New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-23
MR. BAKERS ATTEMPTED DEFENCE.
The Philippine Judiciary Stands Defended Only
by Irrelevant Saements-Govemo Gilbert Did Not
Recommend Vicious Reorganization Act

of the civil service" and benefaction t.
the old judges
| Does anybody contend that if there ha'
been no change of administration thi
vicious act would ever have become law?
The War Secretary says the Hon
Dean C. Worcester condemned this reorgani
cation act as essentially vicious in its
nature" and that Mr.. Worcester also sai'
there was no adequate reason for vacatinl
the existing judgeships. am great!
obliged to Mr.. Baker for this information
l am delighted. The War Secretary viii
please tell US where to find the text of wha
Mr.. Worcester said 1t is one of Mr.. Baker
grievous faults that he will not cite reliabl,
authority or even make extracts that are
material.
If Mr. Worcester did say this, l glory il
him for it. He is the critic that knows NOR,
about the Philippine Islands than any Amer
lean of my acquaintance.
Mr.. Baker implicitly admits that Governor
Harrison approved the reorganization act;
but that, having the power to drop" al
the old judges, che dropped none; anc
therefore he is a civil service reformer and
should not be "snarled at" ror criticised.
This is tantamount to saying that because
a man could, if criminally inclined, commit
murder, and did not he should therefore be
exculpated if he committed only robbery OF
some other less heinous offence than muir
der Or that man who had murdered an
other should not be punished if he had given
the murdered man decent burial.
Mr. Harrison had the power to check this
vicious legislation in the commission, Of
which he is the official head, but he didnt
do it, Mr.. Baker doesn't say that he trieC
to do it in either house; and this is one Of
the grounds Of criticism.
He could have checked il, just as hi
non-partisan predecessors had checked it
but he did not. Why?
Because ne wanted all the judges to hole
his commission, become suppliants at hi
throne and acknowledge that he was "it
and become converted 10 Tammany, if no
already; and those that didn't care to d.
so could get out or stay out, because he "hac
| the power to leave them OUT if they did no
bend the knee to him as their maker, bene
/ factor and liege lord.
/ The effort Of the War Secretary to SHOW
that all the old judges were benefited an
how they were benefited by this vicious &C
/ is ludicrous. There is not a judge in tn
| islands. except those especially favored b!
/ Governor Harrison, that would not laugh t,
scorn this proposition Of Mr. Bakers. AS
those whose salaries were cut and they re
assigned TO less desirable districts than be
fore, and their answers would give an EN-
rhatic negative to Mr.. Bakers propositions
/ Many of them would publicly condemn M
Harrison more emphatically than "the NOR
explosive critic or myself if they were ou
Of the judiciary.
The Honorable Secretary says the neces
sity for the reorganization act had been rec
ognzed by the predecessors of Mr.. Harri
son, and the reasons therefor had been Sc
| forth in their OFFICIAL reports. Now, vii
/ Mr.. Baker please tell US what predecessor
and what official report" and where 20 g
70 verify this and his other statements? IL
/ has not yet given Us any reliable evidence
/ in support Of his statements.
JAMES C. JENKINS.
New York Aug. II. 1916