The Butte inter mountain., 1903-09-30
ROOSEVELT DUTY
IN MILLER CASE
PRESIDENTS FINAL ANSWER TO
COMMITTEE FROM THE A. r.
OF L. ON MATTER.
CANNOT DISCHARGE FOREMAN
His Being Union or Non-Union Man
Does Not Officially Influence
President Of Republic.
ny ASSOCIATED PRESS.

W dSHbiBtoit t9Npt' 'IHpbi fhtt
consultation took place at the White
House yesterday between President Rouse-
welt and five members Of the executive
council OF the American Federation Of ia.
Dor, including President Gompers and MIR.
Mitchell. head Of the Miners union, dur
ing which the case Of Foreman w. A. Nil
Ter Of the government printing Office. who
was dismissed because he had been *
PEELED from the local hookbinders union
and aftefward was reiHstated by direction
Of the president was the principal topic Of
discussion.
The hearing was granted ut the request
OF the labor leaders. The Miller case vas
very fully presented by members Of the
executive council at the close Of which The
president made statement in which tic
announced that his decision not to di,
miss Miller was final and that the question
OF his personal fitness must be settled ~
the regular routine Of administration.
Presidents Statement.
The statement in full foilows
Pursuant to the request OF Samuel
Gompers. president Of the American red
Grafton OF Labor, the president granted an
interview this evening to the member Of
the executive council of that body Samuel
Gompers. james Duncan, John Mitchell,
James O'Connel and Frank Morrison. at
which various subjects Of legislation IN the
interest OF labor, as we'll as Of executive
action, were discussed. Concerning the
east OF William Miller, the president made
the following statement:
i thank you and your committee tor
your courtesy, and | appreciate the orpor-
tuuity to meet with you. 1t will Away be
pleasure to see you or amy representatives
OF your organization or oi your federation
rs 4 whole.
As regards the Miller case | have III
tie 10 add 10 what | have already said. In
dealing with ii | ask ye.i to remember that
| am dealing purely with the relation et
the government to its employees | must gov
ern my action by the laws Of the land
which | aim sworn to administer and which
diliercntiatc amy case III which the gov
erumeut OF the United States is party
from all other cases whatsoever. These
laws are enacted for the benefit OF the
whole people and cannot and tnust not
bc construed as permitting discrimination
aeaius, some OF the people. | am president
Of all the people Of the United States with
ou regard to creed. color birthplace, occu-
patton or social conditions. My aim is 10
90 equal ana exact justice 10 |hein aii's
- In the employment and dismissal OF
| men in the government service, can no
more recognize the fact that "A man does
or docs not belong TO union, as being Tor
or against him than can recognize the
faet that he is Protestant or a Catholic,
a Jew or Gentle as being for or against
him.
In the communications sent me by
various labor organizations, protesting
| against the retention ol Miller in the gov
crnmnnt printing office, the grounds al
legged are twofold: First, that he Is a
non-union man second, that he is not per-
sonally fit. The question OF his personal
| fitness is one TO be settled in the routine
administrative detail and can not be al.
| lowed 10 conflict with or to complicate the
larger question Of governmental diserni,
| nation for or against him or any other man
because he is or is not member Of a
union. This is the only question now be-
fore me for decision and as 10 this my de-
cision is final
Was the Subcommittee.
The members of the executive council