Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-02

MIR. FOSTER ON THE STAND.
Members Of the Civil Service Committee
Question Him Closely.
TIE sxoRxrARY STATES WHAT He KNOWS ABOUT
TIE BALTIMORE CUSTOMS HOUSE cAsEs-UN-
WILLING TO GIVE OPINIONS WITHOUT oPpoR-
TUNITY TO INVESTIGATE THE CASES.
The House committee ON civil service re-
form today resumed the investigation into the
conduct Of certain employees in the civil SER
vice in Baltimore. Secretary Foster was the
first witness.
There were two persons. Fensley and Ray, in
the customs service in Baltimore charged with
violation Of the civil service law. The Secre-
tary said that he had heard this unofiicially.
He had received in confidence q copy of the
roosevelt report. He had conferred with the
Baltimore collector on the subject Saturday.
Inc report was highly complimentary to the
charged Ray with mendacity and Fensley with
collecting campaign funds. The Roosevelt re-
port concluded with the statement that '.at
least steps should be taken to see that this rule
Is not hereafter regarded as a dead letter."
MENDAcIoUs, BUT A GOOD CLERK
Witness had been told that while Ray might
have been mendacious he was one of the best
clerks in the service, and that Bensley
had not intentionally violated the law.
witness had made no investigation, but
had left the collector to deal with
the matter. Taking into account the
good character Of the employees, they had been
let on with a reprimand. Witness admitted
to Mr.. Boatner that he had acted
upon the hypothesis that the report of
the civil service commissioner was correct, but
that the cases were such to justify leniency
He had known nothing Of the matter until last
week and, SO far as he knew, there had been no
action upon 1t IN the department until that
time.
DEMoRALIzING PRACTICES
Chairman Andrew read from the commits
sioner's sreport extracts showing that by the
admissions OF Hoover and Reed, two custom
House employees, cheating and other democrat
'zing practices prevailed in the Baltimore re-
publican primaries, to which the federal office
holders were parties.
Mr.. Boatner feared that these might be bad
Precedents and that they would spread to the
democracy.
Mr.. Raines retorted that the bad practices
were inherited from the democracy, and read
further from Mr.. Roosevelt's report some Sc
we're structures upon MIR. veaseys administra-
ton in Baltimore.
Secretary Foster remarked, simply, that
he knew nothing about the practices.
DID NOT CARE TO GIVE AN OPINION.
Mr.. Andrew asked if witness held that il q
government employee paid money for CAM
paign purposes to another employe there was
no violation of the law
The Secretary replied that he did not care to
give an opinion. The Baltimore case involved
primary election for the revision of a con-
stitution. He had not given the subject much
attention, but he had in this case confined him.
self to a reprimsnd because the election re-
iated5to primary meeting Mr.. Andrew asked
II primary meeting was not political meet
ing.
The Secretary replied that he was not
present to be criticised; he had given his
answer once.
Chairman Andrew declared that it was of
Importance to learn what view the heads OF de-
partments here took Of the law. In this Balti-
more case 1t had not been recognized that the
law had been violated.
Secretary Foster replied that he had admit
ted that the men had committed acts in viola
ton Of the law.
Mr.. Andrew remarked that he had misunder-
stood the Secretary.
The Secretary replied that he had told him
that be had caused these people to be repri-
manded. As already stated by him, account
had been taken OF the good services of Ray
and OF the fact that Fensley had not inten-
nonally violated the law.
THE CASES OF HoRNER AND REED.
Mr.. Boatner then turned attention to the
cases OF Horner and Reed and commented upon
their lax notions Of political economy.
The Secretary said he believed they told the
exact truth in the case.
Mr.. Boatner asked whether il was consistent
with the public good that such men should be
retained in the public service
The Secretary, with some impatience, replied
that he had already given an answer to that
question.
Mr. Boatner declared that he had not an.
swered the question so far as he Boatner) had
heard II was highly desirable that the de-
Partmental view Of the subject should be
known.
The Secretary said that the attention of the
collector had been called to the cases, and his
opinion would be taken az to whether the men
should be retained in the government service.
Ihls did not satisfy Boatner, and he pressed
the Secretary still further As to his opinion in
the case: but the Secretary parted the ques-
ton with the remark that he was modest
about expressing his opinions. Still
Mr.. Boatner returned pertinaciously to the
subject, and finally Secretary Foster said that
no ono could lay down an ironciad rule for
every case. He had not noticed the testimony
IN TINS city until the committee had called
his attention to it. 1t seemed to him that
Mr.; Roosevelt was very thorough man He
had gone through this case and called the COL
lector's attention to it. He (witness) did not
think 1t was necessary for him to do anything
further.
S1VEH HEARD OF 1T BEFORE.
Mr.. Boatner called attention to the fact that
the case was year old.
The Secretary replied that he had never
heard Of it until this morning.
Mr.. boatner remarked that the public press
had been full of it. Now, the witness was |
member OF the cabinet, and the object of the in
vestigation was to ascertain whether the law had
been executed. and il not, then why not 1t was |
matter Of importance to ascertain what view |
the heads Of departments took of the law.
II the law was insufficient to prevent aud cor
rect such practices were described by Reed |
aud Horner then it might be necessary to |
amend it,
Therefore the question that he had asked |
the Secre.ary-that was, whether the collector
should dismiss these men upon their con-
fessions that they had committed the acts |
charged.
The Secretary, however. was still on his
guard and replied &c the long query briefly, |
that he should want to investigate the subject
further.
GREAT RESPECT FOR THEIR OPINIONS
But" persisted Mr.. Boatner, suppose we
take the statements of the report to be trre2"
''WelI," said the Secretary, IF true such &C
ton should be taken as the civil service COM
missioners have recommended, as we have in
the other two cases. (meaning Roy and
Fensley).
Il have great respect for their opinions