New-York tribune., 1902-03-24
DID NOT PLEAD TO BE KEPT
FITCHIE SAYS WHAT HE WANTED FROM
THE PRESIDENT WAS
CLEAN RECORD.
CLEAN RECORD.

Immigration Commissioner Fitchie returned
from Washington yesterday with the positive
assurance of President Roosevelt that the latter
intended 10 make a clean sweep Of the heads
Of the immigration Bureau. When he was seen
at his home, No 263 Franklin-aye.. Brooklyn,
by a Tribune reporter, he said that he had not
gone TO Washington to plead for his retention in
Office, but to ask the President to make an I'M
partial investigation of the charges against the
New-York immigration Bureau, in order that
Mr. Fitchie might go out with a clean record
There has been so much talk about abuses
at Ellis Island" said Mr. Fitchie. that l want
ed to ask the President to have one or two per
sonal friends, in whom he had the greatest con-
hdence, come TO New-York and make an invest-
cation. II there is going to be change want
10 go out with clean record. asked that men
be selected for the investigation who were en-
trely outside Of the Treasury Department. and
the administration, and who would have no
prejudices.
The President did not seem inclined TO ac-
cept my suggestion and finally told me that he
did not intend TO make any more Investigations
but that on April 1 there would be a clean sweep
that is that Commissioner General Powderly,
myself and the assistant commissioner at New
York, Mr. McSweeney. would have to 60"
isn't Mr.. McSweeney under Civil Service
rues?" he asked.
President to get around that. All he has TO do
is TO get his Secretary of the Treasury TO recon-
mend that McSweeney be removed, or he can
get the new commissioner whom he appoints to
make the recommendation. II seems to me
rank injustice that Mr.. McSweeney, who has
been faithful and indefatigable in the discharge
Of his duties, should be removed in this man
ner II he had not done his best would the mis-
sionaries who are the first 10 discover any
% Lrbi on he island all
uphold him?
The President also told me that the Industrial
Commission was about 10 present more charges
against the New-York Bureau. That commits
sion, l thought, had gone out Of business, and
I don't what they could do. In the past
they have got together a lot Of stuff by star
chamber methods suborned witnesses and done
other irregular things in order to get up a case;
h1r the President and the Secretary of the
Treasury seem to be impressed by all this, and
to have made up their minds l want to have
all this cleared up, if l am going to retire /
want TO say that not one-hundredth part or all
the stuff about our bureau is worth the paper
that IL is written on.
After seeing the President had a long talk
with the Secretary of the Treasury. asked
him 10 submit 10 me any charges that he had
regarding Overcharging on the part Of the men
who have the contract 10 feed the immigrants.
There has been a lot Of talk about that. If there
las been any overcharging the steamship com
pEnies ought to complain, because they nave 10
lay the bills The charges ought TO be sent also
the firm that has the contract for feeding the
Immigrants"
told him that there were no charges directly
o. Indirectly against his reputation. But the
Commissioner wanted the President TO be con-
vlrced that many of the charges against the
bureau utterly false "Of course said
ffr Fftchie IF the President and the Secre-
ta~y of the Treasury do not ft TO do the
night thing there is nothing more that / can
60"
Mr. Fitchie was asked if he learned anything
about whom the President had in mind as his
successor.
10" replied the Commissioner. It suppose
he tx around fO get the right sort
OF d man. l tell the man who takes the
Place that he viii have the liveliest time Of his
life"
siuce he had taken office, Commissioner
Fttchie said. the immigration at the port Of
New-York had doubled on Saturday 300 i'm
migrants were landed and yesterday 3.100. Up
20 Saturday the number Of immigrants landed
rtts month exceeded the number landed in
March Of last year by 5000. Mr. Fitchie ad-
do that IL looked though the total figures
for this month would reach $1,000 The figures
fc~ January and February this year exceeded
tho.e for the same months last year by 1900.