the passage of legislation in 1913 that limited the tenure of each cmc to four years -- unless reappointed -- ended the traditional system of appointment until retirement, which had been in effect since 1798. instead josephus daniels, the new secretary of the navy . . .[sent] biddle into retirement and began the search for a new cmc. excitedly, butler assumed that waller would win this time. he generated a flurry of correspondence knowing full well that every letter would be read by his congressman father ... much to butler's dismay -- and despite whatever political leverage his father applied -- stronger forces determined the selection of a new cmc in 1913-14. biddle had hoped to slide in the veteran campaigner, colonel lincoln karmany, before sufficient political forces could be organized to oppose this handpicked successor. but secretary daniels eliminated karmany from the running when he learned of his messy divorce in order to marry another woman. waller had the endorsement of all 21 democrats in the senate, but carried the unacceptable baggage of samar with him. secretary daniels reasoned that it made no sense to appoint an officer with a reputation for callous and inhumane treatment of the filipino people, just when the wilson administration promised a more enlightened and humane government of the philippines.