The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-05-01
CAUSE OF FAILURE
OF CONFIRMATION
Vermont's Senators Were
Unable to Get Appoint
ments Through

confirmation IN the senate ldSt SNseiVi'
of Republican postmasters whose nom
nations were sent to that body by Presi'
dent Taft before the expiration OF his
administration on March OF this year,
In the last Cleveland administration,
the commissions of several postmasters
expired during the last months OF that
administration and when Democratic
nominations for new commission OF
four years for the postmastersliip on
these offices were sent by President
Cleveland to the Senate for coniirma-
tion, the Republicans IN the Senate per
mitted such appointments despite the
fact that President Mckinley was soon
TO take office and the administration
was to become Republican instead OF
Democratic. As result, many Demo
cratic postmasters throughout the coun.
try served during the major part Of
President McKinleys Republican admin
stration and were only supplanted by
Republicans when their commissions
made at the regular time under Demo
cratic administration, expired.
The Republican postmasters whose
commissions expired in the regular or
der of things during the year 1912 and
ND to March 4, 1913, and who were re-
nominated for appointment tor another
term by President TAFT, were entitled
as they saw il, to the same treatment
as was accorded the Democrats under
the Mckinley administration and had Q
right to expect that the courtesy OF
confirmation of their nominations under
the Taft regime would be allowed by
the Democrats in the Senate. But the
Democrats in the Senate would not allow
these combinations, and consequently
the number OF postmasters throughout
the country, whose nominations ialied
of confirmation, ran into the thous-
ands.
Among these were several Republican
n0stmasters in Vermont for whose con-
firmation Nermont's Republican senators
worked hard. hoping and confidently eN'
pecting that the Democrats would at
least concede the confirmation Of nom
nations in state represented by sena
tors both of whom were Republicans
But all in vain.
There has been so much misnnder'
standing among Republican postmaster
and their friends with reference TO the
procedure of confirmation of nominations
and SO much discussion as to how the
Democrats. who were in the minority "
Ia the 4th of last March, were able tc
block the confirmation OF Preside n'
Taft's nominations that an explanation
of the methods adopted and the tactics
used by the Democrats TO bring about
their ends may prove enlightening.
When a vacancy occurs in postoifiee
the representative in Congress from tht
district in which such occurs, 1t his pol
tics are the same as the president then
in power. recommends to the postmas'
ter general the appointment OF q post
master for the vacancy that exists. The
postmaster general, who is OF the same
political faith as the president and
member Of his cabinet, follows the rec
concentration Of the representative n
Congress- and in turn recommends to
the president the nomination of the per
son named originally by the representa-
tive in the district where the vacancy eN'
lists. The president then usually iol'
lows the recommendation of the post
master general and sends to the Senate
for confirmation the nomination OF the
person named.
Now the Senate confirms all the nom
nations made by the president IN ex
ecutive session. which is held behlho
closed doors. When the Senate goes mt
executive session il is by motion ano
vote. So. ii is plain. if a majority Of
the senators were of the opinion that
thev did not want to go into executive
session they could so vote and prevent
il thereby also preventing the considera
tjon of the confirmation of the presl
dents nominations. Now this is Just eX
aetly what the Democrats did every time
an effort was made by the Republican
senators to 90 into executive session Sc
that the postmaster nominations O.
President Taft might be confirmed.
The Senate. before the 4th OF March
was made up of 40 Republicans, 43 Demo
Gratis and two Progressives, and ther'
were two vacancies in the membership
This. as will be seen, made small Re
nuhlican majority but. while the Senate
was nominallv Republican in majority
Senator La Toilette and some of hi'
Republican followers who were not II
sympathy with the Taft administration
could Join hands with the Democrats a.
any time and prevent the Republican,
! from securing a majority. This IS JUS
exactly what was done and il IS Yer!
apparent that with a few Republican,
not in sympathy with the administra
ton voting with the Democrats, the he
nublicans as a body were in hopeless
situation as to getting an executive ses
sion where the nominations could be DIS
cussed and the combinations secured
Dav after day the Republicans attempt
ed To 60 into executive session and wer'
voted down. Only during tie very las
ldsys OF the session was Il possible I
secure an executive SESSION at all am
/ then only army appointments, and tn
like. such as the Democrats had no OBJ
lection to were entertained for oonnrma
/ zion with the exception Of few post
Offices in the home towns OF senators
which were allowed only out Of courtesy
10 the senator in question.
80 il was that the last Congress cam,
20 a close on the 4th Of March viii
none OF President Tsft's postmastei
nominations confirmed. AZ the end Of !
I Congress all bills not passed and al
nominations made which have not heei
confirmed are dead. The purpose Of thf
f democrats in ohiec;iEE 20 the executive
Z sessions and the confirmation ot Fresi
dent Taff's nominations vas - delal
thee appointments 20 make places -