Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-05-03
TANAMAEER SCORED.
Commissioner Roosevelt Shows Up His
Attempt to Defend
THOSE WHO DEFIED THE POWER
OF The Civil Service Commission to Enforce the Laws
Enacted for the Purpose Of Reforming Some Of
the Bad Features Of the Civil Service.
Some Very Interesting Testimony

WAsH1NGToN, d. c., May s.-Ihe
House committee on civil service reform
today resumed investigation into the
conduct Of certain employees IN the civil
service In Baltimore. Secretary roster
was the first witness. He had heard OF
the charges made by Commissioner
Roosevelt against two men copnected
with the customs services in Baltimore
nj collecting money for political pur-
noses. They had been reprimanded by
the collector aud he was inclined 10
tbiuk this punishment sufficient, Out
fpauv said be should very much doubt
~ was consistent with the good Of
tbe public service 70 keep such men IN
Office but he should want 10 know all
tbs facts in the case before taking
action.
Commissioner Roosevelt was next eX-
amined. He said he had made an exam
irstion OF the workings OF the Baltimore
Dostofice and custom house, ana recon-
mendsd the removal OF twen.y-One em-
Moves for violation Of the civil service
law. but no action had been taken. lie
said IL was absolutely Impossible TO up
set his conclusions for they were based
On the confessions of the accused per-
sons made at the very time the events
took place.
Rearing on the statement OF the Post
master General, that 10 Is not the duty
of the Commission 10 make any report
10 the head of a department, Mr.. Roose-
Welt produced two letters from Mr..
Wapamaker asking the Commission to
make lust such examinations and report
to him. Mr. Roosevelt quoted from the
testimony of Mr.. Wanamaker, when In
speaking Of the accused men he said;
"When they declare to the POsto1ice In
sUectors that they have not made sucn
statements and they do that under oatn,
Won are bound 70 take their statements.
It seems 10 me said MIR. Roosevelt that
ffin a rrivate business of large size an IN
vestigatiOn into one Of its branches snoulo
disclose that twenty-One men were cneaO-
inr, the men being caught red nanueu anu
confessing their guilt, ~ would oe very IN
fair 10 report these same men SIX monlhs
later innocent and that they hao neo
when they made their confessions.
static implications in the statement
of Mr.. Wanamaker tnat the accused parties
were not fairly reported, Mr.. Roosevelt
said u seemed hardly necessary 70 meet
such an accusation as this, and insisted
that the stenographer's report was the
only proper record OF what the men said.
MIR. Roosevelt concluded his state
ment by saying:
The amount of 10 is that all these men
are pIainlv guilty upon their own comics
SION. that thew have made this confession
In terms which 10 Is impossible TO mlsJSp-
derstand. and equally impossible 10 deny
that nothing they have said since, or can IN
the future say. can in any way explain
away this confession. IL these men are
not guilty. then it is absolutely impossible
that men ever can be guilty under the civil
law. and If they have not deserved punish
mont then ~ is impossible that men can do
sDvthing i'm violation Of that law which will
deserve punishment. This is not the time
toconsider whether the law IS orls not wise.
II is on the statute book, and am appoint
ed to see that 10 is enforced; and l have
simply done my plain duty in pointing Out
rs violation and in recommending the
punishment Of the wrOg doers