The Prescott daily news., 1913-01-17
By GEORGE CLINTON.

Iafts appointments Nearly all the men named for government places are those whose terms have just expired, and of course the Democratic senators desire that these places shall remain vacant until President-elect Wilson takes office and names persons of ms own choosing. This matter of Democratic opposition to confirmation Of MT. Taft's appointments has been pretty thoroughly discussed in previ- ous dispatches, but a new phase has come upon the matter within day.
 If the Republicans in the senate were united, and all of them could be brought to attend the executive ses- slons of the senate, the presidents appointees could be confirmed despite Democratic opposition, but the Repub- lican senators are at variance. not only on legislation, but on the wisdom or the appointments which MT. Taft has made, and therefore the present dominant party In the senate Is hay Ing hard time of it trying to stralghten out troubles and to induce the Republican senators to line up on behalf of the Republican office holders whose terms have just ex- 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 MT. Taft's appointments there will be Republic an opposition of Mir 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 sen- 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 a determina- tion to refuse confirmation to those appointments of Mir Wilson which are intended to take the places of those already made by MT. 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 ap- pointed do not represent political par ties, for they were chosen as repre- sentatives of different schools of eco nomic thought and of different lines of business endeavor. Capital Is rep resented, labor Is represented, sociol- ogy is represented. and other schools of thought also have their representa- tion
 Ground for Opposition.
 The opposition to the commission CTS, therefore, Is not based on poli- tics, but 1t Is claimed by some Repub- hcans and some Democrats who stand fin opposition that the men named to find the means of bringing capital migration questions and of economic and social questions generally, do not represent the real modern opinion on these various subjects.
 In short, 1t is 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 1t certain that their ultimate findings will be accepted by either labor or the people generally as hay ing final authority. This may be do ing an injustice to all the men named for the commission, but 1t Is the plea which Is put forth by some Demo crats and Republicans in the senate as an excuse for their opposition to the appointments.
 If by any chance the industrial com mission members should not be con frmed by the senate, President-elect Wilson whom he comes into once must entirely remake the commission and name men who he thinks will receive the sanction of the senate.
 eattIsships Fight Nos On.
 The yearly fight has been started in congress on the proposition to au- thorixe the construction of new bat tleships. Secretary of the Navy Mey. CT has asked for three ships, but as has been explained in previous dis patches 1t Is probable that he asked for three in order that he might be sure to get one or possibly two.