The Red Cloud chief., 1892-05-13
THE RULES.

Secretary Foster Tcstiies Before the 1so~so
Committee ON Civli-Servlce Reform
Com,utsstUuxr iRoSseselt Severe ON the
Condsrt Of the Dsitimore Post once Of
/. wAsArNaroN, May A--Thehcusc com.
mite. on civil service reform ycster-
day rssmmed~the investigation into the
conduct Of certain employees in the civil
service mt Baltimore.
SSeetctary F,pstcr was the first wit
pcAe lie had hcard Of the charge made
by Commissioners Roosevelt against "
men connected with the customs service
In baltimore Of collecting money for
political purposes. They had been
rcprhnanded by. the commissioners and
he wns inclined to think this punish
ment sufficient, but finally said he
should very much doubt II II was con-
sistcnt with the good Of the service to
keep such men In office, but he should
want To know all. the facts before TAX
ing action.
Commissioner Roosevelt was then n
amined. He said he had made an tx
animation Of the workings Of the Balti-
more post Office and custom house and
recommended the removal Of twenty
ono employees for violation Of the civil
service law, but 10 action had been
takcBc-Ae said II was absolutely impos-
siblcW ~ sh&s conclusions, for they
were basc0S ~ NQffessions of the nc
cused persons GaAtthe Ssry time tho
events took Rearing ON the
statement Of pstmastef a6em15Sl
that It is not - the coHmls1)en
to make any Dptho1o ut . de-
partment, Mr.. H6S6SSA i6r61D led two
letters from Mr.. Wanar1006e4 sAApg the
commission to make just SUD sxamina-
tions and report to him. M. R~0opevelt
quoted from tho testimony Of Mr.. Wan.
amakor when In speaking Ut the accused
men he psaid. ."Whsn they declare 70
the postofice inspector that they have
not made asaoh Statements and they do
that under threats, you are not bound
to take their statementA" ut.f o.
1T seems to me-" said Mr.. Roosevelt,
'"that II In n privatc business an inves-
tigation into one Of its branches should
dincloss TINT twenty-one men were
cheating, the men being caught red
handed and confcssing their guilt, 10
would DO very 'unwise 3 accept the
| oaths Of these same men, ak montha
liter, that they were incorrect and that
they had lied when they made Their
confessions" sr SID. 81
''rhc amount OF II IL that all these
men IRE plainly guilty, upon their own
confession; that they have made this
confession In terms which II Is impossi-
bic to misunderstood and m equally
impossible 70 retract; That nothing they
have said sincs or can say In the future
can In any way explain away this on
fession and that their subsequent con-
duct a. implied In the report Of tho
post Office inspectors simply shows that
they arc not entitled 10 u particle OF
grace or consideration. I fall to SEQ
how there can be o particle Of doubt OF
these mems guilt after reading the evil
dcncc, ind II these men arc not guilty
then II Ii absolutely impossible that
men ever q be guilty under the civil
service law; and II they have not de-
served punishment thcn II IL ~impossible
that q man can do anything In violation
Of that law which will deserve. punish
ment. This Is not the time TO consider
whether the law II wise or not. 1t Il
ON tho statute book and I am appointed
To see that Il II enforced and ! have
1lslmply done my duty In pointing out It's
violation and In recommending the pun
ishment Of n WrOu0-dOers.".