The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-01-20
u. S. SENATOR
IS SUPERIOR
Indianapolis News Discusses Hold Up
OF CabeIl Appointment

The Washington correspondent OF
the Indianapolis News writes his paper
as follows regarding the Cabell CON
firmation:
THE nominations of Royal r.
Cabell as commissioner of internal
revenue and oil James F. Curtis as
assistant secretary of the treasury
will be confirmed. This much was
learned to-day from a republican mem
Ger OF the senate committee on finance,
which last week refrained from recon-
mending confirmation of these appoint
ments.
When asked TO explain the exact
status of the nomination, this republi-
can senator said: Inc nomination
of Curtis will be favorably reported
by Senator Lodge, while that of Cabell
has been held in allegiance. | have no
doubt that Cabell will be confirmed.
For the present it is not a question of
whether Cabeli will or will not be con-
firmed. His nomination has not reach
ed that point. Ii is a question of TAX
ing time TO investigate for the pur-
pose of ascertaining whether Cabell
considers himself superior TO the
senate, which under the constitution
constitutes half of the appointing
power in the case of ali nominations
StHl 10 ludl DOUy lot us CONSEQUENCES.
From this senator il was learned
that the action taken in the case of
Cabell was priamrily intended to
serve notice on him as we'll as on
other possible appointees to influential
position having to do with patronage,
that they cannot be allowed to con-
slider themselves superior to the
senate.
The flame OF Curtis has been re-
ferred to a subcommittee in the
charge or Senator Lodge because there
was some feeling that the senators
from Massachusetts had not been con-
suited when this appointment was
made.
The status OF the CabeIl appoint
ment is quite different. Senators I'M
derstand that Cabell entertains rather
loft yideas relative to the dispensa-
ton of the patronage of the bureau
of internal revenue. Members of the
finance committee, republicans as we'll
as democrats, had been told that he
| had informed some members OF con-
| gress that, acting on advice of Secre-
tary VacVeagh, he intended to select
| internal revenue officials for efficiency
alone and without considering that
congress or the senate had anything
| to do with the selections that were
J
| to be made
That the hold in allegiance of action
on the Cabell appointment was prim-
arily due to considerations of patron
age is evident from the statement
made to-day by a republican member
of the finance committee. when the
matter Of the Cabell appointment
came up" said the senator, there was
a suggestion made in the committee
that the appointee, Cabell, although
he must be confirmed by the senate,
seemed to think that he would not be
bound by any views which senators
may have relative to his conduct of the
office and appointments to be made in
their States under the internal reve-
nue. commissionership. No question
is involved as to the property of the
president to make this appointment
according to the dictates of his own
judgment or as to the qualification of
Cabell to fill this office. 1t was merely
the suggestion that this appointee
propably entertained the views that
congress and the senators were fac
tors to be taken little into account
| in connection with the conduct of the
Office of commissioner of internal
| revenue.
There is some feeling among sena-
tors that Cabell considered himself
somewhat independent of men of
either party in the senate. especially
as regards appointments. If he favors
either democrats or republicans for
Office he may have a right to do so,
but the suggestion that he considered