The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-06-15

MISTER OFFICE
SEEKER, MEET
JOHN +. ADAMS
Harding Passes Pot
ronage Buck to NelC
Chairman.

ronage Buck TO NesO
Chairman.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Copyrighted. 1921.
Especial to The ArEus.)
Washington. June 14.-Presideut
Harding has decided to lean heav-
tly on the new chairman OF the Re-
publican national COMMITTEES, John
!. Adams Of Iowa. and henceforth
will seek the advice and counsel of
MRS. Adams on matters Of patron
age.
Mr. Harding has had more than
the usual run Of engagements with
persons interested in recommend
ing friends for ofiice. He has found
1t dificult to give undivided atten-
ton to important matters OF ad-
ministration because of the ava
lanche Of requests for time to pre-
sent the virtues Of candidates for
jobs. Will Hays. former chairman
OF the national committee, and now
postmaster general. and Harry
Daugherty, pre-convention man
ager for Mr.. Harding, and now at
torney general. have both been be-
sieged by ofRce-seekers or their
friends 80 that the work Of the
postofice department and depart
ment of justice has necessarily
been affected. The heads Of those
two big departments can't give all
their energey to the administra-
tive side Of their tasks when their
minds are taken up with matters
Of patronage.
Is Presidents Choice.
1t was Mr.. Harding himself who
was largely instrumental in the
, selection Of MIR. Adams and 1t was
Mr.. Harding who felt the necessity
for having the party machinery in
the hands Of one who was not him
self identified with the government
itself. Mr.. Adams is the personal
representative Of President Hard
ing on all party matters. He is
the active head Of the Republican
party and will continue to be for
, at least four years which means
that his will be the task Of keep
ing the party organizations happy
and interested in the next Repub-
lican fight.
Everybody who knows practical
politics realizes that = skilful hand
ling Of patronage questions u es-
sential 10 party enthusiasm. Ths
Wilson administration made its first
real blunder when it delegated to
tie heads of the different govern
ment departments the job Of hand
ling fiice-seekers. Many Of Mr..
| Wilson's cabinet members were as
unfamiliar with party politics as
are some Of Mr.. Harding's secre-
taries. The boys back home"
who came to Washington to get
Jobs for hungry constituents didn't
even know the cabinet officers.
They frequently were ignored alto
gether and didn't have personal
interviews with the powers that
were.
Must sStimulate" Party Workers.
Mr.. Harding is trying to avoid
that kind of thing. He wants
every party worker to be stimulat-
ed to keep on working. So he has
placed the whole responsibility for
appointments on the local Republi-
can organisations which In turn
must cooperate with the national
Republican organization. ,of which
John T. Adams is the chief execu-
tive.
II the local Republicans make a
poor recommendation or II the man
they recommend turns out poorly
it will be q reflection on the local
organization and the Harding ad-
ministration will feel justified in
the future in looking to other Re
publicans in that particular vtcin-
| ity for political advice.
i But the thing Mr.. Harding Ii
earger to have established Is ar
effective working organisation II
which the local elements in the Re.
publican party shall cooperate
with the national headquarters
So John +. Adams will maintatr
permanent headquarters here ant
will move his family to Washing
ton. He will be at the beck ant
call Of the White House and viii
keep in close touch not only witt
party matters but with the pulse o
the country on public questions y
rejected in talks with the pilgriml
who wander in from day to da,
from various parts Of the country
Doesn't Believe In sDrives."
Mr.. Adams will probably do les
travelling than his predecessor. MI
Hays, largely because there is no
so much necessity for 1t. He him
self doesn't believe In drives" ant
organization work when there i
no fight in progress. He will keel
in touch with what Is going on bu
will not start active campaigning
until there is occasion for 1t.
Meanwhile all Republicans VIII
feel they are entitled to considera
ton in matters Of patronage ha'
better get acquainted with Chair
man Adams and put their case be
,, fore him. His word win count from
!. now on.