, 1902-06-13
OTHER
SIDE OF THE STORY OF THE RE-
MOVAL OF A RABID FEMALE
CLERK FROM PLACE.
Wrote Newspaper Article Attacking
President Roosevelt, and When
Her Attention Was Called to 1t,
Wrote Very Insulting Letter to
Chief Clerk in Her Department.

Democratic papers are e~ndeavoring
to make capital out of the dismissal of
Rebecca J. Taylor Of Wisconsin from
her position in the "a department.
n paper heading its telegram on
Goes Her Head William f. Curtis.
the Washington correspondent of a
Chicago paper, sends his paper the fol
lowing concerning the matter. which
makes Miss Taylor hot only deserving
of dismissal at this time. but she
should have been fired" long o
Rebecca J. Taylor. who has acquired
considerable notoriety during the last
few days by getting herself summarily
dismissed from the Wal department,
has had similar trouble before. She
seems to be afflicted with chronic in
subordination. Before she came here
she was a teacher in the high school
at st. Paul. Mimi. whore she had some
differences of opinion with the board of
education and was discharged by a un-
animous vote. She then started a
weekly newspaper, and filled its col
with vicious and vindictive at
lacks upon the members of the board
and others who did not agree with her.
Early in the Spanish var she secured
a position in the War department
through the Influence of Representa-
tive McCleary, and by her reedom of
speech and independence of spirit made
herself very unpopular among her fel-
low clerks and her immediate super
Tors. She has been a frequent and
fluent contributor to the "kicker's"
column Of the local newspapers. She
was dissatisfied with the conduct of
the war and with the policy of the ad-
ministration, both in Cuba and the
Philippines Islands. and occupied great
deal of time in explaining her views
to her fellow clerks. until she was for
hidden to do so any longer.
Clerks in the executive department
very often disapprove the actions and
policy of their superior officers and fire.
.quently indulge in the great North
American privilege of expressing their
opinions, but no notice is eel taken
unless their criticisms happen to be
uttered with such impudence as to af-
feet the. discipline Of the service. I
know Of only n government clerk
within recent years who has been pun
ished for criticising his %superiors. and
that was N. f. Dawson, who was pri-
vate secretary to Director General
Davis during the Worlds Fair. At the
close Of the exposition Dawson became
private secretary to General Miles. and
in imitation of his chief made frequent
and grievous complaints of the man
agement of the war, both in public and
in private. No notice vas taken Of
him until he published a newspaper
letter attacking the honesty and truth
fulness of President Mckinley in so
insulting manner that General Miles
was obliged to discharge him.
The latest newspaper article of Mrs.
Taylor was a bitter denunciation of
the address delivered by President
Roosevelt at Arlington on Decoration
day. When it vas called to the atten-
ton Of the chief clerk Of the War de-
partment he inclosed it to her, asking
IL she was the author. There was no
intention Of dismissing her. but she
would have been reprimanded and ad-
vised to keep within the bounds of pro-
priety In her criticism of the President
Of the United States had not her reply
to the chief clerk been so Incorporate
and insulting that he considered it his
duty to bring the matter to the atten-
ton of the Secretary of War. who Or
dered Mrs. Taylor's immediate dismis-
sal from the service Of the govern
ment. When her letter was shown to
Representative McCleary he made no
defense. but cordially approved Of the
action.