Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-11-16
SENATE Will
NOT CONFIRM
APPOINTEES
HOLD JOBS open FOR WILSON
Taft'S Appointments viii Hold
For Brief Terms

Washington, D. c., Nov. 15.-The de-
cision of President Taft to fill all va
cancies from now until March 4 by
appointments holding for four years
will precipitate a controversy between
the White House and the Democratic
minority in the Senate over every i'm
portant appointment that is made. This
controversy will not abate until the
Sixty-Second Congress passes out of
existence on March A, 1918.
Democratic Senator will insist that
Democratic senators will insist that
to fill offices with Republicans who are
to serve during the greater part of
the Wilson administration. The opos-
ing Senators will take the position that
t new President has right to name
his subordinates and to pick men who
he feels owe him loyalty and not to an
administration that has passed.
Mr.. Taft's position is this: He
thinks that civil service rule should
apply to all Federal offices not filled
by men of professional training, such
as district attorneys. He thinks that
the men now in Office should be con-
tinued when their terms expire if their
records have been good. He means,
therefore to recognize this principle in
the case of each vacancy that occurs
from now on to the end of his term
Furthermore, the President means to
place the responsibility for holding uI
such appointments upon the Senate,
He will make no fight to have Repub-
licans confirmed during the short ses-
sion, but will simply appoint them and
let the matter end there. Also, he
believes that in his heart Wilson would
be glad to have his predecessor fill as
many offices as possible before the in
auguration, as this would relieve MI
Wilson of some Of the worry and nag
ging that will inevitably come from
office seekers and officeseekers friends
Mr.. Taft may see no politics in APP
pointing Republicans to office from
this time on, but it is dead certainty
that the Democrats of the Senate will
see plenty of politics in it. They will
see enough to impel them to hold uI
the confirmation of every important
Presidential appointment made. This
they can do by a little concerted ac-
ton on their part, and this they will
do if they must resort to stubborn
filibuster.
There are presidents in behalf
IF and against the position taken |
President Taft President Cleveland
refused to name any Federal officers
after his successor had been elected
President Roosevelt, on the other hand
continued TO appoint his friends to
office after Mr.. Taft's election and
until March 4, 1909.
The position of Mr. Roosevelt and
Mr.. Taft are different from those of
Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Wilson In the for
mer case one Republican was succeed
ing another. In the latter a Demo
crat succeeds a Republican, and the
Cleveland precedent is therefore more
applicable to the present situation
Mr.. Taft, however, cannot see it that
way and will follow the lead of Colon.
Ell Roosevelt.
The President has the alternative of
making no appointments at all in
cases where terms expire, and can al
low the present Office holders to con-
tinue in their places until successor
is named. No Federal officer gives up
his position anyway until his success
sor has qualified. This would relieve
the Senate and the new President of
much embarrassment.
AS it is, the Democratic Senators
will either have to block all confrma-
tions during the short session of Con-
gress or stand aside and see a number
of Federal offices filled by Republicans
for four more years. OF course. Pres
ident Wilson, after his Inauguration,
could remove any office holder he
might find in, but this has rarely been
done.