Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-01-29

APPOINTMENTS
Ex-President Says Execu-
tive Should Not Carry
Such Burden
SUGGESTS SOLUTION.
Taft Believes Far Better Results at
Less Expense Could be Secured
Under New Regime.

Charlottesville, Va, Jan. 29.-EN-
President William II. Taft, III MS
! cecond lecture last night on the Bar
bour-Page Foundation at the UNI
versity of Virginia, spoke particular
!, Of the Presidents power OF ap-
! nointment. He found many faults
with it. and urged it's modification IN
numerous ways.
"The effect of the present power ot
appointment upon the Presidents
nrestige and control in Congress IS
| shown in the gradual impairment OF
his influence with members OF Con-
eress as his term lengthens and the
; Offices that he has to fill become lew
! er in number. This is true OF the
! most popular of Presidents. 1t Is
sad but true.
appointments, except III the more
important Offices, ought to be IN
some practical way removed from
the presidential duties. The Presl-
dent should not be required to give
his time to the selection of any eX-
ccpt the judges Of the courts, the
! heads of departments, the political
! under or assistant secretaries in each
I department, the ambassadors, public
ministers and consuls tthe last only
because the Constitution requires IT.
! and the general officers in the army
and the flag officers in the navy.
! This could be done by putting all OF
| ficcrs but those in the classified ser
vice under the present clvi! service
| law. Thus all the local offices
throughout the country, the post
masters. the collectors OF internal
! revenue and all their subordinates.
could be given permanent tenure, ap-
pointed and promoted after exami-
nation, and upon proved efficiency.
81 cannot exaggcrate the waste of
! the Presidents time and the con-
sumption of his nervous vitality in
| congressional intercession as to To-
cal appointments. AS long as these
remain political, the expense Of the
administration of the offices will be
| largely more than it need be. veN-
I ture the assertion. after long eXper-
ience, that if the important local Of
fees all over the country under the
| Federal government were put IN the
! classified service, an expert eXamlha-
! tion of those offices would satisfy
Congress and the appointing powers
/ that the assistant postmasters, the as,
sistant collectors Of internal revenue
! and the assistant collectors of Gus
toms could run the officers better
than they are now run with polit'
ical chief in each. and that the only
change needed would be to increase
by 81 small percentage, the salaries
Of the assistants. In this way nea.,
+! " the whole of the salaries of the
present political chiefs all over the
country in these local offices could be
saved to the government.
Annually for four years | recon-
mended that Congress change the
method of appointing the postmas
ters. collectors of internal revenue
and collectors Of customs, by remov
ing the necessity for confirmation b!
the Senate, promising that if thi:
were done ! would put all these Off
GERS under the classified service. Blu
nv urgent recommendations fcl
/ upon deaf ears.
Richmond, Jan. 29--The House 0
, "Congressmen and Senator's be
!ieve that by the present custom the.
can maintain local political organ
izat;on which will assist them 10 b
reelected. It usually hurts NOR
, than it helps the user in the lonI
+ run: but it does help to Strengthe
local machines and bosses. If tn
6 persons and parties contending 70
the abolition Of bosses and the sup
preston of machines in Congress
would show the faith and sincerit
that ought to bel them, they coul
{ promote the cause which they $
g loudly proclaim most effectively :