The Washington times., 1915-01-04
Declares Election Of Officials
Would Prevent Building Up
I. Of Political Machines.

INC rCpuOllC Dy IotinSi Chi'Su
States Senator Jonathan Bourne
Of Oregon. He declares it his
belief that the only way to de.
stroy the possibility or such a ma
chine is to take from the President
hiS power Of appointment.
Opposed to Short Ballot.
These ideas the former Senator reit-
crates in q letter to The Times. in tho
course Of which he declares that he Is
not an advocate Of the short ballot.
and also derides the merit system or
appointing mayors OF German cities on
the ground that tho German system was
evolved by a highly centralized gov
ernment for the primary purpose or
having capable men in high positions
to hold the public in line with the
centralized governments policies.
The former Senator's letter follows:
To the Editor Of THE TIMES:
In an editorial In your issue Of jan
uary 2. discussing my suggested remedy
for abuse Of Federal patronage. you op-
pose popular election of certain admin
istrative officials in their several juris-
dictions and say that ''instcad Of hav-
business officers Of the Government. we
noed less You assume that popular
election Of postmasters. collectors and
appraisers of customs, collectors OF in
ternal revenue. land officers. etc, would
throw those Offices into politics. where;
tako them out Of politics.
Should Have Choice.
II the people Of any community want
4 Democratic national administration.
but believe that one Of their neighbors
who happens to be a Republican. Pro-
Eressive, Prohibitionist or nonpartissn
is best fitted to be postmaster, con-
tend that they should have tho right
and power to select the man Of their
choice. regardless of politics. Under
the present aystem appointments are
made upon partisan lines. They always
will be under system of appointment.
as distinguished from popular election.
IDEAL Of a Postoffice Department CON
Quoted on the merit system. but where
do You find any justification for the
assumption that the appointment sys-
TEN places In office men who have come
up through the service and demonstra.
ted their qualifications? How many In.
stanceC can you name Of promotion OF
assistant postmasters to be postmas.
ters? What the people want is good ser.
would select the man most likely te
give efficient administration regardless
They would elect and re-elect a col.
iector Of internal revenue: even though
no failed to perform the additional func.
tion OF collector Of campaign contrib,I.
tions. The appointee Of a partisan
Administration feels under obligations
TO demonstrate efficiency as Il partisan
whether he Is efficient as an admins.
trative officer or not
Your citation OF the fact that in Ger.
many mayors are appointed rather thar
elected by the people. Is particular.
pertinent at this time. Tho appointive
officers OF Germany are expected to bs
active IN spreading propaganda in sup.
port Of the national policies. There yoy
have centrali ized power in its prime. Yor
and other advocates Of Capitalization OF
pover are welcome to all the consola
tion you can get out Of study OF thu
means by which militarism has dCmi,
mated Germany and the results thai
have been derived therefrom.
Came to America.
Tho most energetc. the most progrrs
sive. and most ardent lovers Of libcrt,
among the German people left their ma
tive land and came to America. and tll
census Of 1910 shows that of all the fer
etau white stock in the United States, :
tn9 cant La credited to Germany as tl
rsslpts5 of origin. Do you hear thos
people clamoring for appointment O
mayors In this country.
You say. III VIC do not err. Mr.. BourM
has long been an advocate Of the shor
ballot system of governmental reform.
There you certainly err. have lonI
been an advocate Of popular as distins
uished from delegated governme nt---dis
tribution rather than Capitalization o
power.
have just received from the leade
OF the short-ballot propaganda q pam
Dhlet setting forth his views, and not
that he heads the list of indorsers wit
the names of Woodrow Wilson, Theo
dore Roosevelt, and W. II. Taft Coul
anything be more appropriate! Iav
you any doubt that the concentratio
Of power incident to Presidential pat
ronase, the mainsprinc of the Fedora
machine, enabled Roosevelt to dominat
public opinion and forced the nomina
ito Of Taft or that Presidential patro,,
age enabled Taft to force his own r.
nomination In 1912. when only two State
election returns. or that Woodrow VII
son will be able to force his own 10
nomination in 1915 unless he become
convinced that a Democratic ccltiiiCut
OF nomination Is passport 10 po!lllc'
perdit!on?
Domination OF Congress.
But my efforts are directed no mo
against the Federal political machir
than against the domination OF Co!
sress BY the Executive. Section
Article !, OF the Constitution, declares
All legislative powers herein grant
ed shall be vested in Il Congress OF
tho United states
The entire spirit and letter of In
Constitution shows clear intention tina
congress sDall BE- I've" from iTtimida
ton: that ConGroRs should make IN
laws anl the President should cN"cut
them. section oi Article ! provides
''tor ?ny speech Or dehat"
In Congress Members shall not no
questioned IL any other place.
While it is not permitted trat mem
btrS OF Congress bc punished by hin
- A>ksisonment for speech or debat