The Washington times., 1913-05-08

Plenty of hard fighting is ahead in the
Senate over the confirmation of nomi-
nations made by President Wilson. This
has been made clear by the proceedings
thus far in executive session, where
some Of the Republican Senators are
showing a disposition to oppose GER
tain classes of appointments stiffly.
Republican Senators say openly there
will be a prolonged struggle over The
confirmation of William j. Harris Tor
Director of the Census.
In the executive session the o'her
night Senator Burton sharply fought the
confirmation of J. l. Baity as Auditor
for the War Department. Mr.. Baity was
secretary to Senator Reed. Mr.. Burton
pointed out that Auditor +. y. Gong
wer, the incumbent, had worked up
from a clerkship in the office and held
it was unfair to displace him with
political appointee. Mr.. Baity was con-
f1rmed on vote.
Senator Burton said President Wilson
ought to cease his professions of desire
If he kept on naming men whose only
qualifications We're political.
President Wilson was wearing the
''smile that won't come off, as he saun-
tered to his desk today. He had en-
oountered the first real crisis on his Ad-
ministration, SO far as appointments
We're concerned, and had won out. And
he had saved the face of one Of bis
chief Cabinet officers. Secretary Of the
Treasury McAdoo. as well as that of the
only Democratic Senator from New
York, j. A. O'Gorman.
The President had no hesitancy in ad-
mitting that the appointment of John
Purroy Mitchell, president of the board
lnf oil of IN ho
lector OF the Port of New York in sue
!: cession to William Loeb. jr.. was a
happy solution of a serious difficulty.
Mr.. Mitchell Is an Independent Demo
many Hall, but the friend and idol OF
the rank and file of the better class OF
the Tammany organization. And there
, were many well-informed politicians in
this city today who saw in the appoint
, ment the beginning of a movement, to
be backed by the Administration, to
sweep MIR. Murphy ard his lieutenants
from control of Tammany and reorga1-
ize the New York City Democracy un-
der Mr.. Mitchell.
might be an alliance between Mr.
Mitchell and Governor Sulzer against
| Mr.. Murphy. Both men have plenty OF
| patronage at their disposal and II they
| Join forces they can wrest Tammany
! from Mr.. Murphy's control possibly IL
Il
| fall. And IL Mr.. Murphy is to be fought
| by Mr.. Mitchell II is certain the latte
! will have the unqualified support o
President Wilson
Il,
| The rame of George w. Guthrie. nomi
mated ambassador to Japan, heads q
large list of nominations sent 10 the
Senate by President Wilson las: eve
ming. Other nominations made wer,
those Of John Purroy Mitchell, to b,
collector of customs of the port of New
York; Gaylord NJ. Saltzgaber, of vaI
Vert. Ohio, to be Commissioner Of Pen
| sicns
Included in the list OF nomination!
there were several for which there ha,
been bitter contests. The collectorshi]
Of the port of New York was one of tn
worst
The fight for the office Of commits
sioners Of Pensions was fully as spirite
and Interesting because Il brought ou
anew that the sores of the Wilson-Ha II
mon fight in Ohio have not been healed
DIR. ID. c. Gentsch. backed by the Har
mon faction. had the support OF all bu
one of the Democrats in the House. Ser
ator Pomerene also had indorsed hin
But when President Wilson sent I'm tn
nomination. Gaylord NJ. Salzgaber, On
Of the original Wilson men in Ohio, dre,
down the plum.
The postoffice appointments were cor
fined largely to small offices in variou
] parts Of the country