New-York tribune., 1901-11-21
ELLIS ISLAND REFORMS.
rr1IEF THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL
REMOVE COMMISSIONERS FITCHIE-
CHARGES AGAINST MSWEENEY.
rgY TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1BUSEl

IBY TELEGRAPH THE rRIBUNEl
Washington, Nov. 20.-Collector BidweITs sue
essor having been selected. the belief is spread
,,o that it is now President Roosevelt's inten-
Am soon 10 remove Thomas Fitchie, Commis-
s.oner Of immigration at the Port Of New
york There is also likelihood that Edward
McSweeney will be called Upon to disprove
,barees which have been filed against him at
.,e White House. His office is in the classified
s.yyice and under present conditions his
ueyai could only be caused by zproof of mis-
,,duct established under Civil Service regula-
aims The careers Of Fitchie and McSweeney
IN office have been fruitful of official squabbles
and scandals. 1t has long been predicted that
q thorough overhauling of the New York immt-
e-ant station to be effected. After the dis
ensures made by the report of Messrs Camp
he'll and Rodgers, which was unofficialy pub
r;sbed in July. 1900. it was thought that vigor-
ous action would be taken to check the abuses
alleged TO be practsed at the Barge Office then
used as an immigrant station while the new
Ellis Island building was in course of construc
tion Charges Of bribery, brutality and incom-
petence were made against twelve employees.
The voluminous report, Of over two hundred
tyrewrtten pages. was submitted to T V. Pow
d.rly to H A Taylor. one of the assistant
secretaries Of the Treasury. and to Secretary
Gage. With all the evidence gathered by the
srecal Investigating committee the report was
given to the Solicitor Of the Treasury to be di-
gested. Solicitor O'Connell recommended that
one man. whom the Campbei-Rodgers commit
,se had cleared lrom suspicion Of misconduct.
be discharged. and that eleven others who were
charged with serious offences be exonerated.
Ncsweeney was mentioned among the employees
xho were charged with irregularities.
T V. Powderly, who exercised great zeal to
- l.l
;ncensed when he learned that the alleged Of
tenders were to be retained in office He made
nrotest TO Secretary Gage, who agreed that if
+,s commissioner general were not satisfied with
the solicitors action another investigation
might be instituted by the immigration Bureau
Mr PoWderly was Instructed to make any
charges he could If they were well grounded
and specific and McSweeney would be called
upon to answer them satisfactorily within three
days, according to the regulations
oUARRELS IN THE SERVICE
Charges were brought and were answered by
ucsweenev His answer was received by the
commissioner general, who took it upon himself
,o rrle the answer unsatisfactory and discharge
the assistant commissioner in Secretary Cages
absence from the department. When Mr. Gage
learned of Mr.. Powderly's premature action he
ordered the commissioner to recover the letter
announcing McSweeney's dismissal, which, it
seems had already been posted The mlsslVe
was obtained from the Treasury mail, and then
Mr. Gage proceeded TO reprimand his suoor-
dnate This occurrence was reported TO Fresl-
dent Mckinley Mr. Pewderly was alarmed for
q time lest he be asked to resign, and about TINS
reriod Mr. Gage is credited with saying that the
commissioner general or himself would have 10
-etire from office These differences were
matched up and more harmonious course mas
since been pursued by the commissioner general
Perhaps this was due TO the fact tha1 SecIe.aay
Gage literally took jurisdiction Of immigration
matters out OF the hands Of Assistant Secretary
Tavlor under whose supervision those malters
nroneriv came Bitter feeling has existed since
The publication Of the Barge once report OF
1900 between Mr. Taylor and Mr. PoWoerly-
II is said that Secretary Gage assumed the au-
-n;njst-arfon or Immigration affairs IN the hope
of harnonizng the service. This actlon annoyed
Assistant Secretary Taylor, and did not recon
Gle Mr.. Powderly and the ASSISTANT SecLeta $500 - ,,