chairman of the State Committee, and the member of the National Committee from that state. To a large extent the system worked automatically all over the Union, but of course any such method goes to pieces, in so far as conflicting individual or factional claims are intruded. It was in dealing with these exceptional cases that Mr. McKinley's tact was useful as well as Mr. Hanna's gift of understanding other men, of getting their confidence and of bending or persuading them to his will. c. Patronage in the Navy Department [Selections from the Correspondence of Theodore Roosevelt and Dear Cabot: ... NAVY DEPARTMENT OFFICE ASSISTANT SECRETARY September 29, 1897. Barrett1 has been clamoring for places so much that I had a little brush with him about the shipkeepers. When the Secretary left it seemed there would be two vacancies as shipkeeper, and he told Barrett he could have them. However, later it turned out there were three. I gave Barrett the two which the Secretary had said he should have, but I did not hold myself bound to give him the third, about which I telegraphed to you and ultimately put in MacCabe's man. This, and my putting in Wilson instead of one of the veterans whom Barrett recommended, evidently angered him not a little, and he wrote me, in effect asserting his claims to all the places in the navy yard. I wrote him very politely but very firmly in return, and have not heard from him since. I have had one or two horrid times with the patronage. I got on all right with the Grand Army men in New York, and indeed I think with the Congressmen there and Senator Plattat any rate so far as I know; but in Norfolk a G.A.R. man got drunk and was absent for a week (which he himself stated in his telegram now on file) and before he could be removed he resigned. Twelve days afterward the commander of the local post demanded his reinstatement. I refused, stating the facts, and he then wrote me a grossly impertinent and abusive letter, to which I simply responded that when he learned how to write a proper + William E. Barrett, Congressman from Massachusetts. letter I should answer it and not before. I have kept the correspondence complete. What creatures those Pennsylvanians are! Even so good a fellow as Bingham is almost impossible to deal with, and Boies Penrose is worse. They have almost had epilepsy over a promotion from a $1200 to a $1400 clerkship, made under the rules in accordance with the recommendation of the commandant, just as we have made promotion after promotion in Brooklyn and Boston. It never occurred to me to consult them about it any more than I would have consulted you or Platt about similar affairs, for of course I knew nothing of the man's record and simply acted on the recommendation of the commandant. But this procedure very nearly gave them a fit. I have just had Bingham to lunch to smooth him down. .. Faithfully yours, THEODORE ROOSEVELT. d. President Harding and the Patronage [Correspondence between President Harding and I. C. Thoresen, My dear Sir: September 3, 1921. Those of us who are responsible for the activities of the new Administration never like to do anything in an inconsiderate way. We are anxious to have men in positions of responsibility who are in full sympathy with the purposes and plans of the Administration. I need not tell you of the current demand for the recognition of aspirants within our party for consideration in the matter of patronage. I take you to be a practical man who knows of these developments with a sweeping change in national administration. Under all these circumstances I would very much like to have a new appointment in the office which you occupy. In all courtesy I would infinitely prefer to have you recognize the situation and make your resignation available. I am writing this letter in a kindly spirit to express a request that you recognize the situation and let me deal with the situation as you would probably wish to do if our positions were reversed. Very truly yours, WARREN G. HARDING. My dear Mr. President: September 9, 1921 The receipt of your courteous, considerate and outspoken letter of the 3d is very greatly appreciated, and especially so in comparison with the short, formal note of the Acting Secretary of the Interior requesting my resignation. I cannot understand how the plans and policies of the Administration can in any way change or modify the formal duties of a Surveyor General. The surveys of the public lands under the specific directions and appropriations by Congress, making and approving plans and field notes thereof, and paying the expenses incurred thereby, are the sole duties of said office. Every employe therein is in the civil service. No material changes have been or can be made by any Administration. Were this service affected by foreign policies or even domestic conditions, I would admit the consistency for a change, but in face of the facts I cannot do so. If, however, any minor changes in the administration of the duties of the office for its improvement are desired by the department, I am ready and willing to assist in their introduction, as I am an interested citizen of our glorious country much more than a partisan Democrat. I am in full and complete sympathy with every move for economical efficiency in the public service. I offer the entire record of my administration in this and other public offices I have held as proof of my integrity in