The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-08
CARLISLE SCORED.
JUDGE FLEMING POURS HOT SHOT
AT THE SECRETARY.
Fleming Calls the Attention of Car
isle to Few Matters Which He
Deems Inconsistent with "a Great
Office.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 7.--Judge W. B
Fleming, who was removed from the po-
s.ticn as chief of the law and record di-
vision of the supervising architects office
treasury department on Wednesday last
today sent the following letter to Secre-
tary Carlisle:
''S.rOur government guarantees to
all its citizens the privilege of free
speech. so that every American mas
the natural right TO express IN pro-
per manner his political opinions. In
accepting Office, the citizen forfeiIs
neither MS civil nor his religions lib
erty. The civil service law was IN
tended not to destroy these rights, but
10 protect them, SO that the minor
officials should a least be as secure in
defending the creed and nominee of
his party as would sbe a cabinet Of
ficer in exercising the same inaiienaole
rights.
mo objection on your part to my
activity IN the campaign which has
Just closed was ever made known to :
me penang the campaign On the
contrary. L was informed that you
held to the view that you could not
consistently remove any man from
ONCE Tor exercising the same rights
which You yourself were exercising
My removal from ef7ice, the first init
nation CT which was -treee.ved from
the newspapers. while on the train
on nay return TO Washington from my
home, was, therefore, complete sur
prise TO me. No one knows better than
yourself the long friendship ! had
manifested 10 you, the interest l had
taken and the sacrifices of time and
OF money made by me in promoting
Weir ambitions. In view OF all the
facts. IL seems to me that L was at
least entitled TO some warning ana no
tice before being kicked out of Office
without even the opportunity OF de-
Ginning to resign.
I IN ri hot I
could not hold office under the admin
istr@t-on and at the same time exer-
else the rlgntS OF an American free
man. l would have promptly rendered
you my resignation a the opening of
this c2mDalgn.
''1nasmuch as other appointees of
the present administration, including
many IN your own department, have
been permitted to take an active part
against Mr.. Bryan in the campaign,
not only on the stump, but in the
work of organization, without rebuke
or removal, IL is evident that the
cause OF my offending lies not in my
actions but in my convictions. 1t fol-
lows. therefore, that you have used
your great office TO SuppresI freedom
OF thought and action and to punish
those who dare 10. differ from you-a
thing insupportable in free govern
ment-by terrorZing over the weak
and humble. For some abuse of pub
lie office which is public trust,
70. cannot out De nelC accountable
at the bar of public opinion as well
as by the verdict of history.
I'm conclusion, l can only say that
humble as / am l would rather be q
discharged employee of the trade, dis
charged for doing my duty as 1 see
it for my people, tnan to be secre-
tary of the treasury with a record of
self qualification. such as you have
made for yourself, staring me in the
face.
This much Of a protest l deem it
proper to make against your treacher-
Gus and tyrannous action.
VERY truly yours,
CIV r FLEMING