The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-12-24
THE PRESIDENTS MOTIVES

LlEN.
Inc Presidents friends are giving
him credit for higher motives than
mere revenge for his recent appoint.
Fnents which have connicted with the
~selections of a certain group OF sena.
Tors. According to their version of
the war" the President has under
Paken the breaking up of the patron.
2 trust" and the conspiracy known
ms Senatorial courtesy" which have
resulted from the constitutional pro
vision h a the President shall appoint
government officers by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate =
according to the Senators. Mr.. VII
son. In setting up officials without
the advice and consent of the Senate"
Is ignoring the intent OF the constitu.
ton. and the particular cases now at
issue are actuated by selfish motives.
These we presume are in the nature
OF official Communicates" which are
as conflicting a s the claims of London
and Berlin. The one puts President
Wilson on the high plane of purer pol
iucs and New Freedom ideals. but the
other, The Senate side of the contro-
versy. perhaps. explains the situation
more clearly. II the President Is inn
oued with the noble inspiration OF.
breaking up the patronage trust
how does 1t come that he has not in
terfered with the appointments OF
other Senators? The defense OF the
President is ure bunk. The only APP
pointments he has crossed with selec-
lions Of his own are those o; Senators
who have deied the crack Of his eau.
Gus whip. or have refused to answer
the White House telephone call. AS
IL is not a Republican quarrel il is not
important which is right or wrong.
only II won't do TO put a halo on the
President to the defamation OF the
Senate.
Just to keep its hand In. the Senate.
sat down on another appointment of
the Presidents this week. when the
subcommittee OF the Judiciary Com
mittee reported adversely on the nom
%ination OF Frederick Siddons to be
Justice of the Supreme Court OF the
District of Columbia. Attorney Gen.
ersl McReynolds. before he was eIe-
waited to the United States Supreme
Court. declined TO recommend Mr.. Sid.
dons for the place. but his more com.
placent successor, Attorney General
Gregory. fell in with the Presidents
known wishes. One OF Mr.. Siddons'
qualifications that pleased the admin
istration was the fact that he was the
attorney for Samuel Gompers and The.
American Federation Of Labor. The.
subcommittee OF the Senate Judiciary.
Committee. however. found out that
Siddons' law firm had once written a
letter offering to secure a pardon from
the President for a Federal prisoner
Tor a fee Of $500. The sub-commit.
Tee vote on his nomination was 4 TO 1
against Il. the sole and significant vote.
for Siddons having beer cast by Sen.
ator Chiffon. OF this state. Two Re.
pubiieans and two Democrats made
up the negative vote.
Now. there Is no question Of pat.
ronase trust" involved in this case
The Senators who opposed the noml.
nation stand high In the Senate and
In the respect OF the country They.
are Culberson. Of Texas. and Walsh.
OF Montana. Democrats. Nelson. Of.
minnesota and Clark. Of Wyoming
republicans. The President had only.
one member Of the committee In sym
pathy with his choice-"Gold Uu.
BIN" VIII the President insist on the
confirmation Of siddons under these
tircumstances'