The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-12-19
Denies He Played Politics in
Civil Service Classi-
fication
DECLARES ACCUSERS
TOLD "UNTRUTHS"
And Counters With Express
sion of Regret at Failure
to Destroy Spoils System

Washington, d. c., Dec. l9.-Presi-
dent TAFT to-day gave Congress his
opinion of the charge that he had been
playing politics in his recent executive
order putting fourth class post mas
ters under the civil service. The pres
ident made the counter charge 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 SER
vice. / have several times requested
Congress to give me authority to put,
first, second and third class postmasters
and all other local officers, including
internal revenue officers, custom Of
ticers, United States marshals, and the
local agents Of the other departments
under the classification of the civil law
by taking away the necessity for con-
firming such appointments by the Sem
ate. | deeply regret the failure of Con-
gress 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
1,x Irva IN nd f,fl
the spoils system"
His Recommendations.
The presidents advice to Congress was |
contained in his third message of the |
year sent in to-day. 1t was devoted |
largely to review of the accomplish |
ments of several government depart !
ments not touched in previous messages |
and to recommendations for legislation.
The president advocated:
Legislation which would permit of the
cabinet to sit in either house of Con-
gress, with the right to enter into de-
bate and answer questions, but with
out vote
The adoption of the post master gen.
erals plan for a readiustment 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 secure
proper conservation and at the same {
time assure prompt disposition of land
that should be turned over to private
ownership. 8
would provide for leases of coal lands
liz, 10 al - he |
sition of oil, phosphate and potash lands
in the United States
An act of Congress which would legal
ize court authorized to review de- l
cisions on the pure food law such as
In this connection the president ap-
proved the creation of the Remsen {
board by former President Roosevelt but )
said that the time had come for Con- I
gress to recognize the necessity for ga
tribunal Of appeal in pure food cases.
While we are struggling to suppress G
IN evil of great proportions like that o
of impure food" said the president, 'we
must provide the machinery in the law s.
tself to prevent its becoming an instru- y
nent OF opposition and we ought to en- r;
'ble those whose business is threatened Il
With annihilation to have some trbu- ct
lal and some form of appeal in which
hey have complete day in court" g
The president closed his message with d,
recommendation that Congress appro- ci
,riate Tor government building at tc
he Panama Pacific International expo tc
tion at San Francisco and for the r
qualification of Washington. In his
iscussion of the capital he said that ii
public utilities commission was need
d. The president expressed opposi.
ion TO the granting of the elective fran
hise to citizens of Washington and in
orsed the plans of the commission of M
ne arts for city improvement