The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-14
MIR. Hcnth's DuaI Role.

When Mr. Perry 5. Heath accepted the
managing editorship OF the Hanna Literary
Bureau. he must have realized that he
would evidently come in contact with trou-
BILE, but he probably did not expect that il
would develop so early in the game. Besides
he evidently entertained the cheerfully op-
timstice notion that his difficulties would
not be so serious that they could not
be overcome by ready application OF fc-
tion as a substitute or an sntidote for
inharmonious and unwholesome facts Mr.
Heath surely did not anticipate that he
would 50 early be plunged into water
more than comfortably hot, and his an
tics, now that he has been figuratively tum-
bled into the boiling liquid are somewhat
ludicrous
Mr.. Heath is not the first Hannaite who
has ignored the Civil Service law in we'd
ding partisan activity TO public duty. This
! has heretofore been such regular course
OF Republican procedure that the First
Assistant Postmaster General evidently
failed to consider it as having any legiti-
mate bearing upon the consistency or pro-
/ priety or legality OF his conduct as a pub
/ lie officer. And when the opposition TO
/ Mr.. Hesth's ready acceptance of a literary
1 commission under Mark the Boss crys-
! tailized into a threat TO invoke the Ciyil
Service law against his filling the dual role
of Assistant Postmaster General and man
J ager of the Hanna Literary Bureau, Mr.
Heath apparently failed to realize that
2 k.fv I'd
By hot water Is to get out OF ii with the
utmost alacrity.
1t was then that he resorted to the
subterfuge which has made him an inter-
esting II not a decidedly amusing, spec
tacle. With all seriousness, he adopts the
gubterfuge OF a political Jekyll-Hyde stu
pidly declining to accept in its fun meaning
the gentle hint OF those in the topnotch of
authority. who realized the serious breach
OF public Faith that might result If Mr..
Heath We're to continue presiding at the
stamp counter in the daytime and devote
himself to the preparation of Mr. Hauna's
tracts after the shades OF evening had
commenced 10 fall For Mr. Heath. with
ostentatious and nettled sincerity, pro-
ceeded TO answer his cities by drawing
a fine lire Of distinction between his pub
lie personality and his private indiyid-
uality
In 50 many words. he caused it 20 be I'M
dersiood that the Mr.. Heath who was to
be found in the responsible position of
First Assistant Postmaster General during
business hours, could in no way De recog-
nized as the p s. Heath. citizen and faith
full partisan Of the Hanna political syndi-
cate. who was willing TO devote his liter
AIRY ingenuity 10 the dissemination OF
political fiction after the Postoffce Depart
ment had closed its doors to official bust |
ness for the nay. In other words, there |
are two Mr.. Heaths. one DR.. Jekyll Heath. |
who is supposed to fill responsible sta
ton in the branch Of the Government de- |
voted 20 the management of the mails. and |
a Mr. Hyde Heath, who draws no salary
from the public purse and has a right to
devote himself 10 whatsoever he viii. be
It running a peanut stand or errands for
the Ohio dictator.
Mr.. Heath thus shows mis- superficial in
genuity, kind, however, that may be OF
great service to Mr.. Hanna in the cam
paign Of the near future Mr.. Heath is,
doubtless chuckling without restraint over
the clever coneeit that First Assistant
Postmaster General Heath is an absolute
stranger TO Mr.. Perry 6. Heath and his
friends. He. doubtless. forgets that on the
same theory the officials Of the United
States cease to exist when their Offices
close for the transaction of public matters,
and that the President is no exception