Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-01
ESPECIAL rrLreRAM 10 rnr D1srArcH.,


WASHINGTON, October 31.-Civil Service
Commissioner Theo Roosevelt bounded back
to town to-day and Immediately revoked
his recent determination not to talk to the
newspapers by delivering himself of the
following: 81 have carefully read the pub
lished interview with Governor Thompson
concerning political assessments of depart
mental clerks by the Old Dominion League
a Virginia Republican club, and
heartily indorse all he says 1 will
guarantee that Governor Thompson is
no more anxious than am to get at these
men, and the evidence laid before tNs, in my
opinion, fully warrants our presenting the
case to the courts. We will lay it before the
proper prosecuting officers the instant we
can get in all the testimony. Meanwhile,
as see that the club has threatened to send
around committee to the various depart
ments tomorrow, to collect contributions, 1
warn all concerned that we will promptly
prosecute anyone who violates the law in
soliciting, receiving or giving them
The agents of the Virginia association de-
clare that they will be on hand tomorrow
to collect the Virginia contributions from
the Office holders, Mr. Roosevelt's threats to
Lut
UNITING IN DIRT THROWING.
The latest attempt of the Elan crowd to
clear themselves Of the charge OF violating
the civil service law is to swear to the inno-
cence OF each other and then unite in throw
ing dirt at their prosecutors. Elan himself
goes to Virginia and keeps out of harms
way, and Goodwin, who, it is understood,
endeavors to exonerate himself on the plea
TIc4 L., sbos &
the circular, is quoted in the local press as
giving Elan a certificate that he (Elam)
has attended scarcely any meetings of the
club.
How Goodwin can know whether Elan
was at the meetings, without being there
himself, and how he could be there himself
without knowing of the existence of the
circular, which everybody else in the con-
cern knew all about, and which bore both
Elam's name and his own, in plain print
neither he nor any of his friends attempt to
explain.
NOT SATISFACTORY.
But this sort of exculpation does not
satisfy the parties in interest. They needs
must make war upon Civil Service Com
missioner Thompson, because, being Dem
ocrat, they assume that he has been the
instigator and mover of the whole business.
his hands off too scrupuIously, if he has
erred on either side. He has felt keenly the
delicacy of his position, and though visited
daily by members of the press and others
who have been watching the proceedings,
he has refused to step outside the strict pale
of his duty as an officer of the Government
and give away anv of the information in
possession of the commission, or offer any
advice as to outside movements against the
offenders.
Secretary Noble, who started out with his
investigation in manner that gave promise
of good results, has been paralyzed by the
lies told In the defendants behalf. OF
course
A GENERAL DENIAL
was put in, and be was innocent enough to
accept it, falling back now upon the state
ment that as the Civil Service Commission
is going to prosecute, he has nothing more
to do in the premises. As the Secretary is
new to public life, he has not vet learned
by sad experience that to leave ones stables
to be cleaned by somebody else is a poor
way to make a record as a reformer
One thing, however, General Noble is
prompt enough to say. He declares that no
person shall make the rounds of his depart
ment to collect political contributions with
out permit. As the permit can be OBJ
tained only from the chief clerk, and as the
law is broad enough to render that officer
liable to fine and Imprisonment if he makes
himself, even In so indirect a way, a party
to the misdemeanor, it looks now as If the
committee charged with the duty of passing
the hat would have to do their work in the
open air, as tar as the Department of the
Interior is concerned.