serving the public efficiently, and of the economical expenditure of public funds. It is well known that the demand for recognition of the Republican aspirants is exceedingly intense. But should all precedents of the past be set aside to pacify this partisan, selfish clamor? All of my predecessors have been permitted to serve their full terms; most of them more; the last served thirteen months after President Wilson's inauguration. It therefore appears to me that I am the first and only person in the public service under an appointment for a specific term who has been requested to resign without being accused of any definite failure or neglect of duty. This matter has the appearance of personal spite or extreme radical political prejudice or greed, and I would be very sorry indeed should you lend the power of your great office-the greatest in all the world-for the success of such motives. I have lived in Utah for nearly sixty years and my friends and relatives here are legion, and for their sakes, as well as for my own sake, I desire to maintain my good name and standing, which I consider I cannot if I resign this office without good reasons made public and a general ousting of all other Democratic office holders.. It would certainly be considered a blemish upon my character and integrity, and I, therefore, cannot consistently comply with your courteous appeal. Very respectfully, e. Prohibition and Patronage I. C. THORESEN [Letter of Senator Harreld to Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Washington, D. C., Oct. 6, 1925. Hon. L. C. Andrews, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, My Dear General Andrews: With further reference to our conversation by telephone this morning, I desire to state that I have learned from various sources that your new director at Fort Worth, Texas, has called for the resignation of the Rev. Thoroughman of Lawton, Okla., who has been on the force of M. F. Meadows, director at Oklahoma, for some time. Of course, in pursuance of the policy you have adopted not to consult Senators and Congressmen, Mr. White did not see fit to confer with me about it. I did not recommend Mr. Thoroughman's removal because I consider him a very efficient officer and was not consulted about it. The churches at Lawton, consisting of some five or six on Sunday, Sept. 27, adopted, each of them, resolutions condemning the act of Mr. White in making this removal and expressing their utmost confidence in Mr. Thoroughman as an officer. The citizens of Lawton are generally up in arms about it and I am constrained to further insist that he should be reinstated, or else some good cause should be given as to why he should be removed. You have no idea what a furor this removal has raised, and they are charging me with the responsibility for it, as shown by clipping from the local paper at Lawton, which I enclose, and numerous letters which I have received in protest. I was rather favorably impressed with Mr. White, the director at Fort Worth, when I met him and told him that I would not be unduly active in promoting any candidate for appointment as enforcement officer, but I do insist that neither you nor he should do anything which will injure my standing in the State in which I live and endanger my chances for reelection in the coming campaign. I therefore, think it would be advisable for you to direct Mr. White to consult Senator Pine and myself about the possible consequences of a removal of an old officer, or the appointment of a new one. I had thought I would try not to have anything to do with these appointments or removals, but I find there is no way I can evade this responsibility and I shall continue to exercise my right to express my approval or disapproval of the acts of your department in these particulars. The circumstances in this case show that it will be impossible to keep peace in the Republican Party in Oklahoma unless Senator Pine and myself are consulted about these appointments and removals and I feel it but fair to say to you in advance that we shall expect this courtesy from your department. Yours very truly, (Signed) J. W. HARRELD. 33. SENATORIAL COURTESY The practice of the President in consulting members of Congress before making appointments in their states has been pointed out. Senators are particularly able to insist upon their right to be consulted in view of the requirement of senatorial confirmation. In connection with such appointment and confirmation the practice has been further developed that the Senate will generally as a matter of course and without inquiry into qualifications refuse to confirm appointments, if objection is made by the Senator or Senators from the state concerned, provided only they are of the President's own party. This readiness of the Senators to support one another in the matter of patronage is called "senatorial courtesy." a. Custom of Senatorial Courtesy [Congressional Record, vol. 62, pt. 7, pp. 6555-6557.] [The Senate having under consideration the nomination of Nat Goldstein to be Collector of Internal Revenue in Missouri, the following colloquy occurred:] MR. HARRISON. May I ask the Senator another question? Has any action been taken touching the Nat "Goldstain" nomination?... MR. MCCUMBER. Oh, no. Let me state to the Senator what is the usual course in such matters. The moment any nomination is sent to the committee, the chairman hands that nomination to |