The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-08-07
ROW |MPENDS
IN NAMING Of
!. NEWD.C.HEAD
Senate May Refuse to Confirm
Any Democrat to Succeed
Commissioner Gardiner.
BY BILL PRICE.

The most interesting phase today
or the District Commissionership va
cancy is not so much who may be
nominated by the White House as who
can or will be confirmed by the SEN
ate.
II has been possible for a long time
70 obtain around the Senate the dis
unct impression that the Republican
majority there will refuse to confirm
any Democrat who may be named by
PRESIDENT Wilson. on these grounds:
First, that the spirit of the law for
naming Commissioners has been vio-
lated by the President in several times
nominating Democrats only to the
two civilian Commissionerships.
Second, the Republicans believe
they viii win the Presidency in 1920
and do not wish vacancies filled by
Democrats
Third, That the Democrats Of the
Senate refused to confirm a selec-
ton Of Commissioner by President
Taft after November, 1912, because
they were coming into power and
wanted to control appointments.
This attitude Of the Senate Repub-
licGns, IL developed as a party mat
ter and carried to the limit, would
mean that unless the President NOM
mates some one as Commissioner who
IL either a Republican or not obnoxi-
Gus to the majority the nominee can
not be confirmed.
NOn-PartIsan I'm Past.
The Republican accusation is that
until President Wilson went into the
White House the Board OF Commits
sioners was selected in non-partisan
manner. one Democrat and one Re
a
the board going to the member rep
resenting the party then in power,
thereby giving that party the bulk of
the patronage IN the District building
(this patronage being quite valuable |
10 Congressional gentlemen having /
friends In their respective States they |
want to unload on the District gov
eminent to pay on political debts).
\ The third member Of the commits
sion is the Engineer Commissioner, an |
army officer, who is not presumed to /
have any politics.
The Democrats retort that Repub- |
Hean Presidents always managed the |
lCommissionership appointments so |
that the man selected as q Democrat |
was really friendly to the party in /
power, and often q myth as q party |
man.
At any rate the Republican Senate
VIII UPON elLnGE a hGDuDllCGn /
being named as the civil associate of |
Commissioner Brownlow, who is 4
Democrat, or viii decline to confirm a
nomination until they come into pow
eF. IL they do.
Wilson Not to he Deferred.
The President. II he proceeds along
customary lines, will brush aside the
Senate feeling and nominate who
ever he thinks is fitted for the posi-
ten, leaving the responsibility for
failure to confirm on the Senate.
The legal effect OF the situation is
that there will be no successor to Mr.
Ardiner for many moons. Mr.. Gard
her has told the President that he
does not wish TO remain as Commits
sioneF; that he has completed plans to
return to his law practice; and that
he would like to be relieved as soon
as he has aided In completing the
valuations of the properties OF the
street railway companies as a mem
Der of the Public Utilities Commits
sion. which will be in about thirty
days
COmmfssiOR Expired July Is.
1Gr. GARDENERS commission expired
July 1S, having been for the unex-
pfred term Of Major Oliver P. New
man. who went into the army at the
beginning Of the war. Mr.. Gardiner
a. legally q commissioner until his
successor is qualified, and takes the
oath of office. Under the present
outlook he may hold office a mighty
long time. unless he absolutely de-
ehnes to do so and gets out
The Senate situation has revived a
belief that the President, rather than I
have q light in the Senate may nomi |
nate Major Newman for his old joS,
confident that Major Newman a re-
turned soldier going back to his old {
place, could be confirmed. The idea is I
that for political reasons the Senate {
would not attack q soldier being re-
turned TO his former position.
Major Newman has told his friends
that he does not wish to DC Commits
sioner again, and that he has several
good business opportunities OPEN for
consideration. He would, however
probably feel that he must D.y what
ever request the President should
make.
Gardiner Might he Confirmed.
There are those who think the
President may turn to Commissioner
Gardiner and urge that he withdraw /
his objections TO continuing in oNeice. S
Friends Of Commissioner Gardiner, 4
who is an avowed Democrat la yon- ,
ties, state that his personal friend
ships at the Capitol are strong
enough to insure confirmation Of his {
II he should change his {
mind about another term. Those ;
best informed, however, do not think
that Mr.. Gardiner could be prevailed
on to abandon his determination to
return to his law practice and private :
business.