Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-28
DISMISSAL OF DAW SON
INDUCED in Disrespectful Criticism of the
President.
AIoIogized, but Regretted It-Secre-
tary Root Consulted Gen. Miles
and the Ak Fell.

Secretary Root has dismissed MOL z.
Dawson 1920 clerk in the office of Ma
jOr General Miles, headquarters of the
army, for severe and uncalled-for criticisms
of the President of the United States.
Mr.. Dawson is a native Of Iowa, and is
one of the oldest employees in the service of
the government
He is an expert stenographer and n man
OF excellent education. During his long
official career he has held many important
and responsible positions and held conf
dental relations with President Grant, As
scciate Justice Miller of the Supreme Court.
Senator Allison, Director General Davis of
the worlds Columbian exposition, and
more recently with Maj. Gen. Miles.
For many months past he has acted as
confidential secretary to Gen. Miles, and ac-
Companied that officer on his tour of the
continent of Europe during the Graeco-
Turkish war. He has been acting rather
strangely during the last few months and
recently got into a controversy with the
Postmaster General in regard to the postal
service in Porto Rico, where he accom-
panied Gen. Miles during the Spanish war.
Disrespect Toward the President.
In a letter to the Postmaster General
criticising the Porto Rican postal service,
Mr. Dawson referred rather fiippantly to
President Mckinley. as follows:
administration gets back from its swing
around campaign, having shown the bu-
collie voter that it was Mckinley who
caused the bOuntiful crops to grow, Salted
the KlOndike with q wealth of golden mug
gets and furnished employment On the
Philippines to our unoccupied needy, you
will. undaunted by the specter SO apuy
limned by the autumnal poet in his lumin-
Gus phrase. The Dewey-skirted clouds i'm
bibe the SUM- again tackle the colonial
postage matter
Called Upon to Explain.
A copy of this letter was furnished to
the Secretary of War with the result that
Mr.. Dawson was called upon for an eXpla-
natIon He acknowledged the authorship
OF the letter. and said that he expected to
be shown no quarter for his conduct. Dur
ing the Obsence of Gen. Miles in the west
Mr. Dawson wrote a letter to the Score
tary of War. in which he said:
THE distressing situation at home, added
to my own indsposition, disqualifies, and
the Importance of the work to be done for
General Miles in his absence prohibits me
from undertaking to enumerate the over
mastering provocations which led to my
injecting improper comments. borrowed
almost entirely from the current press, in
TO my official communications to the Post
master General.
I therefore sorrowfuny admit my fault
throw myself on your mercy, and plead eX-
character, of which permit me to mention
Just one. The fact that three of my four
sons as result of the Spanish war, have
been from first To last at the point of
death, causing me great care. mental an
guiSh and expense, one OF them being now
very i'll in relapse after We had thought
him fully recovered. This makes four long,
dreadful -sieges of the Cuban fever in my
family; and four of us were down there to
help give liberty to Cuba and sustain the
honor Of our country.
Regretted His Apology.
Subsequently, Mr.. Dawson privately ex-
pressed regret at having written what he
described as his ''pustlanimous apology"
He says he is a republican in politics, but
that he is opposed to the Philippine policy
Of the administration. which he regarded
as inconsistent with the principles enun-
ciated in the Declaration of Independence.
Secretary Root felt that Mr.. Dawson was
not fit person for the government service,
and he determined upon his dismissal, but
postponed action in the matter until he had
an opportunity of comforting with General
Miles. The latter returned to the city Sun
day night. His views on the subject may
be fairly inferred from the fact that the
order for the dismissal of DR. Dawson was
signed by the Secretary yesterday to take
eff at