The Detroit times., 1910-12-13

The Hon. Chase s. Osborns one
term announcement wasn't the only
attack of nervous tremors he gave
the boys In the trenches last week
Throughout his two days confer
ences with friends in this city he
made It as plain as a pikestaff that
geography and exPedieney are not 60
Inc 20 loom large In making up the
personnel Of his one and only admin
tstration.
Also that the tang OF the piney coun-
try conduces to sinewy insurgency In
inaugural addresses.
Also, again, that life In the woods
begets the preference for dealing with
men In the open. That's how II
happens that the papers have been
telling all about what Mr.. Osborn had
to say to his friends while on his
secret mission" TO this city last
Thursday and Friday.
The truth Is that there was nothing
subterranean about 1t. Mr.. Osborn
availed himself of the suite OF Offices
of his fellow Nimrod, Waldo Avery. on
the twelfth floor of the Majestic build
ing, instead of going to the Pontcharl
train as heretofore, just to save time.
as his stay was short and he wanted
to avoid Interruptions. But there was
nothing deep, dank and sound-deaden-
ing about the arrangements
Now let's see, who would be
good strong man for this place--a
man who can do things?" Is the brisk
way the governor-elect had of putting
the uuestion up to his callers. Rather
q striking departure from the old
form Of questioning the candidates
loyalty in the late campaign or how
his selection will strike a certain sec
ton or what will II add to the like
Iihood of a gubernatorial encore.
The camp-followers shake their
heads as dismally at this as they did
ut the never-again declaration. 1T
may be splendid" they concede. but |
II amt politics" But all agree that
II Is Osbornesque ana that his way
has proven to be a winning way.
When the party workers rallied to
the support of Gov Hughes in his |
first campaign, that strange man said ,
any one who was conspicuously and !
aggressively for him would have 10 |
be repaid by being just that. He |
looked upon IL as a serious impro-
priety to reward conspicuous cam
paign supporters with appointments.
Michigan's goyernor-elect doesn't |
put IL just that way, but he feels |
that the finest thing he can do for
his supporters Is to make the kind |
Of record that witt confirm their'
confidence In him.
III he thinks they can help him carry !
out his definite ideas of administra-
tive reform he will ask them TO take !
hold and help in some position .he !
feels they are qualified to fill Or /
II he thinks his political friends can
help more by keeping out OF Office or
by getting out IL they are already in,
he will not hesitate to ask that either.
But the good OF the state will be the
controlling motive in both cases.
One OF the surprises OF the near fu.
ture will be the test of seif-effacement
winch ne Will subject some OF his /
MN. consistent supporters who are |
o,uihs noid-over appointments MIR. |
osporh VIII ask them to believe I'm him |
SO implicitly that they will believe q
10 be for the best that they step aside
for the time being Some will main.
tain that this Is a sorry show OF graft
tude; but you can't convince the next
governor that he is not doing the very
thing that will vindicate the men who
have vouched for him in the contests
for nomination and election
And the ones who are most con
cerned In this unusual procedure-the
victims. SO to speak-are the first
ones he tells about it, The news of
the decapitation OF the Jackson prison
board. for instance, was confirmed by
Thomas. j. Navin, the first one to
learn from the new executive that a
change Is necessary.
Here we have Navin. then. ten years
ago an advocate of Mr. Osborns cleo
ton to the governorship and an efec.
tive supporter In the campaign just
closed. being asked TO relinquish a
position that he cherishes for sentl.
mental reasons. while the governor
none too gentle opponent, Mr.. Lawton
+. Hemans, will be invited TO take the
position soon to become vacant on the
state railway commission, according
TO very reliable information
Could anything illustrate more for
cibB the unhampered cerebrations of
B the gubernatorial mind?
n