Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-25
HELD PERSONALLY REsroNsIBLH.
Mr. Roosevelt Letter TO the Possu,aste
General.
DEVELOPMENTS II TINE CIVIL SERVICE fSvRsfI-
CATION ToDAY "A LErrEn WHICH THn POST
HAsTKR GENERAL DID NOT ASswsa-soAs n
RHArIc WORDS.

Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt this
morning appeared before the House committee
on reform In the civil service and had some
thing to say with reference 10 the statements Of
Postmaster General Wanamaker o. to tbs Balti-
more post Office matter.
Mr.. Roosevelt said that on May Is be sent
to the Postmaster General. by registered mail.
letter in which he said after quoting express
saons from the postofice Inspector report:
These are reflections not only on my actions.
but also on my motives. There Is no need Of
commenting on their gross impertinence and
improperly, used as they are by the subordi-
mates Of one department in reference to one of
the heads OF another. who il. like yourself, re-
sponsible to the President only.
But have nothing to do with these sub
ordinates. 1t is with you. the Official head. re-
sponsible for their action. that I have to deal.
BY submitting this report. without expressly
,liscl.iminG any personal responsibility
for 1t. you seem to assume
that responsibility and make It yOuI
intention, but shall be obliged 10 treat these
statements which in any way reflect upon my
acts and motives AZ yours. unless you dis
avow them with the same publicity with
which they were made TO the
committee. therefore respectfully ask
avowal, SO that ] may govern myself accord
ingly and not be guilty Of any injustice"
40 ANSWER RECEIVED.
Mr.. Roosevelt said he had received no answer
and was therefore reluctantly obliged to assume
ments his own
Il have never" said Mr.. Roosevelt. sheltered
myself Behind my subordinate. and decline
70 allow the Postmaster General 10 shelter him.
self behind his. The statements above quoted
in my letter are slanderous fslsehoods. have
nothing TO do with the inspectors and the
Baltimore postmaster. 1 have to dea
only with the Postmaster General, the responsi.
BILE head OF there men. and refuse TO allow
him to shift the responsibility upon his sub
ordinates, whose actions had. and could
have had, no effect whatsoever save IN
so far a. he explicitly or impliedly
made them his own. II the Postmaster
General takes exception to any of the statement,
l have made, or am now about to make, shaN
be delighted to meet him before the committee
and viii guarantee to make my statement.
good"
TIE INSPECTORS INvEsT1aArIOH.
Mr.. Roosevelt said that this investigation b,
the Post Office Department had been made with
the deliberate intention Of shielding the &C
cused, covering up their wrong doings ant
tempting them TO perjure themselves. So tho,
the Office could be cleared from the effect Of
their truthful confessions, it would have beer
managed precisely as it actually was managed
The statement OF the Postmaster General thai
he must be governed by the reports Of hi
subordinate officers in these cases seemed u
him an extraordinary proposition. In case o
the importance Of this one. where the reports VI
bis subordinates aud of the civil service com
mission were in direct conflict, he could
not understand how the Postmaster Genera
could fail to see that il was his duty PERSONAL,
TO investigate the matter, at least TO the extern
Of reading the evidence upon which the two
reports were based.
NOT POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS.
The committee voted to request the Post
master General to furnish written copy of thu
report he had said the assistant attorney gen.
eral had made verbally in which the law officei
held that contributions to primary elections
were not political contributions e. contem.
plated in the civil service law.