Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-05-10
Capitol Gossip

Washington, May 9.-There is going
to be clean sweep of federal officials
in West Virginia Whatever happens
: in political way all the old bunch are
slated for removal and new men are
to succeed them. Whether the Office
be high or low whether it pays much
or little, the salary roll of the United
States in West Virginia is going to
bear lot of new names and scarcely
one of the old list will remain.
Sa far as federal officeholders are
concerned there are three possibili-
ties in the present campaign. A dem
acratic president may be elected; q
republican of the Taft type may occu-
by the White House or Theodore
Roosevelt may storm the breastworks
and ride a spirited charger into the
front door of the White House In
either event a change in the list of
federal officials in West Virginia ap-
pears certain.
OF course If Democrat should be
elected President, as now seems prob
able, there would be clean sweep of
oil offices, which the president is au-
thorized to fill. Many of the minor
positions are protected by civil serv-
ice, but in the past the civil service
regulations have proved very elastic
and way has been found to dispense
with many of those who have not been
in full sympathy with the admins
tration. Doubtless a democratic pres
ident would respect the civil service
laws and be guided by them as COM
pletely as any of his predecessors
have been, but at that the way proba-
| bly, would be found to make room for
a good many democrats just as the re-
publicans under the same civil service
laws have dispensed with the services
of many democrats. The federal Off
| Gals in West Virginia who have had
most to do with the management of
republican party politics and the oper-
alton of the federal machine have
been district attorneys. marshals. post
masters, revenue officials, and others
directly subject to the appointive pow.
er of the president None of these PEG
pie are under civil service and, the
| 6itCIlOH VI u uGulOCIdllG DIeSlNelL
would mean a clean sweep Of all
these old time politicians who have
proved to be a power in the machine
politics of the Republican party. They
would have no hope under democrat
ic president and their positions and
salaries would go to those of a differ
ent political faith.
In the event of the election of Theo-
dore Roosevelt or any one of the So
called progressive school of republi-
can politics, the tenure of office of the
present Taft appointees in West Vir-
ginia would be fully as brief as though
a democrat had been elected presi-
dent. In fact the liberation of dem
ocrat for republican is far greater
than that of a Roosevelt republican
for a friend of Taft. If the Colonel
should by any chance be elected Presi-
dent again, his famous charge upon
San Juan Hill, as described by himself
would be mild stroll compared with
the attack which he would make upon
the Taft appointees on the federal pay
roll. The entire rough rider regi-
ment would be driven at a full gallop
, tinto the Taft force and everyone draw
ing pay from the federal government
would be summarily driven from his
office at the point of the saber and
some of the good old rough riding
; bunch, booted and spurred and armed
to the teeth, would imediately be Civ
: en- their places.
Even in the event of tho reelection
of President Taft there would be lit
t tie chance for the present federal of
; fceholders to retain their positions
unless the president should ignore the
precedent established by himself and
abandon his established customs.
Since he has been in the White House
President Taft has made it rule to
be guided in his appointments in
= states which have Democratic Sena-
1 tors and Congressman by the advice
I of the Republican National Commit.
! teeman and the Republican State
p Chairman. AS a result OF the primary
elections and mass conventions held
in West Virginia the delegation to the
Republican National Convention will
be Overwhelmingly for Roosevelt. This
: will mean the selection Of national
u committeeman from West Virginia
/ who is friendly to Roosevelt and upon
f whom to a large extent will fall tbs
i privilege of naming the federal off
Il cials from West Virginia, The State
q committee will be chosen at the pri
>. mary election to be held June 4 anG
if the result of the past few weeks
may be taken as an indication the
new committee will also be friendly
} to Col. Roosevelt and select a chair
n man from among his friends. In thai
y event both the referees for West Vir
o ginia would be Roosevelt men anC
# President Taft would either have t.
appoint the men they might recon
mend or abandon the custom which
has prevailed since he entered the
White House and with other presiden