Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1914-09-25
APP0INTEES WORRY
Nominees Of President Have to
Run Gauntlet.
Wilson Having More Trouble In This
Respect Than Any of His Recent
Professionalism Many
for This Condition.

Con Is having more trouble over his
appointees to Office than any OF MS
recent predecessors. In spite or the
personal care he exercises in choos-
ing men for high positions, the DIS
nosition even among the Democrats III
congress to look askance at a ne"
nominee for office has come TO Dc
habit.
There are several causes underlying
this attitude of congress. Ihey may
be summed up as follows:
l. Several of the old line Deiiio
Gratis have always believed that INC
senate should exercise Its constitution
al prerogative of advising" the pres
ident on nominations as well as COIL
senting" to them.
2. Many of the Democrats, young
and old, have acclaimed so fiercely uh-
der Republican administrations against
big business" that they cannot con-
sistently vote for a man from that
field of action for any office.
8. Some senators have a perma-
nent suspicion against any man nom
mated for Office or at the suggestion
of some of the cabinet officers.
4. Any man who has written book
or a newspaper article must submit
to a critical review of his works be-
fore passing muster for office.
5. The Republicans, in general, re-
calling the fact that the Democrats IN
the senate held up President Tafts
nominations through an entire ses'
sion of congress, to save the places for
themselves, and, in many instances
having concrete objections to some OF
the nominees, are ready to help out
any Democrat who wishes to make
trouble over any of President VII
sons nominations.
There seems to be no limit thess
days to the investigating activities Ut
the congressional committees. If a
man has the temerity to accept from
the president an offer of public office
he may as we'll prepare at once TO
come to Washington, If the office Is
big enough, and lay bare his whole
life to some sort of congressional In
Vestigating body.
Some members do not hesitate to
say that congress is rapidly degener-
ating into a society of gossips. They
believe that the limits of decency have
been overstepped in some cases and
that the quickest and best way to
drive men Of capacity and ability out
IF public office Is to force them to
submit to the inquisitorial prelfmin-
airy which now has become requl'
site to q mere favorable report for a
| nomination.
Oh the other side are many eminent
senators who assert that there Is am.
ole justification at this time for a care.
'ul scrutiny not only of nominations
tor office, but of legislation as we'll
| They point out that congress Is
amending so many of the important
fundamental laws of the land that 1t
becomes congress to see that the adj
ministration of these laws IS intrust-
ed to men Of proper qualifications,
| who will not play politics or serve
| special interests.
In part, at least, the senators are
not wholly responsible for the situa.
| ton Anybody who Is intimate
enough with them to see their CORE
spondence from home will find out
that the "knockeY' are not all dead
yet. 1t is to be noted that the Amer
lean voters who take the trouble to
air their views to their congressman
| are not only becoming more numerous
but more cocksure OF the finality OF
their own opinions.
Senators and representatives who
are to be candidates at the coming
elections have to face this bounding,
and 1t Is in this sort of atmosphere
through which the nominations and
legislative suggestions of President
Wilson have to pass.