Evening journal., 1892-05-13
WANAMAKER HITS BACK.
He Says Civil Service Men Are
Not Infallible.
MINISTER COOLIDGE CONFIRMED

The DIsssachusett. Man Succeeds white
law Reid as Minister TO France-Ex.
Speaker Reed Relieves His Mind Con.
oerning Democratic Legislation.
WASHINGTON, May ls.-The investiga
tion into the alleged violations of the civil
service law by federal employees in Bal
timore was continued by the house com.
mittee on reform IN the civil service, with
Postmaster General Wanamaker on the
stand. In the course of his examination
Mr.. Wanamaker said "Many Of these
questions asked me seemed TO be based on
the assumption that the postofllce depart
ment is antagonistic 10 the civil service
commission which is not true. The com
mission is not infallible, and its findings on
any question are not to be taken without
question:
The Question of Politics.
Mr.. Brawley asked Mr.. Wanamaker If he
had concluded that the charges against the
men We're made because Of political mo
tives, and Mr.. Wanamaler said he did not
remember that he had any conclusion. He
simply listened TO the statement Of the
postmaster who demanded an investigation
In the case Of W. W. johnson, the post
master, there seemed TO be abundant evi
dence Of his having endeavored to prevent
the postofice employees from violating the
law. It was true that many changes have
been made in the classified force of the Bal
timore postofiice, but the changes seemed
absolutely necessary and were made from
the list of eligibles prepared by the properly
appointed representatives Of the civil serv-
ice commission. The report Of the commit
tee in relation to Mr. johnson did not rec.
ommend dismissal, but stated that decided
steps should be taken to show that the gen
eral rule was not to be regarded hereafter
as a dead letter, and that henceforth any
violation should be treated as furnishing
cause for dismissal.
The report Of Chief Inspector Wheeler
and Inspector Sharp, upon which the post
master general based his action in the Bal.
timore matter, says the investigation was
an open one, and after hearing the evidence
of all the witnesses and Of the accused the
| opinion was formed that the facts did not
| justify the dismissal of the twenty-one men
named nor any one Of them for violation OF
the civil service law as charged The
report says no scintilla of evidence sustain
ing the charges against Postmaster johnson
was found.
[ Commissioner Roosevelt Scored.
A letter from Postmaster johnson dated
Sept. 81, 1891, was left by Mr. WanamakeI
with the committee. Mr.. johnson says:
ITO say that am amazed and confounded
/ by the cool assurance with which Mr. Roose-
welt assumes to declare that while it does
not appear that 1 used the postofiice to in
| fuence the primary elections it is evident
that it was 50 used with my full knowledge
and that took no effective steps whatever
to prevent such use thereof. Such a con
clusion could only be reached by one VIII,
had intended in advance to bring fortl
some fruit from his labor and then pursueI
such a method of investigation as woulC
most strongly tend to establish that con
clusion which was most eagerly desired by
those whose vindictive prejudice hac
! prompted and melted the investigation
Permit me to say that although every cour
tesy and facility possible was afforded Mr.
! Roosevelt in the pursuit of his inquiry ye
in my opinion the method and manner o
his proceeding was unfair, entirely ex part,
and without precedent under American in
stitutions.n