The evening times., 1899-01-04
BATTERIES TURNED ON
gHE NEW GOVERNOR
MACHINE DEMANDS ON ROOSEVELT
Radical ReppbFscans Insist That All
Democratic State OfficehoIders
Shall Be Removed.

Albany, n. Y, Jan. Alarmed at the
| prospect Of Gov. sRoosevelt's pursuing a
consistent course about the civil service
! and favoring law that will throw open
the doors to fair competition to all appli-
cants for appointive office, a movement
has been started by machine Republicans
/ to get the entire organization committed
on paper to the policy of ITO the victors
belong the spoils'
Letters have been sent to the chairmen Of
| the various Republican county committees
asking them to circulate a petition among
the county committees, and when complete
| TO forward the same to Gov. Roosevelt.
There are some evidences that the initia-
! tive to this has been taken at headquarters
/ but the letters are not on official paper OF
| the State committee, and are simply sign
! ed Charles w. Poole" The letters were
mailed on December 81.
| The petition the county committeeman
| are to sign points out that there are a
large number of Democrats holding office in
! this State, and urges that the matter be
| laid before Gov. Roosevelt to the end that
! they be removed and their places filled by
J Republicans.
quite by accident copies of the letter and
circular have been obtained by outside
parties and it does not require very in
! innate knowledge of Gov Roosevelts views
to warrant the prediction that the governor
will be compelled TO refuse TO sanction the
request OF the petitioners.
The object of this movement is. of
course, threefold:
10 nave clean sweep made of all Demo-
Gratis, no matter how efficient, who are now
holding Office in the service of the State.
10 prevent any amendment of the pres
ent civil service laws which would make
II more difficult for favoritism TO prevail in
. 40 IL tasr II 4
TO an honest administration of the merit
system.
To give Gov Roosevelt rebuke for
appointing Democrats and Independents TO
office.
Gov Roosevelt's record In this matter
is well known. In the legislature, as a
civil Service Commissioner at Washington
as police commissioner and as Assistant
( Secretary of the Navy, he has been con-
/ sistent civil service reformer and TO one
would be surprised if he took high grounds
In his forthcoming message to the legisla-
ture. An example of what he purposes do
ing as governor was furnished when he ap-
pointed Major Avery ID. Andrews Demo-
crat, TO be adjutant general.
There are in the state department here
many expert clerks who are Democrats,
and who have held their places for many
years because their services were inyalu-
aDle, because OF their experience and eX
pert knowledge. Al effort is being made
TO nave all these men thrown out
Frank White, corporation clerk of the
secretary Of states office. a man of repu-
tation and author. CT a work on corpora
ticns, has JUST been frozen out of Office
He a Democrat. The machine is now
endeavcring get rid OF another efficient
Democratic clerk. who is an expert and
valuable public serVant-Charles V. Hoop
er. Mr. Hooper is clerk of the land Of
flee, and his dischare would be positive
loss 70 the State, but he will have 10 go
unless Governor, Roosevelt puts his foot
down.
II is believed that the petition now be
ing circulated is prompted BY the work of
joint committee Of the legislature that
worked all summer under the pretense of
providing graded salaries for all State en-
ployes. This committee knows the poll
tics and salary OF every employe Of the
State. and is soon 10 make its report
AS an evidence of what comfort the Re
publican machine may expect from Gov.
ernor Roosevelt. il can be stated that he
has already signifed his intention of re-
appointing Silas W. Burt, of New York.
as a civil service commissioner Mr. Burt
is Democrat and an advanced civil ser
vice reformer. AT the same time it is said
that George p. Lord and Willard A. Cobb
will not be reappointed. because they as
sisted in taking the Starch" out Of the
civil service