The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-15
JUDGE EWART UNDIsTURBED
By THE CHARGES PREFERRED
Saws he is Indifferent to the Yelping of the
Populistic- Republican Coterie Who
Raised the Rowl of "Ipgra,i-
tude" Again st Him.

tude" Again st Him.
Editor of The Citizen:
1t appears that my mild rcmon-
STRANGE against the summary removal
of Wick, the Wilson postmaster, to give
a place to Populist of the Butler va
riety, has stirred up the natives both
foreign and domestic I note in The
Citizen Of a recent date that it repro-
duces n part a Washington letter of
The New York Evening Post CORE
spondent, in which, among other things,
it is stated that those who were present
at the hearings before tho civil service
commission of the Flfty-first Congress
will never forget the dramatic intensity
with which Mr.. Roosevelt, as spokesman
for the committee, glaring straight into
Mr.. EWart's face, and bringing his fist
down on the table. Kissed forth. These
charges are either false and slanderous,
and known to be such by the authors, or
they are true. If they are true. they
brand us with infamy? If they are false,
then these who begot them are infa-
mous!' 1t seems a pity to destroy this
dramatic incident, but the truth of his
tory must be preserved. AS a matter
of fact, l was not present when Mr..
Roosevelt made his argument before the
committee, hence he did not glare into
my face neither did he hiss forth as
stated by this correspondent. Neither
did l father or bring into the House a
set of charges against the civil service
commission as stated by this veraclous
Post correspondent. The Congressional
Record of December 81, 1890, shows that
introduced a resolution OF inquiry as
to the civil service commission and that
this resolution was referred to the COM
mittees on civil service reform. These
charges were afterwards formulated and
prepared by that brilliant and fearless
journalist, A. E. Hatton, then editor OF
The Washington Post, man who had q
supreme contempt for the pretentious
incompetency and bald-headed fraudul-
ancy of the civil service law as admin
istcred under the Lyman regime.
Naturally, as I had introduced this
resolution, I had charge of the same be-
fore the committee, and with Mr.. Hat
ton, examined all the witnesses intro
duced both by the prosecution and de-
Tense including the civil service commits
sioners, Messrs. Lyman, Roosevelt and
Thompson.
So far from there being a report ex-
onerating the commission as then con-
stituted, as stated by The Post CORE
spondent, The Congressional Record
shows that the committee reported that
the charges against Lyman, the head OF
the commission, had been fully sus-
tanned, and his removal was recon-
mended. He subsequently retired from
the board. The committee eXonerateo
Messrs. Roosevelt and Thompson from
any completely with the Lyman transac-
tions, but did not hesitate to criticisG
certain methods of the commission
which had been fully brought out by
the investigation.
/ had no prejudice or feeling in the
matter, and during the investigation
treated Mr.. Roosevelt with marked cour-
tesv, and received the same treatment
from him.
Referring to the argument made by
me before the committee The Washing
ton Post of that date said: Mr.. Ewart s
address made most favorable impress
sion upon the committee. He was dig
nified, logical and earnest and his argu-
ment received very close attention from
the members of the committee during
the two hours of its delivery.
In this connection l am not unmind-
full Of the complimentary remarks made
by certain of my Republican contem-
poraries In the main they are the same
gentlemen who have bitterly denounced
me on former occasions when / saw III
to differ with influential leaders of my
partv upon questions of party policy.
survived their criticism in the past
and will doubtless continue to do so il
the future. Several of these yelpins
ours accuse me of ingratitude to Sena-
tor Pritchard. When I am accused by
the Senator named of the crime of in
gratitude I shall in all probability de-
fend myself. but the howlings of this
populist- Republican coterie are not JUS
now in any wise disturbing me.
One other matter and l shall Close
this correspondence.
When in 1895. in certain letter pup
lishcd in Tho Charlotte Observer, :
,ventured to express the opinion ina
under existing laws governing elections
in this State, there was, except IN Ger
tain localities. comparatively little trau(
committed. and that in my Judgment tht
nolitical scoundrels in the Democratl'
rarity constituted but an inhnltessima
part of that large and respectable or
SANITATION in the State, and that th'
great bulk of the party repudiated dls
honest and fraudulent election mcthoaS
was abused and openly denounceu oA
the same parties now denounclng me- d
an apologist of Democratic frauds
Now these wiseacres are engaged II
o,,1oiring the snallness of the recen
pnnublican vote by Justify declaring tina
IT least 125 900 negroes whose Vote
hitherto had been registered, cast am
counted for the Republican ticket did no
vote in THO last election.
If the proposition is true, what be
| oo,,,os of their election fraud cry in 1895
and the wears subsequent thereto?
Respectfully yours.
II. G. EWART.
g 14ondorsonvil1e. n c., Jan. II, 1903.