Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-27
REED ON ROOSEVELT
Hon. John F. Lacey Quoted In Story
Containing "Czar's" Opinion.
FOREIOLD HIS PRESENT SUCCESS
Reed, in Talking to Major Lacey Some
Years Ago, Said Roosevelt, Then
on Civil Service Commission, Would
Be President.

Be President
Hon. John F. Lacey the able repre-
sentative of the sixth district of Iowa
in the lower house of congress, is not
considered the least among the states
men who swarm the national capital,
and his opinions on matters of legis-
latlon and government are looked up
to by even such men as President
roosevelt. Major Lacey is one of
those few congressman who know q
good deal about nearly everything that
comes up before the house, and few
measures are put to a vote without
first being brought to the Oskaloosa
man for his approval. If they get it
their originators consider that they
have overturned big stone barring
their progress to success.
Major Lacey is looked upon with
admiration and respect by the journal
lists OF the capital and an article which
illustrates the prominence of the man
who represents the people of Ottumwa
in congress appeared in the Philadel-
phia Saturday Evening Post, paper
which circulates all over the country
The story told in the story is one of
Lacey's stories about the late speaker,
Thomas B. Reed, of Maine.
Representative John Fletcher La
cey of Iowa. is staunch supporter of
civil service standards. In his fidelity
to that policy he has the earnest back
ing of President Roosevelt, who is an
admirer of the Iowa statesman.
The acquaintance of the two men
began in an interesting way. A few
days after Lacey took his seat in the
Fifty-first congress he met the late
Thomas B. Reed in the capitol cloak
room standing before a map of the
United States and tracing the outlines
of the states with a big cane.
Figuring out your inevitable ma
jority in the spealership contest?'
asked the Iowan good-naturedly.
NO" said Reed, "a young constit-
uent of mine who has just failed in a
civil service examination claims that
a competitor passed safely by bribing
the examiners to give him list of the
questions in advance. l didn't believe
my young friend and have sent him to
the headquarters of the civil service
commission to tell his story there.
While awaiting his return have been
figuring out on this map that if. say,
Columbus, Ohio, represented 100 per
cent in a civil service table of mark.
| ings, my constituent would come out
somewhere about Jamaica, Long Is
! land"
y was amused continued Repre-
sentative Lacey, "by Reeds quaint
way of stating his belief in his constit
uents inability to pass the eXamina
| ton. While we discussed the subjec;
I of civil service in a general way il
walked the young man who had failed
and had gone to unburden his convic
| ton to the civil service commission
| that a rival had been successful
| through conniyance with an agent o.
that service.
well what happened when you
told your story?' Reed asked.
why faltered the youth, a very
emphatic fellow in charge there whip
ped out S100 in bills, laid them acros:
his knee and exclaimed:
"'"Tll nay you 500, young man, i
you can prove that single syllable
of what you say of corruption is true.
4 That's all the satisfaction l got
And that's all you Deserve add
ed Reed
"Then turning to me-" continued
Mr.. Lacey, Reed said: We've go
an American of blood and iron;
coming man-on the civil service com
mission. l tell you, Lacey, you wan
to watch that civil service commits
sioner. for he's New World Bismarcl
and Cromwell combined. He'll b,
president some day.
whats his name? | asked.
"'Theodore Roosevelt replied Reed
'sOf course l had heard vaguely o
Roosevelt, but, never having had an.
occasion to meet him." continued MI
| Lacey, Il had formed no definite opin
ion of him. Reeds characterization
aroused in me the greatest curiosit,
to see this Roosevelt. The next da,
/ | called and introduced myself, ant
took the liberty to repeat what tn
young man had brought back abou
the $1O0 guarantee that no turpitud
on the part of the examiner in question
existed.
81 have resolved to purify the civi
service SYSTEM was Mr.. Roosevelt
reply. and to that end have placed il
charge men whom | trust with m
whole heart, and | stand ready, there
fore, to pledge my fortune and M
honor to the sacredness with whicl
they respect the trust l repose il
them
81 have never forgotten the thrill Q
delight that man. utterance CAV