Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-03
DISCHARGE EXPECTED
OPINION OF OFFICIALS REGARD
ING FOREMAN MILLER.
The Case Has Been In the Hands OF
Commissioner Garfield, Who Has
Reported to the President.

The long drawn out Miller case at the
government printing Office is nearing an
end and the discharge of the obnoxious
foreman may be looked for any day this
week This is the opinion of officials who
have been following the case from Its be-
ginning and the reasons for their opinion
are plain.
The case has never been in the hands OF
Public Printer Palmer. but was taken from
him at the beginning. When Miller was
reinstated an d, y action of the President
caused such a cOmmotiOn among the BOOK
binders and other affiliated labor organiza-
tions the case was handed over to the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor, presided
over by Secretary CortelyOu.
1t has all along been believed that the
matter was being directed from Oyster
Bay. and that the reasons for inactlon oy
the public printer were that he was walt
ing for counter charges from Miller in or
der that he might act with justice to both
sides. In the meantime Mr.. Palmer would
not discuss the case or any or It's phases
1t was a matter that had become one of
national Importance and it required the
hand of the President to adjust situation
to which his order had given birth
Fresh Charges Made.
In the meantime the bookbinders went
back to work with the man whom they had
elected from their local organization and
against whom they had brought charges
that, If they wished to use in a prosecu-
ton, could. if proven true, send the man 10
the penitentiary. They had openly accused
him of bigamy and of several other Of
fenSeS against the statutes of the United
States and the rules of the civil service.
When these charges were made pubic II
was expected that Miller would retallate
He disappointed his enemies, however, by
declining to appear in print on the subject
than to make a sweeping denial OF
the charges.
But Miller had a card up his sleeve which
he had played even before this dramatic
event He had filed counter-chargeS
against every man of Importance in the
bindery except the former foreman, Brian,
now chief clerk. These charges were of the
most damaging character, II true, ana OF
such a nature and extent as to give pause
to the powers who would discharge without
a careful review of both sides OF the case.
So the powers considered and to James X.
Garfield, commissioner of the bureau OF
corporations in the Department of Com
merce and Labor, was given the task of
unravelng the Skein. The charges OF both
sides were weighed and Miller is said to
have been found wanting.
Report to the President.
The case then went back to the President
at Oyster Bay.
There is a speech to be made by President
Roosevelt on Labor day in Syracuse. He
will speak to thousands of laboring men
who possess the franchise in his native
state They all are acquainted with the
case in the government printing office and
have read the attacks made on the Presi-
dent by some of the labor organizati tions for
his action in reinstating Miller or his re-
fusal to again dismiss him on the protest
of the bookbnders.
These men and the entire labor element
of the country are waiting for the words
from the President that will plainly state
his position on this important question.
1t is said that before Labor day the Presi-
dent wants to have matters in such shape
that he can say to the world of labor that
he has seen fit to have the man whom they
are fighting discharged from the govern
ment service for the better efficiency of
that service, or that the facts do not war
rant such action in spite of the protests of
the bookbnders and affiliated organiza-
tions. 1t will it is said, be the crucial test
and it will be sprung at that time in order
to empha size the Presidents decision. Mil
Ter will, it is claimed be discharged and
the bookbinders will have won their victory,
not because they expelled the man from
their organiza ton, but because they brought
his record TO the front and forced the gov
ernment to recognize his unfitness for a
place in the service of the federal govern
ment.