down, but since the
recent storm of disapproval Of
stand-patism has swept over the
country the smiling occupant of
the White House has descended
from his high perch.
It is not to the credit of Mr..
Taft to stoop to petty politics in
the expectancy of regaining lost
prestage in the councils Of his
party. Only a few months ago he
let it be understood that repub-
icans who dared to assert their
independence would not only be
deprived of their patronage, but
defeated at the polls for giving
front to the administration. But
the little insurgent band refused
TO be inundated and has persist
~ent1y and consistently made war
ION the policies advocated by the
President and his clique al stand
patters. And seeing the tide
turning so rapidly towards insur-
9eny suddenly reverses his order
with reference to patronage mat
sters and declares that the regu-
liars and insurgents look alike to
him Whipped to a stand-still
the old ring feels constrained to
change It's tactics and MI. Taft
forthwith instructs Secretary Nor
ton TO send out a flag of true which
rs, an fact, as follows:
While Republican legislation
pending in congress was opposed
by certain Republicans the presi-
edent felt it to be his duty to the
party and to the country to with
hold federal patronage from GER
tain senators and congressman
who seemed to be In opposition to.
the administrations efforts to
out the promises of the party
platform.
The president feels that the
value Of federal patronage has
been greatly exaggerated and
that the refusal to grant it has
probably been more useful to the
men affected than the appoint
ments would have been. In the
preliminary skirmishes in certain
states like Wisconsin and Iowa
and elsewhere he was willing, in
the interest of what the leaders
believed would lead to party sue
cess, to make certain discrimina-
tons; but the president has CON
1cluded that it is his duty nov to
treat all republican congressman
and senators alike without any
distinction. He will now follow
the usual rule in republican con-
gressional districts and states and
follow the recommendations made
by republican congressman and
senators of whatever shade of po-
htica1 opinion, only requiring that
the men recommended shall be
good men, the most competent and
the best fitted for the particular
office"
Commenting upon the Presi-
dents attitude and the Norton
letter the New York World cor
rectly observes:
Here is an open avowal of the
indecencies that scandalized the
Buchanan administration and Of
the sordid faYoritism that brought
Grants second term to a humiIi-
ating close. Yet bad as was
Buchanan's Dante war upon the
Douglas men and demoralizing as
was the attitude of Grants para
sites toward the Liberals, the
country was at least spared on
both occasions presidential pen
ance like the above.
Written for Mr. Taft and nrn-