New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-16
From The Tribune Bureau. ]

WHSn1flSlpll, "N'N
STRAINING HIS EARS.-The President
has told some of his friends recently 'na'
he has long been straining his ears ioi
news that some insurgent Senator mas III
troduced and was sincerely seeking 'he
enactment OF bill taking diplomatic anu
consular appointments and hrst' secoiu anu
third class postmasters out OF ponlics an"
confidng their selection 10 the civil ser
vice Commission. President tart acKho"'-
edges that he was considerably ehcour-
aged by the violent indignation or some
insurgents over the charge that federal pa
tronage had been used TO promote certain
policies and TO effect party regularity. lie
supposed this indignation grew out or an
adherence Of the spells system, and re-
garded the indignation as not only just
but as the first evidence that the self
STYLED "progresslves" were really progress
sive in their policies. In his annual mes
sage Of last December he took pains TO
point out that the first step which should
be taken was the passage OF law ahoilsh-
ing the necessity OF sending the nolnna-
lions for such places to the Senate TOT
confirmation. in order that the President
might, by executive order, put them al
within the classified service-that Is. the
service to which admission may be cameo
only by passing the examinations pre-
scribed by the non-partisan civil service
Commission. But he has strained his ears
in vain. Foremost among those VINO eK-
pressed INDIGNATION that appointments
should be made for political purposes was
Senator Bourne, founder Of "Bourne's sal
walton Army" But not word Las peen
heard from him in support of the fresi-
dents recommendation. Instead. he mas
TO tho Presidents bitter disappointment
frankly asserted in committee meetings
that he does not favor this important re-
form. and has sought TO hold up nohn'ha-
lions he had not been allowed to dictate
Then there is Senator La Follette' WIN
regarded the mere suggestion that 1euer'l
appointments had been made at the pehesN
Of regular politicians as heinous matter
Nothing has been heard from him, aho' on
the contrary. he is even now perslsleht'E
holding up the nomination OF worthy III
surgent named for District Attorney III the
Milwaukee district for no other reason
than that he was not allowed 10 dlcta'e
the appointment II is, from the point OIL
view Of the President all very disappoiht-
ing and discouraging lie knows that the
salvation Of the country depends on the IN
surgeons because they have said so them-
selves. He knows that they are the ohv
simon pure progressives also. because thes
have proclaimed It far and wide AND
therefore. he knows not TO whom 10 'urh
II they will not help him TO accomplish 'his
important reform. In his annual MESSAGE
Mr.. Taft presented conclusive argument
in support OF the policy. He pointed OUT
that # would relieve members OF Congress
who are now burdened with the necessity
of making recommendations LOT
nIaces. OF a responsibility that must DC
i.,,soroe and can create nothing but rou-
bic" and he said, further. ut would resu''
In securing from postmasters greater atten-
ton TO business, greater fidelity and conse-
ouentlv greater efficiency and economy IT
the postofices which they conduct bu'
he is still straning his ears