Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-12-02
A Sample Roosevelt Letter.

Fortunately, there are some things
about which President Roosevelt does
not think II necessary either to parley
or to be tender and considerable; and
one of those things is common hon
esty. We will take the liberty to put
On record an unpublished incident
that may serve, once for all, TO Illus
trate exactly the way Mr.. Roosevelt
has been dealing with all cases of a
similar nature. One day, last month,
a certain congressman visited him In
the interest of a well known man
prominent in state politics, but not In
the government employ, whose rela-
tons to certain postal contracts were
such that there seemed imminent
danger of his being indicted for con-
spiracy or bribery, or both. Not con-
tent with a verbal explanation of his
attitude toward the business, Presi-
dent Roosevelt followed up the inter-
view with a letter to the congress
man. For our purposes the incident
has a typical value, as showing the
presidents state OF mind, but we are
not al all concerned with the individ-
uals. We publish this letter, there
fore, with names omitted, and with no
thought of using 1t to reflect in any
manner upon the gentleman to whom
1t was addressed, or upon the man ac-
cused of wrong-doing. II is a letter
never intended for the public, but
rather to make perfectly clear in a
private way to certain politicians
themselves free from all thoughts of
completely in the postal Irregular
tiesl that no further attempt must be
made to use political arguments for
the sake Of affecting the presidents
conduct in his plain duty as the ma
tons chief executive officer, and
therefore as the head of the business
services of the government. The let.
ter, with names omitted, is as fol.
lows:
(Personal).
white House, Washington, October
-, 1903.-My Dear Congressman:
The statement, alleged to have been
made by the inspector that I ordered
the Indictment OF - -, or any
one else, is a lie-just as much a lie
as il IL had been stated that | ordered
that any one should not be indicted.
My directions have been explicit, and
are explicit now. Any one who Is
guilty is to be prosecuted with the ut
most rigor of the law, and no one who
is not guilty is to be touched. | care
not a rap for the political or social in.
fiuence OF any human being when the
question is one of his guilt or inno-
cence In such a matter as the corrup-
ton of the government service.
Il note what you say. that the cir.
culation OF this report about me may
ALLEVIATE the support of many of IS
friends from my administration.
Frankly, | feel that any one who
would believe such a story must be
either lacking in intelligence, or else
possessed of malignant credulity. II
any one is to be alienated from me
by the fact that | direct the prosecu'
ton OF Republican or Democrat, with
out regard to his political or social
standing, when 1t appears that he Is
guilty OF gross wrong-doing-why, all
| can say, is, let him be alienated
II District Attorney - has any.
thing which should be known to the
attorney general or to me as regards
this suit. | should be delighted to see
him. But, frankly, | have not the
slightest desire to see him II his visit
Is TO be in the interest of the welfare
OF the party or of my success In
a case like this, where the crime
charged Is one that strikes at the
foundations of the commonwealth,
should hold myself unfit for this Office
II considered for one moment either
my own welfare, or the interest OF the
: party or anything else except the in
teresls OF Justice. Respectfully.
| THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
:. American Review of Reviews.