The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1911-10-05
NORTON LETTER
IS REMEMBERED
Nothing Being Said About
Furnishing Insurgents by
President Now.
Bad Break on Part Of the
Administration Will
Not Down.

= >
There is some kind of amusement in
the Capitol among the politicians Of all
sorts at the presidents brief remarks
in Michigan on his use or misuse Of the
patronage and on his profound silence
regarding the matter in Illinois, Kan
sas and Iowa. 1t is not of record that
he visited any Of the Michigan republi-
cans with his wrath, it was reserved
for members Of the party from further
west, from the progressive republican
states, who dared to oppose the Aldrich
law or to amend the ft-Wickersham
railroad law to feel the actual effects
of the presidential displeasure.
Just over year age, the following
was given out at Beverly:
'sBeverly, Mass, Sept. Is, 1910.
Your letters of the 9th are at hand,
and have delayed replying until after
directs me to express to you and to
your friends his deep appreciation of
the work which you have done, and the
powerful assistance which you have
extended to the administration from
the beginning and assistance that has
contributed much to the legislative and
other successes which have been Sc
cured.
The president recognizes that your
efforts have been wholly dislnterested,
that you have fought sturdily and
generously for what you believed to be
his interest and the welfare and sue
cess Of the party. While republican
legislation pending in Congress was
opposed by certain republicans the presi-
dent felt it to be his duty to the party
and to the country to withhold Federal
patronage from certain senators and
congressman who seemed to be in OPP
position to the administrations efforts
= to carry ont the promises of the party
platform.
.sThat attitude, however, ended with
the primary elections and nominating
conventions, which have now been held,
and in which the voters have had OPP
portunity to declare themselves. The
people have spoken as the party faces
the fall elections: the question must be
settled by republicans of every shade
of opinion, whether the differences of
the last session shall be perpetuated or
shall be forgotten.
s.He recognizes the danger. that in
certain cases expressions of feeling
were so intense as to make it difficult
in some instances for factions to come
together and work loyalty for the party
but, as he stated in his letter to the
republican congressional committee,
he believes it can be done and should
,be done. The president is confident
that you will yourselves meet your
4 local and state situation in this spirit,
and that you will write to your friends
and ask them to do likewise. 4
3.'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 pre-
liminary skirmishes in certain states,
like Wisconsin and Iowa, and elsewhere,
he was willing, in the interestof what
the leaders believed would lead toparty
success, to make certain discrimination
but the president has concluded, that it
is his duty now to treat all republican
congressman and senate alike, with
out any distinction. He will now fol-
low the usual rulein republican con
gressional districts and states and fol
low the recomme atoms made by re.
publican congressman and senators, Ut
whatever shade of political opinion,
only requiring that the men recon,
nended shall be good men, the most
comnetent, and the best fitted for the
particular offices.
Sincerely yours, !
Charles d. Norton. 4
The $notorions Norton letter has moi
! been forgotten, but it was not until the
other day that people in Washington
began to refresh their memories as te
its exact terms. People are chuckline
over the sentence which reads, In the
preliminary skirmishes in certain states
e.Wisconsini and Iowa, and elsewhere
he was willing, in the interest of what
the leaders believed would lead to party
success, to make certain determinations
but the president has concluded that il
is his duty now to treat all republican
congressman and senators alike, with
out any distinction. & ItSseems as j.
the president had just engaged in an
other preliminary skirmish in Kansa:
when Senator Bristow replied Withou1
quibbling to Senator Fisher's indiscree
and disingenuous remarks about hi.
own prog ressivism. n
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