Arizona silver belt., 1902-04-10
ADDITIONAL EDITORIAL.
EVANS SACRIFICED,

Ine iorce0 feSlgnauOn or II, Clay Evans, commissioner of pensions, is not only djscreditable to the leaders in the Grand Army who have persist. ently urged his retirement, but reflects severely upon President Roosevelt, who, for reasons of political expedi- ence, has consented to the dsplace- ment of one of the most competent and honorable officials in the public service,
 Censure on the same dimes is not wanting from republican sources. The Chicago Record Herald, an independ- enJ republican paper, that has warmly SupoprJsd the Roosevelt adminiStra. tiOn, in an editorial under the caption, Evans the Victim of a Political Game,h says: "There is bitter mock cry in the word resignation when it is applied 10 the retirement of II. Clay Evans from the otiioo of commissioner or pensions, Mir. Evans has taken great interest in his work, and it is certain that he must have desired to keep his place all the more because of the attacks that have been made upon him on account of his faithful Der. formance of his duties. Men of his temperament hate above all things to quit under fire. They will fight just as long as there Is a chance for them to win, even if it is only forlorn hope. In the present case the one indispensable thing was the supper. of the president, and it is painfully clear that it has been withdrawn for political reasons"
 Commissioner Evans has been under fire for nearly four years, and after two investigations of his bureau by committees of the Grand Army, when every facility was given them to make thorough examinations, no evidence of his alleged injustice to the old soldier, worthy of consideration, was discovered.
 The last Grand Army committee to investigate Mr. Evans bureau includ. ed Commander in Chief Eli Torrance, Black of Illinois, Carnahan of Indiana. Burton or Missouri, Linchan of New Hampshire, Taintur of Connecticut, Upham of Wisconsin and Beath of Pennsy lvania. Although nothiugwas discovered upon which to base charges, yet the committee took the ground that applications fnr increases of pea siuns should be granted, apparently whether meritorious or not. The com missioner on his part contended that had increases been granted to all applicants of only two dollars each per month, the increase of pension expenditures would have amounted to $l,5OO,OOO A recent Washington, D. c. special to that hide bound republican paper, the St Louis Globe Democrat, reveals the reason which led the president to compromise with his conscience. I; says: 'Irr, spective of the merits or dsmerits Uf the administration Of Mr. Evans trust, it was pointed out to the president that a change in the head of the pensions bureau was desirable from tho standpoint of political ex- pediency. The president, 30 the report goes, has been told that he can not hope to have the delegations of certain strong Grand Army states at the next republican national convention unless ! he acts iu the case Of Evans. Perhaps ! the fact that similar representations 1 were made by number of prominent l republican senators, afier they had consulted with Mr. Evans, had more | weight with the president. A seemingly reliable authority states that the report of the committee was made known to the president on the l date already given February 27) and | that the president after learning it's 1 contents, returned it to the committee | and asked them to retain t in their possession for a few weeks, as he | believed he could effect a cha1ge in | the office of commissioner shortly. lt | was then thought there would be one | or more vacancies in the diplomatic | service, one of which would be found acceptable to Mr. Evans"
 And now the president would at tempt to hide his bad faith to Com ! missioner Evans, and avert public | criticism by deferring the acceptance ] of his resignation and by making loud | promises of giving Mir, Evans "some- | thing better" If Mr. Evans is the man of character that we assume he | is, he will demand the acceptance of l hS resignation, and refuse to be any longer identified with an administra- ton that makes competence and integrity in a public servant secondary to political expediency.
 
 Irg rn xuifh imnnrp |