The times., 1897-07-07
Mr. Robert E. L. Whites Expert
ence as a Nominee.
INSULT ADDED TO INJURY
Did Not Seek the Nomination, but
1t Was Urged Upon Him by Proini-
nent Singular iteticence
of the Commissioners, Senator Me-
MILAN and the Attorney General.

| BrlghtTOod, ID, C., upon the lndorSencnt
of citizens there, irrespective of party,
accused 10y u man he had seen but once,
shadowed 10y detectives at the behest nf
the Administration which had thus ho'i-
oerd Silver democrat, and lastly with
drawn from nomination without chance
TO defend himself all this, in nut
shell fOribs the experience which Mr.
Robert + L. White, of Erightwood, ID.
C., Is undergone at the hands of Presi-
dent Mckinley.
Mr.. White was strongly indorsed for
the position by DR.. Charles q. Stone, Mr
Matthew e. Emery, Mr.. Louis z. Shoe
maker, Mr.. Thomas Blagden, Mr.. G. A.
| Kuhn, and Mr.. Theodore Lay, themselves
being among the principal residents OF
| Brightwood, and OF various poliu ralths
Alter the President withdrew the noni'
nation, Mr.. White learned, on the best
authority, that the District Commission
| cfS at the time the nomination was pend
| ing in the Senate, had caused detectives
| To SHADOW the nominee, for the pur-
pose of obtaining information in regard
10 his anteCedents. This was Tor the
use, it is said, of the Senate District
Committee and the Department of Justice.
In view of these Developments a Times
reporter called upon MIR. White yester-
| day. he was busily engaged in his Of
! flee at the Webster Law Building, ana in
formed the reporter that he did not wish
! to say much, at present, In regard 10 the
affair. He attributed the withdrawal Of
| hia name to the charge filed with Senator
Gear by Mr.. Thomas J. Staley, who was
at one time the proprietor OF flour mill
| at Leesburg, Va, and is now a real estate
| dealer of tliis city. Mr.. Staley wrote
q letter 10 Senator Gear, making severe
| charges against the character of the can
dIdate, also denouncing The political opin-
ion held by MI. White. Mr.. White, in
| speaking of it, said:
Il do not want to pose as a martyr, as
] Gid not seel- the nomination. l Won't
4 say anything about the charges made Gy
| Mr.. Staley, other than that they are en-
/ tireiy untrue. l did not seek the n0niin1-
tion, as 1 was Democrat, and being IL
Bryan Democrat, well knew tina it would
be futile for me to do SO, l rather els
couraged my friends from saying anything
i'll my behalf on that account.
Mr.. Emery, who is a Republican. urged
me not to withdraw, and a he was we'll
known Republican, L decided TO allow Iny
| name 10 be sent out, being assured tnat
there would be no politics III the ap-
pointment.
81 was surprised, however, TO see the
| President send my name in, and equally
at loss TO see 1t withdrawn
1T seems that Mr.. Staley wishes 70 be
q justice of the peace himself He wants
| to fill the position vacated by the death OF
| Judge Harper He did not understand that
| there was Bright wood justiceship to fill,
| end when my name was sent in he was
apparently afraid 1 would take the job
he was after, which was certainly not my
| wish and not the case. i shall not make
| q fight for denomination l am perfectly
| satisfied to let the matter rest where
it is.
Mr.. Staley has now retracted what he
wrote Senator Gear in regard to my char
| acter, after he has learned that his own
safety would not he endangered, but not
| until after the harm had been done. Every
| proper; v-holder at Brightwood was on the
petition for my appointment, and as yet
there has been no opposition to my
| nomination.
When asked IL he had any knowledge OF
his having been shadowed by detectives,
Mr.. White said that he did not personally
know that he had been, but he had been
| Informed TO that effect
The reporter next went to the District
building in the hope of obtaining sorue in
formation on the subject from the Com
nissioneFs, but was only partially success
full. Mr. Wight admitted that the Commis-
| gioranrS had a
Senator Mcmillan, chairman of the Senate
District Committee, asking for information
in regard TO Mt Whites anteeedents and
| bis present standing, but would neither show
| the letter nor state what steps had been
| taken to furnish the desired Information
Did the Commissioners cause Mr. White
TO lie shadowed by detectives?'' he was
asked.
That can't answer. The letter was
semitic MI Ross and you should see him
about the matter
But do you think it is the right thing
to do-to shadow candidate for public
| office with detectivcs?'
When information is desired officially
as to the standing of u candidate for office
| every honorable means should be employed
for the purpose of obtaining that inforna-
ton The detective bureau is an honorable
means. As far as l am concerned, person
ally, would much rather have trained
detective shadow me than have anyone
| else do it. A detective would be more
| systematic in his work and less liable
| TO be influenced by trifles in making his
report.
| We should have good men to serve the
| people. / do not say this with any idea
| of intinating any inability on the part
| OF Mr. White, or with any especial refer
| enee as tn what his character maybe do
| not know hini-therefore, cannot speakfrom
personal knowledge, but, as general
principle, it should be laid down that good
men should be the peoples servants. Their
antecedents should be looked up. and bv
| detectives if necessary. II their record
is clean, and they are able men, no OBJ
| lection should be made by the candidate
| himself.'
| Not long ago we had before us an
| applicant for place who was indorsed ty
] at least five hundred persons Later de-
| velopinents showed that he was In the
| habit Of getting drunk twice week, and
that he had attempted to cutra ee a little
| girl on the streets. Do you think such d
| man should have been given a place? Not
so, evenif he had the best Of Endorsements
Men whofndorse the names of other men
! very often DO so as a personal favor more
than anything else, and very often in
| ignorance OF the life or attachments of the
| men they ndorse."
| "In regard TO the communication re.
| ceived by Mr.. Ross, ii has not been brought
1 before the commissioners at n raouIar