Delaware gazette and state journal., 1902-11-27
AN OPEN LETTER TO
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
"DelaHarean" Makes Soma Comments
Upon the appointment Of Will
liam Michael ByFle.
WHY DID THE PRESIDENT MAKE lTl
Only for the Purpose of Recog-
nizing Addicks.

Only for the purpose or heCoB-
nizing Addicks.
CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE SITUATION
Editor The Gazette: Through the
columns of TIE New York Herald.
President Roosevelt has made state
ment of his motiyes'' in appointing
Mr.. Byrne. To correct the ''miscon
csption'' which has been general and
.sto clear the air. is the object of the
explanation. Let us see how he does it.
Now what is the inisconception"
that is so general? Briefly, that the ap-
pointment was a recognition Of Ad-
dicks, a notice that the President was
no longer on the side of decency and
honesty, and that hereafter the intiu-
ence and the countenance of the admin
istration would net be turned against
the corruptionist. This "misconcep-
tion'' was so general that know of no
newspaper in the country nor any indi-
vidual in the State that has not enter
tained it. Truly the air needed clearing.
Does the explanation clear it2
In its last analysis the statement be
comes resolved into two elements. Let
US consider them separately:
First, the reappointment OF Byrne
had no political significance. II was
made because of personal friendship
because of great services rendered to
! MIR. Roosevelt before and after he ran
for Vice President, " doing work for
the public good, - and because of the
| Presidents confidence in his ability
and integrity" " SO far this explana-
tion might answer the purpose. We arc
not informed what this greatest
service" was. We know that Mr..
Byrne made campaign speeches from
| the rear platform of Mr.. Roosevelt's
special train when the latter was run
ming for governor of New York. This
| may have been the work for the
public good, . though perhaps exactly
th ose words woala not have occurred
to every man in describing it.
So far, so good; but we read that a
that time Ii. e., when Byrne wa
about to accept the Addicks nomina
tom Mr.. Roosevelt had fully made VI
his mind that he would appoint Mr.
Byrne to his old place in case he failet
of eleotion.' Astounding admission
DR.. Ball, having served one term il
Congress, is renominated by the Regu
lar Republicans. His election Is praoti
cally assured. Mr.. Addicks says t
him, in effect, If you will uss you
influence with the seven Republican
legislators who refused to vote for me
whose conscienoes would not let ther
and whom my money coaid not buy;
you will urge chem, calole them, seduc
them IRON the path of honor to vot
for me at special session of the Legis
iature, | also will nominate you an
you will be elected. If not, wi
nominate another and will elect
Democrat" and DR.. Ball, true to hi
honor and to his State, refuses. S
Byrne is nominated and Presiden
Roosevelt conniyes at the crime an
reappoints him when tits accomplished
Why did he ask for Byrne's resignatio
if he had made up his mind to rt
, appoint him? What sort OF polite;
chioanery is thisg He may not run |
defeat DIR. Ball while he is district al
torney, but he may resign with the fu
assurance of reappointment when th
, deed is done. So might Washingto
have said to Benedict Arnold 81
would not be seemly for you, viii
! retaining your commission, to accon
|
we'll aw are and which I cannot offioiaIl
approve. Resign: carry out your al
nounced intention of betraying yo,
! trust and, if the price of your treaso
: be not Forthcoming, return to your pos
! new commission awaits you, for yc
1 are my friend. You have rendered n
, personal services and | have IL
: greatest confidence in your ability al
4 integrity" Is it obliquity of vision {
4 merely the pane through which he Sc
/ them, that distorts these things to Il
r Presidents sight?
n In the second place, we learn that
/ one time the President .'had been Il
4 to believe that Mr.. Addicks was pos
q tive detriment to clean politics. Fl
q therefore, followed the example
a Mckinley and Used the Esderal ratro
age against Addi;ks. But now 81
a believes he has good and sufficie
v reasons for changing his policy a,
abandoning his efforts to crush Il
Addicks faction. Now, either. Il
President still believes that Addicks
n ''detrimeut to clean politics" or
It does not If he still believes it, the
I. is no defence, between labored. ho
10 ever, subtle, that will acquit him in t
d eyes of hiss countrymen. If he st
q believes it, he abandoned his ideals,
J. hauled down his flag and he betray
70 his cause when he gave aid and comic
It to this political pirate. If he does u
L still believe it, what has changed b
& opinion? Why, he says, Byrne in Re
e and Sussex polled s, 500 votes to Bal
70 800. ITO make good the contenti
J. that Mr.. Addicks had bought the
n counties was to hold that 81 per ce
of the Republican party in the low
IS part of the State was purchasable. I'll
4. is a position the President does n
II think can be maintained. = In NJ
Castle county, where Ball had T,t
votes to Byrne's 4, 400, is may be tt
that Mr.. Addicks has been using mon
II corruptly, but sit could not be true
a the other TWO counties. y
. Now, whoever said that Addicks pa
the individual voter in cash for eve
I single vote he received? Does n
:, Roosevelt not suppose that Addic
- knows how to huy the leaders and
!. fiuential men who can control ma
4 others? But the individual votes W,
I also bought-bought in open mark
=, haggled for, beat down to their low
m terms, paid for with money, with ba
: notes, all crisp, all new and all issr
a. by one Buston bank. Bought yot
Aye, by the tens, by the hundreds, a
by the thousands; with no secrecy, W
scarcely a pretence Of concealment, a
L. there is not man, woman or child
re Kent and Sussex counties but knows
,rt 1t is not too much to say that j, 00O
Ie- them were SO bought. Mr.. Roosey