New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-25
MIR. FAIRCHILD'S DEFENCE.
LONG REPLY TO THE CHARGES OF THE
HALE COMMITTEE.
xHE SECRETARY REVIEWS THE sHERER AND NC
ELwEE cAsEs-THE SUGAR MATTER DISCUSSED
GENTLE RAPs FOR Mr. CURTIS AND
Ills FELLOW -aRFoRMERS

ELwEE cAsEs-THE SUGAR MATTER DISCUSSED
GENTLE RAPs FOR Mr. CURTIS AND
Ills FELLow-3RroRMERs.
Ipr rgLsGRAru TO THg rRBuNE1
WASHINGTON June 24-Secrctary Fairchild TO-
day gave out to the press letter dated June 20
addressed to his brother rcformer George William
Curtis president Of the Ncw-YorlS Civil Service
Reform Association, complaining bitterly OF
charges presented before the Hale Committee IN
New-York and OF editorials, presumably written
by Mr. Curtis and other officers Of the association,
in relation thereto Mr.. Fairchid considers that
by this action of Brother Curtis he hos been ui-
fairly and untruthfully placed in invidious at
titude before the public and the good name of the
association and the cause Of Civil Service reform
have thereby been injured, because, as he is care
full to state, he himself is member Of that assoca-
ton.
The Secretary adds
concluded that was charged in substance with rc-
moving from ONCE who in oil respects competent
and ht when there reason therefor In
spirit and with other purpose tnan
njure and humate good men; with retaining IN once
deserving removal simply because their removai
opposed by politicians OF my own party because they
Ind a pull TO use what believe your words
and with restoring to occ in opposition to the wishes OF
his Immediate superior, man whom 1 had previously
removed for drunkenness and insubordinauon tha' IN
doing this violated the Civil Service rules ana IN oruc'
TO make good this violation the rules themselves were
changed by Civil Service Commission. and that oil
Of member of Congress asked that
the man be restored
All Of these charges false. will appear before
have done and could have been made only upon the
authority Of statements Of the persons removed ana
friends and Of other parties whose pecuhary inter
ess were by the action which had been taken by
me-
CAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY STATED
Mr. Fairchild ascribes the whole difficulty to
the long standing trouble between New-York and
Boston as to the alleged unjust pref
erencc given to sugar importers IN
New-Yorll over those in Boston py
the application of the polariscopc test His state
ments on this point are rather pointed. tie says
the matter was first brought to his attention by
New-YorlS sugar broker, q Mr.. Dreyfous, VINO
charged that undue preference had been grven 10
another sugar broker, the brother OF Naval oihccf
Burt. but he subsequently found that this broker
and Mr. Burt's brother had entered into partner
ship and were doing 90 per cent of the business
of the port. He acknowledged that he permitted
Boston Democratic newspaper to Introduce one
of its employees into the service in order TO make
investigation in the interest OF the Boston mer-
chants, but satrically remarks that he was not
then aware that the business and officers OF the
sugar division possessed interest so peculiar and
extraordinary for the Civil Service Association
and its officers"
As to the removals which were made, Secretary
Farchild writes:
The removaIs which am charged with making
vantanly and cruelty were OF brothers Edward
and John The former was the chief chemist ana
poariscops sugar division. and tho latter had ex
elusive charge OF the damage allowances upon sugar a'
the mort Of New-York 1t was painful to me to remove
these men, would gladly have avoided IL II thoogne
that / could consistently with my ofhch duty. bo.n
wore sale TO OF fair repuo and good Chemists
Besides the unsatisfactory conduct OF the GoverImche
business there was evidence that the firm OF Sheref
Brothers, chemists No. 122 Frontst, New-fork "ncrc
sugars are importers composed OF these TWO
brothers Edward and John To engage In this business
while they testing sugars as Government onicais
would be unlawful and indecent They denied that hey
9 had interest in that firm, and submitted all Oh
(he evidence they wished TO sustain their dehia
and yet believed that they were Interested IN so ous
ness Of the opinion that 1T would tend 70 promote
the public II they ceased to be IN the service Oh 'c
Government and 1 accordingly ordered their dismissal
In explanation of the case of the men whem'
il is charged Secretary Fairchild did not remove
because they had influence, the report says:
Fourteen or fifteen wcro under consideration.
Among eight men, whose cases have not ye'
been acted upon Is one named Jacobs He has been IN
the service many years When Mr.. Maynard was going
over these with the appraiser the latter stated 20
him that this Jacobs OF ex-senator JacOos oi
brooklyn and was good officer ana especais
requested that he be retained. Mr. Maynard told me
what Mr. McMuen had said about each OF the names on
the list remarked that never had heard that senator
/ gave this circumstance may say however .noS
neither Senator Jacobs one elsc save Appraiser
McNuen requested that Jacobs DC reeaheu' % La
as L know nor have L any knowledge that such man
exists except hercinbofore stated AS 10 the o'hcr
man in whom It s said that member Of Congress Is
Interested can only that was not aware OF such
interest until the statements charging 'hsS suoh
interest was OF his retention Inc reason oi
the retention other does not seem 10 nave ooch
ascertaned by those who make these charges nave nave
already given IT, and IL applies TO all ihc
only men for retention have teen strongly O'esscu
are the Sherers, whom dismissed
THE DISMISSAL OF McELwEE
lie meets the accusation that he dismissed
ucEIvvoo for drunkenness and afterward renstateT
him ON the request Of member Of Congress Dy
saving that he had promised the Boston reporter
Immunity for his witnesses, and after McElwees
dismissal learned that he was one OF them lie
adds
was then shown that the date Of the offence with
which this man was charged long before ne hso gwen
a. I ro,noraI recommended almost Immediately after
the giving Of such testimony, and under sucn c'rcuH
stances as to doubt upon my nina 'ha' '
OF drunkenness had been made, not pecaue DO ". oo
drunk or was for his place but oec'use nc IN" ~
eaa Irnon benp satisfied OF this ordered that the
proper steps should be taken for his au ha'
no he restored IL seems that certain cef""'a.o 'oi
the local Civil Service Board was necessary 70 oe0' h
restoration under the Civil Service rules anu 'ha ious
,, o. oversight this certificate had not been oDtaheo
when this was asccrained and pointed out the proper p
were taken to correct and the man was restored
legally and in due form. - A.. coo.,,
As TO the Congressman episode, the Secretary
naively says. ..,.. ,,o coro,a.s
torcotten IT, but informed that the congress
man in whose district McElwee lived ala 'he son. n
,res. in his case and probably dd speak TO me about him.
but surely that ought not to have deferred me
doing what thought not only TO Dc ngh. ana us pus
49,, ssanaI 70 secure the proper administration OF my
department o,,,rn,,,,, ,vrr rrrYYNCr
More light is thrown upon the subject Oh the
collection of the duties upon sugars at the new
yorl, mort by the relation of this incident WHICH