Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1911-02-10

Il should be clearly understood that
CbngI essmen have no legal right to or
power over, appointments. Senat0ra
have the power to confirm or reject
appointments, conferred upon the
Senate by the Constitution. In prac-
ttce. through what is known as "sena
torial courtesy" few If any appoint
ments are confirmed unless the Sepa-
tors from the State IN which the ap-
pointment ia made. particularly if
they are in harmony with che majority,
consent. In time it was conceived. that
This 10 Government by Parties
and party votes ,belngs needed in the
House of Representatives, for the pur-
pose of putting across" measure for
the benefit Of blg contributors. it be-
came the custom to allow the Con-
gressmen of the party in power to
name the Postmasters in their several
districts. 1t may 6e remarked, in
passing, that when we became a
'Government by Parties,'' we ceased
to be a Government by the People; and
now that we have become a;GOvern-
ment by Faction IF Party, We
have ceased to be 'dovernmept by
Parties.
1t may be acknowledged that the
Administration is not entirely to blame
for the conditions tbst exist. 1t is a
matter Of common knowledge that
Cannon and Aldrlch controlled Con-
gress in the interests Of the trusts
This control they were bound to nam
tain at all hazards. Ihs President and
the Heads Of the Departments Is were
compelled to go to these men and
others in league with them for the
means to carry on the affairs of: Gov
ernment and to procure necessary
legislation. 1t became question OF
control Of patronage by the bosees or
no funGs and the wheel, OF legislation
began to turn funds, patronage
pa,ronayo. funds 1t was all al simple
a. A b e. the men in control of Con-
gress realized that their power was
seriously threatened by the Progress
sivee and at once demanded of the
Administration that patronage be with
held from Congressman and Senators
allied with the Progressive move
mont. hoping by such means to COM
pei the PrOgressives to gel in line:
That program was total failure as
was well shown by the letter of the
Presidents. secretary. The BOSSES have
loet their control. but still seek to
embarrass the Progressives through
motives Of revenge. How long the
Administration Will stand for that
sort OF thing ls impossible to say, but
ono thing IL certain. The tight for
tho people will 20 on. We ana the
friends who have stood by us TIL now
have enlisted for war, and accept
eheerfully the fortune of war. IT
thoYe is any one thing more than
another that makes me proud of my
friends, 1t 10 the way they have been
disposed to accept the situation and
await the outcome with confidence
that future events will prove that onr
fight has been just and will not be in
vvin.
Imake these statements to call at
tanticn to the situation. 1t has taken
mo some time to learn the real condi-
tlon. possibly longer tnan it should,
for. while knew things at Washing
ton were not managed by angels, /
had not when 1 first came, steeled my
sox to the belief that the Official busi-
neas was 10 much worked by sham.
know very we'll that the Depart
ment was not consistently following
ito own alleged merit system. In fact,
the Department has not taken 1t SER
,ously, except when it was unlmpor-
taat 70 certain political interests OF
whom its enforcement specifically
sarved those 1nterests- In the district
I know more about peoples wlshea
than tho Department does made my
recommendation more with reference
to tho peoples wishes than to conform
to the Department rule. When have
recommended Q p. O. appointment 1t
has made no difference to tho Depart
meat what the people wanted or what
I wanted, when ''stand-in" poiitictane
took hand. The Department fav0rs
them and makes changes even in direct
vialation of the merit system, thus re-.
co9uiziDg the ''stand-l m in prefer
eooe to the people. The p. o. Depart
mont 10 more aut0cratic than the Car
Of Rwsla daros to be.
Imight occasionally recomend some
ono tor appointment who. for reasons
.1aA~n-n ko ma the saHo M ,wo -