The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-03
DELEGATIONS ARE
ALL At SEA ABOUT
Jobs FOR FRIENDS
Wilson's Conference With
Alabamians Gave Little
Satisfaction
WILL HEAR VIEW
OF THE SENATORS
But President Reserves the Right TO
Appoint His Own Selections If
Candidates Recommended
Are Unsatisfactory
by c. E. STEWART


Washington. May Especially
Alabama and Georgia delegations in Con-
gress. and perhaps other delegations are
up in the air about patronage AS a mat
ter of fact, they don't know where they
are at The Alabama delegation has
had several meetings, and at one time
they appointed a special committe, con-
sisting of Snators Johnston and Bank
head and Representa- atives Clayton and
Taylor to wait upon the President and
see just what his pleasure was concern
ing appointments in Alabama.
The committee went to see the Presi-
dent. but they did not have much infor-
nation to give the newspaper representa-
tives, or their constituents after the visit.
They said that they might have a state
ment later" So far there has been no
statement and about all they know is
summed up In what one of the delegation
remarked: I'VE don't know any more
now than we did before the committee
saw the President
Confer With Senators
1t is said, however, that the President
plainly indicated to the committee that
he would confer with the senator's about
appointments such as district attorneys
and marshals. 1t was suggested to him,
after he had indicated this, that the Ala
bama senators and congressman had un-
der former democratic ndministra tions
agreed upon the distribution of this pat
ronage among themselves. The President
assured them that he had no objections
to any cooperation between the senators
and representatives. He plainly indicated,
however, that the senators were to be
considered of prime Importance. He
also made it plain that he would not agree
to be absolutely bound by any recom-
mendations, but reserved tie right to
make his own inquiries as regards appli-
cants for office.
Inasmuch as the President has been pur-
suing this course in other instances he
will undoubtedly pursue the same policy
with reference to Alabama appointments.
In some states the recommendations of
the senators have rot been acquiesced in,
and in some cases the recommendations
of congressman for postmasters have been
rejected.
In other words, it is understood that
the President, if he is not satisfied with
the recommendations made him, will so
inform the senators and ask them to rec
ommend some one else, and it in the end
he is not satisfied he will appoint some
one to suit himself.
Cabinet Must Be Satified
In addition to the President the mem
bers of the cabinet must be satisfied, espe
cally if the candidate will be under any
one of them if appointed. The cabinet
officer interested will be requested to
make Investigations of the fitness and
qualifications of men proposed for office,
and. of course, then the cabinet officer
must be satisfied before final action is
taken.
Formerly the recommendation of a SEN
ator-or both of them--was equivalent to
an appointment. The recommendation of
a congressman for postmaster meant +!
tion had the job nailed down. But the
President of the United States now occu-
pying the White House declines to become |
a rubber stamp" He is going to do the
appointing himself, and while he wants
all the advice and council he can get
from the members of Congress, at the i
same time he wants to be thoroughly sat |
isfied about the applicant, and if he is /
not. as he has already shown in some
cases, he will ignore the recommendation
made him, whether by a congressman or
a senator, and do the appointing himself |
from information received from other |
sources.
In No Hurry
Furthermore, the President is not 60
ing to be hurried ABOUT making appoint |
ments. No one is going to be turned out |,
as has been indicated before, until his |
commission expires, unless for cause. !
This is all very well, and senator's and
cannot but admit the justice |
of it but they are wondering why ap- |
are not made-now-where |
there are vacancies and where recon- |
have been made. 1t must he .
admitted that they are growing a little |
hat IN tban a =
delay. The cause for this is |
very simple. The candidates for office |
all over the country, and Alabama is no |
exception are making life almost un- |
bearable for their representatives in |
Washington right now. And it is daily
becoming harder for them to make the
applicants believe that they, being right
here on the job. are unable to deliver the
goods. But they can truthfully plead that
SO far there amt no goods.
Georgia is exactly in the same fix as
Alabama. They have been trying to get
Gr,s% a. .~,.r 30 tl.<t