Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-01-23
new THREAT HEARD
REPUBLICANS MAY RETALlATE IT.
TAFT's APPOINTMENTS ARE
NOT CONFIRMED.
WOULD EMBARRAss WILSON
Nominations by New President Could
BE Held Up In the Senate, Unless
Every Democratic Member Attend
ed Executive Sessions.
BY eEoReE CLINTON,

by GGORGE CLINTON.
Washington The senate is stiil
refusing to confirm many or President
Taft's appointments, Nearly all the
men named for government places are
those whose terms have Just expired,
and OF course the Democratic senators
desire that there places shall remain
vacant until President-elect Wilson
takes Office and names persons of
his own choosing. This matter Of
Democratic opposition to confirmation
OK Mr.. Taft's appointments has been
pretty thoroughly discussed in previ-
Gus dispatches, but new phase has
come upon the matter within n
day.
IL the Republicans In the senate
were united. and all OF them could be
brought to attend the executive SEES
stons Of the senate, the presidents
appointees could be confirmed despite
Democratic opposition, but the Repub-
ncan senators are at variance, not
only on legislation, but on the wisdom
Of the appointments which Mr.. Taft
has made, and therefore the present
dominant party In the senate is hav-
Ing a hard time of It trying to
straighten out troubles and to induce
the Republican senators to line up
on behalf of the Republican Office
holders whose terms have just yex-
pired.
Threat Of Retaliation.
The new phase which has come
over the matter presents itself in the
Republican threat that If their Demo
cratic brethren do not yield and show
willingness to confirm Mr. Taft's
appointments there will be Republic
an opposition of Mr.. Wilson's ap-
pointments when the president-elect
takes Office. Now the Democrats will
have control of the senate after March
4, but by an exceedingly slender ma
Jority margin. It may be that the
Democrats will have a majority Of
two, but 1t is possible that a majority
of one will be all that they can mus
ter.
In this case 1t readily can be seen
that unless after March 4 all the Dem
ocrats are in attendance at the sem
ate's executive sessions, the Republic
ans by acting together can prevent
the confirmation Of any appointments
which they choose. The threat at
present extends only to determine
ton to refuse confirmation to those
appointments of Mr. Wilson which are
intended to take the places of those
already made by Mr.. TAFT, and which
the Democrats are holding up.
Opposition has come In the SEN
ate TO the confirmation OF President
Taft's appointment to membership on
the new industrial commission. The
commissioners who have been APP
pointed do not represent political par
ties, for they were chosen as repre-
Sentatives Of different schools Of eco
n0mic thought and Of different lines
Of business endeavor. Capital IL rep
resented, labor is represented, socioE
ogy Is represented, and other schools
Of thought also have their representa-
ton.
Ground for Opposition.
The opposition TO the commission
ers, therefore, Ia not based on poll
tics, but it Is claimed by some Repub-
leans and some Democrats who stand
I'm opposition that the men named to
find the means Of bringing capital
and labor together, Of studying i'm
migration questions and Of economic
and social questions generally, do not
represent the real modern opinion on
these various subjects.
In short, it q said concerning the
commissioners that there Is no great
economist or social worker on the
body, and that the representatives OF
labor are not Of sufficient prominence
TO make It certain that their ultimate
findings will be accepted by either
labor or the people generally as hav.
ing final authority. This may be do
ing an intustice TO all the men named
for the commission, but 1t Is the plea
which is put forth by some Demo
Gratis and Republicans In the senate
az an excuse for their opposition to
the appointments.
If by any chance the industrial com
mission members should not be- con
ffrmed by the senate, President-elect
Wilson when he comes into Office
must entirely remake the commission
and name men who he thinks viii
receive the sanction Of the senate.
RattIeshlps Fight Now On.
The yearly fight has been started II
congress ON. the proposition to au
thorize the construction OF new bat
tleships. Secretary of the Navy Mey
ar has asked for three ships, but at
has been explained in previous dis
patches it is probable that he asked
for three in order that he might be
sure to get one or possibly two.
Some prominent Democratic mem
hers of the house have started the
fight against battleship construction
on the ground that the money which
| thus is ICED would be much better
spent for public buildings. Last yea
there was no public building measure
passed, and 80 every member OF con
qress is DESTROYS of getting something
/ ~ ruh1ic hUiIQiQg 10