The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-28
TAT I ACCUSED
Of using POWER
TO IN 7 IM|DATE
Denounced by Senator
Bourne, He Finds
No Defenders.
COMPARED TO
WARD-HEELER
Oregon Man Claims President
Has Welded His Patronage
Club, and Cites Famous Bur
ton Letter Written to I'm
named Iowa Congress
man as Example.
4 j 3 !. o. + s . . .

Washington, d. c., February "
President Taft, by Inference, yvne
charged Tonight with using his an
pointive power TO intimidntc member.
OF Congress. The inferred charge was
nindc In speech In the Senate by
senator Jonathan Bourne, of Oregon.
president of the new Progressive Re.
publican t.cnguc, and until the recent
trouble over nm Oregon appointment
TUG tnfimntc friend and solflns COM
rnnion or the executive
The surprising thing wig that. MI
though NIL OF the Senator's audience
construed his REMARK, us mn attack
upon the President, not word wn.
uttered in reply.
me famous patronage letter writ
ten by Secretary Norton to an un-
named iowa Congressman, while Prcsi
dent Taft was at Beverly las, summer.
declaring that&the President had with
held Federal patronage from certain
senators and congressman, but would
discontinue that practice was brought
into the limc'ight.E On previous occa-
sions lnsurgent Senators have threat
ened to read this letter in the Senate
but until Tonight no public reference
had been made to IT,
steam Roller to Scrip Heap.
Mr. Bourne opened his speech by a
discussion OF the Oregon law He de-
clared that when this law is enacted
by all the states 1t will destroy the
power Of tile Federal machine to re.
nominate a nresia4nt or determine his
successor. The steam roller, he saws
Will be relegated to the political scrar
heap and its operators to the shadow
OF things forgotten, while fourth
class postmasters will cease to be
political asset for anybody or any
party.
Senator Bourne said that the use OF
the presidential appointing power to
coerce members OF Congress would be
either bribery or intimidation--brib-
cry II patronage was used az a re-
ward. and intimidation ii withheld as
punishment. In this connection he
read section $3.50 of the Revised stat
utes. making it a crime for any person
to offer or give anything Of vase to
any member of either house OF Con-
gress with intent to influence his vote
Or decision upon any matter pending in
either house. Continuing he said:
Used Patronage Club.
The natural inference from the
Norton letter is that the President of
the United States used Federal patron.
age to influence the action OF member.
Of Congress. This is a charge which
no citizen can discuss without regret
yet the whole subject Is of such Vital
importance in the preservation of rep
Iesentativc government that would
feel remiss In my duty IL failed 10
call 1t to the attention OF the country
md place In available form such in
formation relating thereto as may
come to my attention. The undenied
statement indicates deplorable and
Jispicablc subseuvience upon the part
u the legislative branch and dan
Serous and demoralizing usurpation
upon the part of the executive.
II would have as much respect for n
common ward heeler WHO buys votes
at the polls as for President of the
United States WHO uses his appointing
POWER as means OF forcing or per
suading members Of Congress to de.
termine or change their course Of ac-
tinn. One transaction lis as dishonest
as corrupt and as depraving as tho
other, but the latter is more danger.
Gus. more insidious, more perni-
cious than the former, because IL
strikes al the very foundation or
free institutions. sets precedent
Tor corrupt methods in all OH
cial life and marks the beginning OF
Dictatorship and decadence Of tho
nation
But. Mr.. President. the use Of the
appointing power 10 influence the ac-
ton of members of Congress is only
one means by which this power may
DC abused. Federal patronage is also
an effective and dangerous power
when Welded for the creation or
maintenance OF a political machine
with the purpose of forcing rcnomi-
nation of an executive or the nonli-
nation of Il man of his choice"
tcEinninS OF Dictatorship
Mt Bourne outlined the manner in
which civil employees are sometimes
used to control national conventions
and particularly he complained of their
use IN sending delegations from South
GIN States which never send ficpubli-
can Representatives to electoral col.
lcEes. Concluding. he said:
Extension OF the power OF tho cx-
ccutive is the beginning OF dictator
ship. The remedy Is to make presi-
dents directly accountable to party
.nnd general celebrates by cnacting
laws for presidential primary votes,
thereby destroying the power or poiiti-
cal bosses and their hackers, the cam
paign contributors. The people can
be trusted. The composite citizen
knows more and acts from higher
motives than any single individual
however greatly experienced on we'll
developed. In the composite citizen
selfshncss is minimizcd.s while I'm the
individual st is usually dominant.
Notice was given by Mr.. Bourne that
he would Introduce II corrupt practices
act In the next Congress-.