Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-05-20
'NEwSy GOSSIP FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITOL

The secret of the situation is that
President Wilson recognizes that ne
has reached an impasse, and that his
nominations, except in certain well.
| defined cases, will not receive the
senatorial confirmation until Senator
Charles Il. Townsend of Michigan and
the republican senator's, who stand
like a wall behind him, are ~placated.
Some weeks ago, Senator Townsend
formally served notice upon the DEM
! ocratic majority that, In reprisal for
their action in Withholding confirma-
ton of the Taft appointments Tor
acknowledged party reasons he would
give them a dose of the same medl'
cine. His warning was laughed at
as an idle threat, with nothing be.
hind it; but the experience OF the past
ten days has shown that he Is not a
man to be triled with. Both the reg
u1ar republicans and some of the pro-
gressives have endorsed his attitude,
and in debates on the floor OF the
senate, as we'll as in its executive
sessions, have supported his views.
Those of the majority who thought
| that they had votes enough to wipe
I'd the floor with the Wolverine sen.
! ator have at last learned, to their dis
may, that he has them at a ~disadvan'
tage, and not a few Of them ara bit
terly regretting their precipitancy IN
forcing an issue. 49,.
There might have been some
chance of a break in the solid ranks
of Senator TOwnsend's supporters II
Senator Hoke Smith of Georgia had
not insisted upon the confirmation of
one of his political henchmen, w. II.
| Harris, whom he had induced Presl-
dent Wilson to nominate as a hit and
proper successor of E. Dana Durand,
for the highly important and respon'
| sible position of director of the cen
sus. Harris is the sole cause of the
withholding of so many presidential
appointments, and the republicans
frankly say so. They twit their mill
tant opponents with the reminder
that President Wilson's nominations
were all to be con merit" and that
investigation has proven that Harris
has had no statistical experience
worth mentioning, that the e TACT
that his brother is a superintendent
of schools is no criterion of Harris
own educational qualifications, that
the president himself assured a lead
ing democrats senator from New Jer-
i sey that he did not favor turning
! out Durand until his work had been
completed, that Durand is widely
known as an acknowledged statisti-
cal expert, and that the real question
in the issue before the senate IL,
whether or not presidential appoint.
ees should be qualified for the jobs to
which they are appointed. ...
Senator Robert LaFollette OF
! Wisconsin, of whose progressiveism
even the authenticated Victor Muir
uock OF Bleeding Kansas is In no
doubt, has taken up the cudgels on
the merit issue, and to the disgust
of Hoke Smith has placed himself on
record as strongly opposed to picking
a man like Harris, whose onl yquali-
tications are political, for such an I'M
portant, Office. He states in no IN.
certain language that the United
States census bureau is far too i'm.
portant to be lowered in tone or
standing to satisfy political desires
or ambitions. He fells that Senator
F! Townsend's position is unassailable,
especially as the Michigan legislators
precedents are 30 recent and their
genuineness is not attempted to be
denied by the democratic majority.
From these facts, it may be taken
for granted that the lists of %expectant
oftice.holders all over the land will
be considerably heightened, and that
those already recommended for ap'
pointment by either the postmaster
J general or any Of the other cabinet
J officers will have to possess their
souls in patience before they have
a chance of a smell at Uncle Sans
salary list-call it payroll, if you like
UNLESS some sort Of a show is given
Ito the Taft a%ppointees, consular and
otherwise. So, too, you see that 1t
doesn't pay to be hoggish in the mat
ter of even federal jobs for the hun
lgry faithful.