The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-13
This OFFICE IS
CAUSE OF WORRY
CANDIDATES FOR COLLECTORsHIP
or RICHMOND PORT UP IN
THE AIR.
MAY BE NO OFFICE
MAY BE APPLYING FOR SOMETHING
THAT DOES NOT EXIST, WHILE
SOMEBODY ELSE GETS REAL
OFFICE.


1 Richmond are far less ciamorous and
more non-committal than those for
any other office within the gift of the
new administration. That Is not be
cause there are not just as many who
are willing to serve their country in
this place and not because the office
is not a good one. 1t is simply be-
cause they do not know now whether
there will be any such office.
The position In question Is that of
collector of the port of Richmond.
Several months ago there were some
half a dozen who wanted the place,
but they are prevented from working
for IL by the fact that If the customs
reorganization plan, whereby Vir-
ginia Is consolidated into one port, be-
comes effective there will not be any
collector of the port of Richmond.
There will be a deputy collector. but
his salary will be less than the three
thousand dollars the present collector
receives, and many OF those who want
ed the position of collector are not
SO certain that they can give their
time in service TO Uncle Sam as dep
uty collector at a reduced salary.
Collector Arnold Interested.
Collector b. y. Arnold is also much
interested in the fate of the Taft
recommendation that the districts
within this State be consolidated into
one. According to the plan of the late
administration Norfolk was to be the
headquarters OF the district with the
Collectors office in that city and de-
putty collectors in the others, the col
lector 10 receive a salary of 1000
The salaries of the deputy collectors
under the new plan will be fixed by
the treasury department should the
plan be ultimately adopted II Is not
the question of salary that interests
Mr. Arnold, however, for ii Will be
his successor who will have to worry
to make successful fight with the
high cost of living at reduced salary.
II is the tenure Of his office that gives
him an interest In the new arrange
ment. President Taft in making
known to congress the plan of reor-
ganization decided upon by him and
the treasury department. according
to an act Of congress last summer,
suggested that the plan be put into
operation on July /. 1918. Now Col
lector Arnold's commission does not
expire until next aJnuarg and as Pre-
sldeut Wilson has Indicated that he
will not hll federal positions until the
commissions OF those now in office eX-
pire Collector Arnold has about ten
months IN which to. seTFe---~uT9less the
new plan goes into operation in July.
In that case collector for the dis
trict VIII be named 10 take office Of
fee on that date and this collecter,
naturally. will be Democrat Mr.,
Arnold may be retained as deputy
collector until his commission ex-
pres but this is doubtful and. even
SO, his salary would be reduced.
Richmond's collector, however, If not
worrying. He ia merely a little in
terested as he has right to he.
Here's the Quandary.
The quandary in which one-time
aspirants for Mr. Arno1d's place find
themselves Is this: Shall they apply
for collector of the port of Rich
mond for deputy collector of the port,
or for collector of the district of Viz
ginis7 WIN there he any port of
Richmond to apply for? If not. what
will the deputy coliectorship pay II
thep apply for the position or collec-
tor Of the Virginia district and the
consolidation plan does not go
through will somebody else get the
job Of collector of the port Of Rich
mend. If there should be onef If
But what's the use. The tangle ia
ineXtricahlc, and the one-time aspir-
ants cannot solve Il yet
Richmond men mentioned as prob
able applicants for the collector at
plan was recommended by President
Taft, and at time when 1t looked as
If he would not do so. were; ". A.
Crenshaw. John G.. kramer. J. J. Nc
Carthy. Mr. Hoofuagie. and one or
two others.
what will be done about the CON
solidation recommendation of Presi-
dent Taft has not yet been definitely
decided The impression has been
created that the presidents action was
final but the act of congress giving
him authority provided that he should
report his plan To the next congress
He reported on the closing days of
the last congress but no action seems
30 have been taken. In all probability
the matter will have TO be taken up
by the new congress, which meets in
extra session in April In that case
there is a probability that the matter
viii be allowed to die. for the con-
gressmen are not SO enthusiastic about
the measure az when passed They
adopted II TO save money, but appli-
cants for the offices have been be-
siegtng them with requests to see
to It that consultations he made else
where save III their districts, They
In turn have been hesieging the treas
ury department, They have no OBJ
jections TO consultations elsewhere.
but spare my district" has been their
cry. Moreover. 1t appears certain that
practically nothing will be saved by
the operation of the plan proposed by
President Taft. For these reasons II
appears not improbable that the pro-
posed consolidation will never become
effective, although there is a great diff
ference of opinion as to the status of
the case.