The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-01-14
lLyman Abbott in outlookl

Men Of strong will In the Presidency
have found it easy to engage in con-
troversy with Congress. One OF the
surprising elements in the present adj
ministration is that. although the
president Is a man of strong will he
has accomplished much with very little
apparent friction. The present contest
between the senate and the president
over the matter OF appointments is
therefore unexpected but not mex
plicable.
The most pronounced symptom of
contest has been the case of an APP
pointee to the District Attorneyship of
western New York. Four days before
congress reassembled after the elections
President Wilson selected for this post
Mr.. John r. Lynn, who was not accept
able to. the Democratic senator from
New York, Mr.. O'Gorman. 1t is under
stood that the selection of Mr.. Lynn
was made upon the recommendation of
the secretary of the treasury, Mr.. Nc
Adoo Senator O'Gorman is regarded
as representating the Tammany wing,
Mr.. McAdoo the anti Tammany wing, of
the Democratic party. This was a
recess appointment" In the senate
Mr. O'Gorman opposed the confirmation
of the appointment of Mr.. Lynn, and by
unanimous vote the senate declined
to confirm 1t.
Without going into the merits of this
specific controversy, we undertake here
to consider few general principles
with regard to presidential appoint
ments.
The provision of the United States
constitution that appointments to Of
flee shall be made by the president,
by and with the advice and consent of
the senate, was at its adoption both
practicable and wise. 1t was a neces-
sary protection against the kind Of
political despotism exercised by the
Stuarts In England. and the political
corruption employed at later date by
the shrewd but INSCRIPTIONS Walpole.
When the nation consisted -of thirteen
states on the Atlantic seacoast, when
the population was less than four mil
lion and the number of Federal APP
pointees was relatively small, 1t was
not impossible for the president to ac-
quaint himself directly or through cor
respondents with the needs of the
whole country and the qualities of men
in various departments and localities
fitted to serve it, But with a CONT
mental republic, a population of nearly
or quite hundred million a great in
crease in the functions and the depart
ments of government, and an enormous
and increasing host of public servants.
1t Is no longer possible for the presi-
dent to know adequately either the
WORK to be done or the men best adapt
ed to do It, The presidents have there
fore to an increasing degree left the
selection of officers to the men elect
ed by their parties either to the senate
or the house from the various sections
Of the country, and 1t Is not strange
that the senators and representatives
have come gradually to regard their
privilege to be consulted as a right
to dictate. and the provisions of the
constitution has come to be read in
congress- as follows: The senators and
representatives shall appoint the fed
eral officers by and with the advice and
consent Of the president. II both the
president and the senator's and rep
resentatives always looked for the best
man to serve the country. this amend
ed constitution might work fairly well;
IL they even always sought the best
interests of their party. 1t might not