The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-12
REVIEWS
 FROM Our Exchanges
PATRONAGE.
CNew Haven Union.)

(New Haven Union.)
 Everybody wants to know about the distribution of patronage under the new administration. Every member of Congress of Democratic faith is re- ceiving inquiries and applications by the hundred.
 Her date than I intended, to try to discover the prospects of what will be done in general way, but have found out nothing valuable or tangible. There is much guessing and newspa- per talk; but that is all. All things concerning the distribution of patron age are up in the air, so to speak. President-elect Wilson, who is resting in Bermuda, has not. so far as is gen. orally known, given any information of his intention on this subject. Moth ing definite will be known until he speaks.
 The only things certain at this writ ing are:
 1-President Taft has by executive order placed all the fourth class post masters under the civil service, that is all postmasters drawing less than the present fourth class postmasters will hold for life, or during good be- haviour, unless President Wilson re- vokes President Taft's order. Whether he will revoke it nobody knows. 2.-Most of the places worth having except those which have to be con- f1rmed by the Senate have been for some time under civil service. This greatly lessens the number of posi- tionS formerly available
 been for federal officials appointed for four years, such as postmasters, U. S. marshals, etc.. to serve out their terms. Whether this custom will be continued it is impossible to say. 4-President Taft is said to have declared his intention to fill all va Wd1edihe whether I the T Senate vii will eonarm his appointees, hold up their nomina- ton, it Is impossible to even guess. 5-The custom has been for the pa 1 tronage of any particular state to be distributed through the senators and representatives thereof who are of the same political persuasion as the ad- ministratton, if any such there be, and if none such, then through the nation al committeeman or some dependable friend or friends. Under this arrange ment representatives are depended up- on to recommend postmasters in their own districts while senators are de- pended upon to recommend postmas- ters in Congressional districts not rep resented by Congressmen of the same political faith as the President. Sem ators are also depended upon to rec ommend for marshaiships and offices positions and places in the consular and diplomatic service, and in fact all offices not local. Or course, as a rule. the senators consult with repre- sentatives in these matters all trying to do the most possible for their con- stituents.
 = l masters, etc.. President Wilson and his cabinet may adopt is wholly con jectura1. Some advocate one plan
 might be best for those intending to
 be applicants to let matters rest until
 the situation clears up somewhat; but particular place start in to secure signers to petitions recommendations.
 etc. it might be wise for all aspirants to do so too.
 | 4 l,x1e 1f the newspaper correspondents in the national capital that Mir. Wilson, when
 he enters the White House on March 4, will find that he has the power to | fill directly 10,839 government posi- | tions They declare the appointive places requiring confirmation are di- rtments-State, Al; treasury, | 736; war (excluding army), 6; jus- | tice, 383; post office, 1858; navy (ex- cluding officers), II: interior. 272; ag- l cluding census), 2S; civil service com mission T; and library of Congress, 1.
 The places not requiring confirma- 1 ton by the Senate are thus divided: Departments = State, 94; justice, l s46. interior, A; commerce, 8: civil service commission, l.
 A DEMOCRATIC PROGRAM. (New Haven Journa1-Courier.) The frequent meetings of the new | 1y elected democratic members of the general assembly marx a new pO11Cy l in party discipline and control. As | the public understands, these meet 1 ings are called for consultation, as an 1 opportunity for the members to know
 each other in advance of the session, | thus expediting the work to be ac- complished and for the purpose of dis
 cussing proposed acts of legislation.
 To that extent they are necessarily 1 inter esting events.
 1 The democratic members of the leg
 islature should realize however. that I end with progressive general 1egis-
 lation. A more serious test will be
 their delivery from the temptation to
 retain state and local offices. which i civil service laws. For the success
 full party to yield to this temptation
 to in consequence fail to introduce
 wherever possible, strict business
 methods of control, will be to throw
 away advantage that will not be of the state of Connecticutu are not interested these days in the gratifica- ton of the appetite Tor office which
 has overcome some man who has been long wandering in the wilderness. They realize that certain changes must
 be made, and they will acquiesce in analysis they are more interested in
 is governmental efficiency. The day
 has gone by when party success de- bends upon the distribution of the spells.
 l Should the democratic party dodge the issues involved in the county or ganization because of 8 possibility of I electing a democratic county commis- f sioner, or two or three, should it i dodge the task of placing the police department of this city under sin gle headed commission because of a l belief that the local pluns will be T theirs next year; should it dodge the movement to have the judges of
 our police court appointed by the gov ernor; should it dodge the various
 other movem ents, which have no oth- l CT purpose in the world but to raise the standard and efficiency of gov- l ernment it will go out of power with a far greater, unanimity than it came in, and deservedly so- Evidently the party is already at the parting of the 1 r4, fcIa