Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-14
O'ROURKE'S OFFICE
Was His Dismissal Resentment
Against Senator Smith2
Els COURSE DURING THE TARIFF FIGHT
Many Applications for the Super
vising Architects Position.
NO SUCCESSOR LIKELY YET

NO SUCCESSOR LIKELY YET
The removal Of Mr.. O'Rourke from the
position of supervising architect Of the
treasury has been very widely commented
upon as an act Of resentment on the part
of the administration against Senator
Smith. at whose suggestion Mr.. O'Rourke
was appointed. This inference comes from
the natural supposition that Mr.. Cleveland
feels resentment against Senator Smith on
account of the Jersey mans conduct in
relation to the tariff bill in the Senate.
1t is a curious fact. however, that, while
the members of the Senate and the public
generally understood that Mr.. Smith was
doing all in his power to defeat the Wilson
bill and antagonize the administration to
the utmost, Mr.. Cleveland has never be-
lfeved that to be SO, and has steadily per-
sisted in regarding Mr.. Smith as one Of
the loyal and devoted supporters Of the
administration in the tariff fight. From
first to last Mr.. Cleveland has been utterly
deceived as to Mr.. Smiths attitude.
How Cleveland Did Regard Smith.
He does not count him as among the men
in the Senate who were guilty of ''perfidy
and dishonor." Mr.Smith was able through
out the fight to maintain pleasant relations
with the administration. and was a frequent
and favored visitor at the White House at
the time when he was making the most
subtle and effective fight against the Will
sc n bill. 1t was known at the White House,
of course, that he violently opposed the in
come tax, and that he desired higher duties
on certain manufactured articles than the
Wilson bill provided. but Mr.. Cleveland
could never be brought to believe that the
New Jersey Senator was not heartily in
sympathy with him in his demands for free
and he believed that Mr. Smith was willing
to make very considerable personal sacri-
flee in the interest Of the administration.
Reliance ON the New Jersey senator.
In fact, Mr.. Cleveland placed great reli-
ance upon the supposed efforts of the New
Jersey Senator TO overcome the influence Of
the Gorman-Brice combination to force the
acceptance Of the Senate bill as 1t finally
wss accepted. Smith was regarded at the
White House as a mediator, and il was be-
leved that his influence was being exer-
cised IN behalf of the administration. 1t
was impossible for any one to convince Mr..
Cleveland to the contrary. and the conf
dence which he mA&ntafned almost to the
last that what he desired would be accom-
plished was based largely upon his faith in
Smiths ability to bring about a satisfac-
tory compromise. 1t is said that Mr.. Cleve-
land and other members of the administra-
tion who were particularly interested in the
fight still adhere to this belief, and II is,
therefore, entirely improbable that the dis
missal Of ORourke was an act of resent
ment.
The Opinion Of Others.
1t Is regarded BY Mr.. Smiths colleagues
and others familiar with the situation as
one OF the most absurd and laughable
things In connection with the tariff contest
that the administration should be so COM
pletely deceived and SO stubbornly blind as
to Mr.. Smiths real attitude, which was
known to nearly every one else and widely
and perSisteptly discussed. II Cleveland
has any resentment against Smith IL has
been developed but recently.
Applications for the Place.
The impression prevails at the Treasury
Department that Secretary Carlisle will not
fill the vacancy in the office Of the supervis-
irg architect caused by the enforced retire.
ment of jeremiah O'Rourke of New Jersey
for two or three weeks He has not yet had
time to give the matter the attention de-
manded by its Importance, and 1t is the
purest speculation to say that he is commit
ted to the selection Of anybody. He desires
to get the best man he can, and naturally
requires time to look over the field There
is no lack of available material. and several
architects have already offered their sery-
ices to the Secretary. The following Is a
list Of those whose applications for this
appointment are on file at the Treasury De-
partment: ID. Il. Woodruff of Macon Ga:
John j. kouhn of Chicago, ILL.,; Henry VOL
ters OF Louisville. KY; Josiah S. Briean of
Denver, Col; Alexander Blair of Macon
Ga; Z. Z. Myers of Detroit, Mich; ID. Hen
ming Gorsuch Of Washington, ID. c.; Z. NJ
Wheeiwright Of Boston, Mass. and c. J. +.
These are not all individual applications.
some or them having been made by friends
Mr. Glenn Brown of this city also had an
application on file for this appointment. but
Withdrew II yesterday after the office be-
came vacant. Mr.. Kemper of Virginia, the
present chief clerk of the office, who is now
acting as supervising architect. is also men
toned as candidate. but. as he is not an
architect, 1t is not thought that he has
any chance of appointment. Ii is not true
that Secretary Carlisle is pledged to the ap-
pointment of the candidate from his state
Mr.. Wolters. Mr.. Don S. Dickinson of
Michigan is said to have urged the ap-
pointment Of Mr.. Myers OF Detroit.
Although Secretary Carlisle did not take
the papers of the candidates to Gray
Gables, there Is no doubt that ne will con-
suit the President in regard to the APPOINT
ment, especially as 1t Is his purpose to re-
organize the office by separating the tech
nical and scientific branches of the work
from the purely administrative branches.
name appears in the list of candidates. is
the city architect of Boston, and is said to
have the Endorsement of the American In
stitute of Architects.
Preparing a Statement.
Mr.. O'Rourke has gone to his home in
Newark, N. j.. to resume the practice of
his profession. BEFORE leaving here he ad-
mitted that he was preparing a statement
Of his case for publication, and said he ex-
pected to finish 1t in short time. He was
rather bitter in his remarks about Logan
Carlisle. the Secretarys son, who is chief
clerk Of the department. and holds him
mainly responsible for the friction between
himself and Secretary Carlisle that resulted
In his retirement from the public service
He said that when he took the place the
Secretary promised him that he should
have entire control of the affairs of the Of
flee, but the promise was not kept. He soon
discovered, he said, that Logan, the Secre-
tary's son. really controlled all the ap-
pointments in the Office, that he had no in
auence in the selection Of his own subord,-
nates. and that he was. on this account, un-
able to maintain an efficient force He said
he would publish his letter Of resignation
and all the facts in the case for his own
vindication.