Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1914-10-14
APPOINTEES WORRY
Nominees of President Have to
Run Gauntlet.
Wilson Having More Trouble In This
Respect Than Any of His Recent
Predecessors-causes Many
for This Condition.


Washington, D. C.-President Will
con is having more trouble over his
appOintees to office than any of his
recent predecessors. In spite of the
personal care he exercises in choOs-
ing men for high positions, the dis
position even among the Democrats in
congress to look askance at new
nominee for Office has come to be a
habit.
There are several causes underlying
this attitude of congress. They may
be summed up as follows:
1. Several of the old line Demo-
Gratis have always believed that the
senate should exercise its constitutions
al prerogative of advising" the pres
3dent on nominations as well as con
senting'' to them.
2. Many of the Democrats, young
and old, have acclaimed so fiercely un-
der Republican administrations against
big business" that they cannot con-
sistently vote for a man from that
deld of action for any office.
3. Some senators have a perma-
Oent 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
90 critical review of his works be-
fore passing muster for office.
s. The Republicans. in general, re-
calling the fact that the Democrats in
I6e senate held up President Taft's
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 Will
sons nominations.
There seems to be no limit these
days TO the investigating activities of
the congressional committees. If a
man has the temerity to accept from
the president an offer of a 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-
3tIng into 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
OF public office is to force them to
submit to the inquisitorial prelimin-
airy which now has become a requi-
site TO a mere favorable report for a
nomination.
On the other side are many eminent
senators who assert that there is am
pie justification at this time for a care
EUI scrutiny not only OF nominations
for office, but of legislation as well.
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
mfnistration of these laws is intrust-
cd TO men of proper qualifications.
who viii not play politics or serve
special interests.
III part dI l0dSls lu0 SSHdJOIS
not wholly responsible for the situa-
tSOn. Anybody who is intimate
enough with them to see their CORE
SpOndence from home will find out
that the knockers" are not all dead
yet. It 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
Ibeir 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.