The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-23
POLITICIAN AS
PRESIDENTS AID
Nortons Retirement as Taft's
Secretary Has Bearing on
1912 Campaign.
CRANE WAS HIS COUNSELOR
Ambitious Plans to Unite Fac
tons Failcd-lnsurgcnts In
tend to Oppose Taft.

tend to Oppose Taft.
Washington, january a2.--Washing-
ton mas been very much Interested in
M neWT that Wns given out 4, ths
retirement Of Charles Dyer Norton,
secretary TO the President.
NJ; Norton talked at some length
ABOUT his determination 10 return to
private life. Nothing that he said
EaXc any light ON his motive FOR re-
firing. lie merely. repeated the state
men that he had had an understand.
ING with the President when lie acA
cePtcd the appointment last June that
When the reorganization Of the Whitu
House staff. which was then in con-
temptation, had been effected. lie would
pc free to return to private life rt
he desired.
lie added that he would not 20 be.
fore the end OF the present session Of
congress. and might remain ut the
White House for some time after thai.
He is especially Interested in the
scheme for economical reorganization
Of the different department clerical
1orces, and the committed which has
ncen considering that subject has been
workins ut the White House under his
immediate supervision.
II explaining his efforts 10 have the
salary of the Presidents secretary in
creased to 5000 Il Year AIR. Norton
dwclt at some length upon the Quali1i-
cations which he believes from his cN-
pcrience It is necessary for q sue
cessful secretary. TO have. lie thinks
there is Just as much demand for bill
iiy in tho job he is about to %relinauish
as there is in the Cabinet offices. and
cabinet size. The secretary Is really
an Assistant President. and bears the
same relation to tho head of the gov
eminent that such officials do in the
great business organizations In the
country. 1t was tho recognition OF
that fact which led to the choice OF
NJ MI. norton as secretary TO succeed
taft administration in that Ca pacity.
and was promoted to be minister 10
Morocco to make room for Mr. Nor
ton.
If Loeb Should Go Back.
Politicians have watched with close
interest the work of MI Norton ever
n,mse ne took up the White House
p%ortant political posts in tho govern
mont. It's Importance in that respect
had been developed very greatly under
Secretaries Cortelyou and Loeb. and
ordinary talent in that place. Both of
Mr. Taft,s secretaries have been oblig-
cd TO stand comparison with Tho work
OF Mr.. Loeb. and 1t is not unfair to
either 10 say that. both have suffered
by 1t.
AIR. Carpenter made no prctcnsc Of
been more ambitious in that respect,
but his efforts have not been an un-
mixed success. 1t was only Il short
time after he became secretary ia tho
President that The word went out froin
beverly about tho great r]eorganiZa-
ton in. leadership that was to be cf-
i%cted in the Republican party through
me retirement of Secretary BalIingcr
md the casting off Of the Nldrich and
lennon influence: This scheme died
n no,6fe It m wns fhnirly born + needed
that Senator Crane was the man most
sikcly TO be chosen as tho successor OF
administration ia demonstrate tho fu-
u,aitT OF INC plan as a means OF re-
factions of the Republicans.
Mr.. Norton has steadily posed as 3,
Progressive since he went 10 tho
White House, and has seemed 10 rely
West 10 Justify. him in his hope of be-
ing able 10 bring about cooperation
between the Western ana Eastern
e1ossin :, 9f o, his narty; lie has been
with Senator Crane. and there can be
no question about tho regnlarity Of
sanlsm. Mr.. Crane has been the chief
political adviser of Mr.. Norton. ana tue
iiesuiar influence ut the White House
ton. even though Senator Aldrich has
In large measure dropped out OF the
active guidance Of affairs.
Under the circumstances, Mr.. Nor
ton has not found his place and work
at the. White House us pleasant ana
satisfactory as he had hoped they
would be. Moreover. he has been dis
appointed in the failure of some of his
most ambitious projects. and %altoseth-
or IT IS not difficult to understand why
lie should reach the conclusion tina
he preferred the quiet of private bust:
ness TO the eXactions of his present
place.
Factions Not to Get Together.
1t Is coming to be clearly
now by both factions Of tho Republic
cans that there is no real prospect Of
restoring harmony between them un-
der the leadership OF President Taft.
Despite the olive branch that the add
miniStration held out to the InSurg-
cnts last year through the medium OF
the famous patronage letter, in which
the astonishing confession was made
that the President had deliberately
used Federal patronage against the In
surEents in the effort to drive them
hack into line, the Insurgents have nor
shown any great disposition to forgive
and forget.
They say that the President contin-
Isl ~--ft~-