The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1911-01-08
A LONESOME OFFICE HOLDER.

The political loneliness of Mr. Dick
inson, secretary of war in the cabinet
of President Taft, is a subject of rath-
er wide commentary nowadays. Mr.
Dickinson is democrat. occupying
high and responsible position in
republican administration which s
staring defeat because it has lost the
| confidence of the people of the United
| States. The party to which Mr.. Dick
iins0n hears nominal allegiance has
come into control of one branch 81
| the government and is likely to gave
committed to its hands before very
! long full authority to administer the
affairs of the nation. The republican
administration is twisting and turn
! ing about for some way out Of diff
culties which it has brought itself,
and the energies of t,e presidents
\ councillors are given over principally
to political scheming and effort for
relief of the situation. Mr.. Dickinson,
] naturally, can have no part in this
sort of thing. He is not affiliated
with the republican party, does NOT
enjoy the confidence-and probably
only in a limited degree, the acQuaint-
ancc-of the political captains of tle
party. and does not know the trials
and by-patAs familiar to them. He
can have no intimate part in the
nrescnt activities of the administra-
ton. which are essentially political
in thor nature. preparatory to the
struggle which the administration will
make for retaining control Of the gov
ernment. II is said that Mr.. Dicllin-
son frequently finds his colleagues
engaged in animated discussion Of
political affairs to which his entrance
upon their counsels puts an abrupt
end. and that practically none of the
many confdantes of the administra-
ton VITO come to Washington for adj
vice or report approach his Office AT
the same time. the leaders of his 'oNn
Marty. keen and active in promoting
the restoration of democratic influ-
once in the nations affairs, remain
aIoor from them, because of his at
tachment to the repul lican admits
tration.
In the point Of condition for admin
istrative service. Mr.. Dickinson's po-
sit;on is almost ideal by reason of-his
remoteness from the political currents
that swirl around national arminis-
tration, but. since the government OF
this country is so largely of a politi-
cal nature. his usefulness is consider
ably restricted. With politics buzzing
about him all the time, but none OF
the notes clearly expressed to his ear,
re can scarcely he expected to drive
away at routine work with any sort
of hearty efficiency. He must feel
that he is out of the game all the
time and find il difficult to keep his
mind on the business cut out for the
head of department in the purely
administrative duties of the office.
Mr.. Dickinson is one of large
number of democrats who were swept
close to the republican shore in con-
sequence of the Bryan disturbance of
the political waters He had the mis-
fortune to stand Just at the top Of the
tide. and he will have to dig his way
tack TO navigable democratic water.
He ought TO get there, though. and he
had BETTER start 10 work. He can't
help Mr.. Taft by staying in the cab
inet-Mr. Taft is probably beyond pc
litical aid--and ought 10 be In a pos'. |
ton 10 participate in TIE jutilation
that will come with the restoration
o. the government 10 the democracy.