The Portland daily press., 1894-05-31
STRIKES BACK VIGOROUSLY.
Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt
Replies to Congressional Asser-
tiOns.

Denounces Many Statements as Utterly
False-The Law Treats All With Equal
Impartiality.
Civil Service Com Missioner Roosevelt
is getting back at the congressman who
abused his commission in the House last
week. He has written letter to Chair
man De Forest of the committee on re-
form in the civil service, in which he re-
plies to attacks on the commission made
by Congressman Pendleton of West Vir-
ginia, Enloe of Tennessee and Stockdale
and Williams of Mississippi during the
recent debate in the House. Mr.. Pendle-
ton is quoted as saying that the COM
mission is SO organized that on'y the
members of one political party have an OPP
portunity of standing a fair examination,
and Mr.. Enloe, in the same connection,
that he understood that nearly all the
clerical force connected with the COM
mission are Repu blicans, and that they
mark the papers and pass upon the ex-
animation of candidates.
Mr.. Roosevelt denounces the charges
in these statements as unqualifiedly I'M
true. and challenges the production of
a particle of proof IN their support. He
says: II suggest that the committee
hold an investigation as to the proof of
this particular charge, and shall be
delig hted to have only Democratic mem
bers take part in the investigation on
this particular point, and suggest that
you call before you only the Democratic
president of the commission and the
Democratic subordinates of the COM
mission.
OF the male clerks and examiners at
present with the commission, including
both the commissions own force and
the detailed force, twelve are Democrats,
sixteen are Repu blicans, two independ-
ents, three prohibitionists and one popu-
list.
MIR. Roosevelt points out that the
commission is powerless to determine
the political complexion of the examin-
ing board, as most of it's exmainers are
detailed to it from the departments.
AS mater of fact he says, sin not
one single instance has the commission
or it's board of examiners ever discrimi-
mated for or against an eligible because
of his political or religious opinions or
affiliations, and any'statement to the con-
trary is deli berate and wilIful untruth.
He says he would like to meet the
committee and any member of Congress
making the accusations, and challenges
the production Of proof in the charges
made in the H ouse last week. Commits
sioner Roosevelt denounces as "wholly
and absolutely untrue the statement at
tributed 60 Mr.. Stockdale, that the law
for apportioning empoyes among the
several states and territories according
to population is being violated, and
tha the mi to 10
violation. He challenges Mr.. Stockdale
to appear before the civil service COM
mittee, face to face with the commiss-
toner's, and prove his assertions. aft, ''Mr.
Roosevelt says. "he had listened to the
speech of Congressman Grain of Texas
or to that of Congressman De Forest of
Connecticut, he would have been saved
from making assertions for which there
is not particle of foundation in fact
Congressman Williams of Mississippi
attacked the commission in substance,
because under the commission white
men and men of color are treated with ex-
act impartiality. AS to this Mr.. Roose-
welt says the commission does equal and
exact Justice to all; that it will not make
and SO far as it lies in it's power will re-
fuse to allow others to make, any dis
elimination whatever on account of color
any more than because of politics and
religion. Concluding, he says:
Under the last administration it was
made reproach to US that we did full
and entire justice to the southern
Democrats, and that through our exami-
nations many hundreds of them entered
the classified service. although under
Republican administration Exactly
in the same way it is now made a re-
proach to us that under our examinations
honest and capable colored men are
given an even chance with honest and
capable white men. I esteem this re-
proach high compliment to the com
mission, for it is an admission that the
commission has rigidly done it's duty as
required by law, without regard to poll
tics or religion, and without regard to
color"