Delaware gazette and state journal., 1902-11-27
stafr Correspondence Of Philadelphia Ledger.

STAFF Correspondence OF Philadelphia Ledger.
Washington. Nov "a. The unfriendly
newspaper comments upon the admins
tration's recognition of the Addicks
faction in Delaware today provoked
the following reply from the White
House,
On his return to Washington, the Presi-
dent found that some. misrepresentation eS-
listed rs to the rearpointnent OF the United
States attorney for Delaware, and authorized
the following statement regarding 1T
Mr.Byrne was originally appointed United
States attorney for Delaware by President
Mckinley. President Roosevelt knew him
personally. In the opinion of ths President
he had rendered excellent seryice for the
public good in more than one direction,
and he had been a stHunCh supporter OF the
President when he ran for governor and
afterwards. he was reported by the De.
partment of Justice as a fit and competent
district attorney. and the President had en-
tire confidence IN his ability and integrity.
He accepted the nomination for Congress.
Other district attorneys and maIBhni5 had
| accepted such nominations without being
| requested to resign; but, in view OF the
fnetional fight in Delaware, the President
| thought that Mr.. Byrne should Tezign, which
he accordingly did. When the election vas
over, the President reapnoiGted him. with
] out having given him the slightest previous
| Indication that such was his intention. He
| would have been reappointed without regard
| to the circumstances under which he ran or
| tho faction with which he wRs allied.
While the Presidents statement Of
| his reasons for the reappointmen is,
| Of course, considered final, so far as
| MIR. Roosevelt is concerted, much sur
prise is felt that his intimate friend
| ana political manager, Postmaster
I Ilurt skEn I., ,tss. f.f,t.
pleiely misunderstood the President g
action in the case. Shortly before the
| President went away OH his Mississippi
bear hunt there were rumors that the
| Addicks faction was to be recognized,
and Mr.. Addicks himself was sum.
moned here to confer with MIR. Payne,
who is tho official to whom all purely
political questions are delegated. Mr..
Payne, for instance, had charge of this
removal of Internal Revenue Collector
Bingham of Alabama, although MIR.
Bingham was an employe of the
Treasury Department, and it was thu
Postmaster General who gave out fol
publication the Presidents reasons fol
making the removal. Secretary Shaw
said nothing about it.
Mr.. Addicks told Mr.. Payne that ht
felt his faction should be recognized
and Mr.. Byrne reappointed, becaus,
at the recent election in Delaware tht
Addicks people cast l3,0O0 votes
whereas tho anti Addicks, or Regul III
Republicans cast only 5000. Mr.
Payne was impressed with the forel
of MIR. Addicks' argument, and said a.
Is is to so were the reasons for recog
nizing the Addicks faction to those fo
recognizing the anti-Addicks faction
The next day MIR. Byrne was reap
pointed, and o semi-oificial statemen
from the administration gave as th,
reasonfor the reapuintment the sam,
one which, had been given by Mr.. Ad
dicks in conference with Mr.. Payne
and subsequently by Mr.. Payne him
self namely, that the Addicks faction
had established their claim to recogni
tion by a vote Of Ii 20 6. After thi
Mr.. Roosevelt went away bear hunting
His statement on his return gives, M
doubt, his real reason for the appoint
ment, and shows that the Postmaster
General was mistaken in his supposi
tion. j. M. 9.