Evening star., 1902-03-14
RODENBERG RESIGNS
Will Leave Civil Service
Commission April l.
TO TRY FOR CONGRESS
BELIEVES HE CAN BE ELECTED IN
NEW 22D ILLINOIS DISTRICT.
His Associates Testify to His Efficient
Work on the Commits
sion.
TO TRY FOR CONGRESS-

William A. Rodenberg. appointed MEM
| ber of the civil service commission by Pres
| ldent Mckinley about year ago, today
| rendered his resignation to President RoOse-
Welt, to take effect April 1. His purpose
| In withdrawing from the commission, ac-
cording to a statement made to a Star re-
porter this morning, is to enter the con-
gressional compaign in the new twenty
second Illinois district. When informed by
| Mr.. Rodenberg of his prospective retire.
ment both Mr.. John r. Proctor and Mr..
William Dudley Foulke took occasion to
announce that the three commissioners
had co-operated heartily and earnestly In
every reform measure and that any idea
that Mr.. ROdenberg was to be asked by
the President to retire" was absolutely
and utterly without foundation"
Discusses His Resignation.
The retiring commissioner discussed his
resignation freely. He had accepted his
appointment by President Mckinley, he
said, in opposition to his own wishes and
entirely out of Difference for Mr.. Mckin-
ley's personal wishes. He had informed the
President when appointed that he could not
serve long, and that he intended to retire
as soon as he could enter the congressional
campign advantageously. Since that ,.me
the congressional districts of Illinois had
been reorganized East st. Louis, his home
was now in the twenty-second district, and
according to the votes Of the past several
years should be decidedly republican. At
present East st. Louis was part Of the
twenty-tirst district and was represented
by Frederick j. Kern, who had defeated
Mr.. Rodenberg by majority Of about 460
votes, although the latter had run far
ahead of the republican national ticket.
He had nothing to say of his record as a
civil service commissioner. except to refer
to that record He would not discuss his
maintenance of the civil service commits
sion while member of the House in the
Flfty-slXth Congress. He desired to cor
rect an impression which prevailed, he
said, that his further service in the COM
mission would be distasteful to President
Roosevelt. When the latter came into Of
flee he had gone to the White House and
offered to retire if Mr. Roosevelt might so
desire. The President had told him then
that while he had once doubted the desr
ability of the appointment. he had since
been convinced that Mr.. Rodenberg de-
sired to enforce the civil service laws Wig
orously, and he would be entirely satisfied
should Mr.. Rodenberg consent to remain
in the office. Finally his relations with
both Mr.. Proctor and Mr.. Foulke had been
entirely harmonious. He was retiring from
the commission for the sole reason that he
intended to enter the campaign for the re-
publican nomination to Congress-
His Associates Opinions.
Commissioner Foulke spoke for Mr. Proc
ter and himself. He was asked: rs it
true that Mr.. Rodenberg's attitude toward
the civil service reform has been distaste-
full to his associates of the civil service
commission?
THAT is absolutely untrue" he replied,
emphatically. THE three Commissioners
have co-operated heartily and earnestly in
every reform measure and the relations
between them have been in every manner
and under all conditions of the most per-
feet cordiality. The idea that Mr.. Roden-
berg was to be asked by President Roose-
welt to retire is absolutely and utterly
without foundation. His relations with the
President were of the friendliest possible
character. There was no difference what
ever between them upon any question re-
lating to the civil service law or on any
other question, SO far as l have ever
heard"
HAS Mr.. Rodenberg experienced a
cnange OF MIND as to the civil service COM
mission?'
Il don't know anything about a change
OF mind. Mr.. Rodenberg is a fair minded,
upright, conscientious man. who was placed
here to enforce the civil service laws and
he has done SO as well as any one could
nave done so during the entire time he has
been in Office
Mr.. Proctor added: II heartily indorse
lu.
1t is absolutely true"
A Good Civil Service Reformer.
Whatever Mr.. Rodenberg's attitude NAV
have been in Congress, it is generally ac-
cepted In the office Of the. commission that
he is today as good civil service REFORM
er as anyone In the country. For six weeks
last summer he was i'm entire charge of the
commission, and during that time he is
said to have enforced the laws with a
r1gor and precision which exceeded fny
similar record of either of his associates
During that period he came upon q
method OF making appointments to one of
the executive departments which had pre-
vailed for four years and had been grown
into an accepted custom. 1t was in Mr..
Rodenberg's judgment, however, a viola
tion of the civil service law Without q |
days delay he SO expressed himself in n
letter to the head of that department and
requested that no further appointments !
should be made In that way. The Secre- |
tary concerned discussed the matter with |
Mr. Rodenberg. concurred In his views and |
at once directed that further appointments |
be made In conformity with the law as ex-
pounded in Mr.. Rodenberg's letter
1t seems to be the general impression in |
the commission that Mr.. Rodenberg's re-
tirement to Illinois at this particular time |
toria1 contest on behalf Of one Of the can
didates The theory is that he can be of
great assistance to one Of his friends and
that he has been restive ever since that
friend entered the contest. While the mat
ter was talked OF freely none of the minor
officials would be quoted on the subject
DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL.