Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-20
TAFT DENIES CHARGE
Placing P0stmaSters Under
Civil Service Not "P0IitiCS."
URGES MANY new LAWS
Third Message of Year to Congress
Reviews Department Work.
WANTS LAND ACTS REVISED
Calls Attention to Secretary Fishers
Discussion of the Need for
Legislation.
URGES MANY NEW LAWS
WANTS LAND ACTS REVISED

president Taft yesterday afternoon gave
Congress his opinion of the charge that
he had been playing politics in his recent
executive order putting 81. GOO fourth-class
postmasters under the civil service. The
President made the countercharge that his
accusers on the floor of the House were
telling "untruths'' and declared that he
deeply regretted the failure Of Congress
to pass legislation which practically
would destroy the "spoils system
Criticism has been made of this order
on the ground that the motive was pO-
litical," said the President. Nothing
could be further from the truth. The
order was made before the election and
In the interest of efficient public serv-
ice. l have several times requested Con-
gress to give me authority to put. first.
second and third class postmasters, and
all other local officers. including internal
revenue officers. customs officers. United
States marshals and the local agents Of
the other departments, under the CLASH
hcatiOn OF the civil service law by TAX
/ ing away the necessity for confirming
such appointments by the Senate.
Il deeply regret the failure of Congress
to follow these recommendations. The
change would have taken out Of politics
practically every local officer and would
have entirely cured the evils growing out
of what. under the present law. must al
ways remain a remnant of the spOils
system.
Recommendations for Legislation.
The Presidents advice to Congress was
contained in his third message of the
year sent in yesterday. 1t was devoted
largely to a review Of the accomplish
ments Of several government departments
in
recommendations for legislation. The
President advocated:
Legislation which would permit mem
berS OF the cabinet to sit in either house
OF Congress. with the right to enter into
debate and answer questions, but with
out vote.
The adoption OF the Postmaster Gem
erals plan for reimbursement of COM
pensation to railways carrying mails,
especially in view of the conditions which
Will exist under the parcels post law.
"A revision of the land laws to obtain
proper conservation and at the same time
assure prompt disposition Of land that
should be turned over to private owner
ship.
Legislation affecting Alaska which
would provide for leases Of coal lands
and in respect to mining claims. tho dis
position of Oil. phosphate and potash
lands In the United States.
Secretary Fisher and the Land Laws.
In respect to the land laws and the dis
cussion of them by the Secretary Of the
Interior in his annual report, the mes
sage says:
The land laws need complete revision
to secure proper conservation. on the one
hand. Of land that ought to he kept in
public use and, on the other hand. prompt
disposition of those lands which ought to
be disposed in private ownership or
turned over to private use 10y properly
guarded leases. I'm addition to this there
are not enough officials i'm our land de-
partment with legal knowledge sufficient
promptly to make the decisions which are
called for. The whole land-lawS system
should be reorganizcd. and not until it is
reorganized will decisions be made as
promptly as they ought or will men who
have earned title to public land under the
statute receive their patents within Il
reasonably short period.