The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-04-19
WHY COMMISSIONER EVANS
 GOES,

features, and which has been protrac-
 ted for a period of at least two years | with great persistency and acrimony on
 the part of his enemies. It was, per | haps, inevitable in view of the num-
 bers character and supposed political power of his prosecutors, that MT.
 Evans should finally be compelled to re-
 tire from the office whose duties he has
 discharged with ability and fidelity. The constant hammering of prominent | politicians with controlling direction ot ] delegates and conventions, and the
 clamor of semi-political organization
 extending over the country and em- | bracing thousands of members, were l bound ultimately to wear out both the | president and the object of these Vii
 cious attacks. It was known to friends
 of the commissioner that he had no es- pecial desire to be continued in office,
 and it is very probable he would have
 surrendered it months ago had it not | been for the persistent attacks directed | against his administration. That he
 had the respect and confidence of Pres 1 ident Mckinley and President Roose- | welt there is no manner of daubt. Both approved his methods and commended | him for honesty and efficiency. In an-
 nouncing the reception of his resigna-
 tion, President Roosevelt on Friday
 night accompanied it with statement
 which declares Evans was informed by 1 the president that he will have to re-
 main as commissioner, in the first place, until his successor has been de- termined upon; and in the second
 place, until there is some position to
 tender him which the. president will re-
 gard as a promotion and as a fitting
 reward for his excellent service in the
 department
 With this estimate of the value of the
 public services of Commissioner Evans
 from the president, his retirement can
 be explained only upon the theory that
 it is entirely voluntary. In one sense
 the retirement is voluntary. No man
 can properly continue in an office held
 at the pleasure of the president when
 he has had intiination, If not direct mo-
 tice, that his retirement would be more
 agreeable than his occupation MT. Evans resignation was presented two
 weeks ago under that condition.
 | Soon after President Roosevelt as-
 stunned the executive office Commission
 CT Evans called at the White House
 and conferred with the president about
 his continuance in the head of the pen- sion office. Mr Evans informed the
 president that he had discharged his
 duties to the best of his ability and
 with strict regard to the spirit and let ter of the law, keeping in mind his obli
 gations to the government, as well as justice and liberalty to the pensioner and all legally entitled to the govern
 ments bounty. He was fully aware that his administration had not been satisfactory to certain class of claim ants and their attorneys, and realized that the clamor of such persons had been annoying to the president. This clamor was certain to be continued fo the simple reason that the commission CT could not, without doing violence to his conscience and without palpable vii
 olation of law, change the policy he had followed He would continue to admin
 ister the law faithfully, without regard to results to himself. Otherwise, he could not continue in office. If at any time the president thought the public or the party interests required that he should vacate, his resignation would be immediately forthcoming In response to that declaration of the commission CT, the president said he had no fault to find with the administration of the pen sion office. On the contrary, he fully approved 1t, and did not desire a change either in the commissioner or the poi- cy followed That was the status of the pension office matter down to the 18th of March, upon which date the for maj resignation was presented.
 The meeting of the Grand Army in annual encampment last fall, at Cleve- land, O., following the action of prev- ous encampments, the instructions of local posts and the active scheming of certain classes of politicians and pen sion attorneys, illuminated against the administration of the pension office, in- sisted upon the removal of Evans, and appointed committee to investigate and report the results of the investiga- l tion to the president. Thus the war on l Evans was, continued, and, following | the report of the committee, his remo- | val insisted upon. It is not known that ] the president ever made any promise to | remove Evans, although reports, freely | given out by those who have been per- sistently fighting to secure that result l were frequently put in circulation. Fi- nally, whether on account of the de- mands of the Grand Army men or not, the president, on March 15, sent for Commissioner Evans, and after talking over the situation, informed him that he desired to be able to say that he, the president, controlled the situation, and | to that end would like to have the con- missioner's resignation. This fact was to be maintained a profound secret be- tween the president and the commits sioner, the former remarking that it would perhaps be prepared to act
 It was not long after the resignation had been placed in the hands of the president when intimations were | dropped by persons close to the White House that Evans had resigned. No confirmation of these re- ports .could be obtained at the White House, and Commissioner Evans gave them positive and unequivocal denial when applied to. This action of the is inexplicable to his many of whom were deceived
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