The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-11-05
ROOSEVELTS FEARLESS HON
ESTY.

The Review of Reviews for Novem-
Der publishes letter of President
Roosevelt's which, though not intend
ed for the eye Of the public, is, never
theless, document which should be.
come familiar to everyone. The letter
was written to a congressman whose
name is not mentioned but whoever
the gentleman is, he certainly has
better understanding of the Presidents
purposes in dealing with official plum
dering rs exemplifed in the postal
frauds. Says the Review;
Fortunately, there are some things
about which President Roosevelt does
NOT think it necessary either to parley
or to be tender and considerate 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on record an unpublished incident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 d
similar nature. One day, last mouth,
a certain congressman visited him ia
the interest of a well-kuowu man
prominent in State politics but not in
the government employ, whose rela-
tions to certain postal contracts were
such that there seemed imminent dan.
ger of his being indicted for conspir-
acy OF bribery, or both. Not content
with verbal explanation of his atti-
tude toward the business, President
Roosevelt followed up the interview
with letter to the congressman. For
our purposes the incident has a typi-
cal value, as showing the Presidents
state OF mind, but we are not at all
concerned with the individuals We
| publish this letter, therefore, with
names omitted, and with no thought
of using it to reflect in any manner
upon the gentleman to whom it was
| addressed, or upon the man accused OF
wrongdoing. 1t is letter never in
tended for the public, but rather
/ to make clear in private way to
certain politicians themselves free
| from all thought of completely in the
postal irregularities) 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 nations chief executive
officer, and therefore as the head of
! the business services of the govern
ment. The letter, with names omit
| U6u, Is AS follows
| (PersonaD.
White House, Washington,
October -, 1903.
Ny dear Congressman
The statement, alleged to have been
made by the inspector that | cor
dered" the Indictment of -, or
any one else, is a lie, just as much n
lie as II at had been stated that | had
ordered that anyone should not be in
dicted Ny directions have been ex-
I plicit, and are explicit now. Any
one who is guilty is to be prosecuted
with utmost rigor of the law, aud
no one who is not guilty is to be
touched. ] care not IA rap for the po-
litical or social influence of any hu-
man being when the question is one of
his guilt or innocence, in such a mat
ter AS 10 the corruption Of the govern
ment service,
/ 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 ono who
would believe such story must either
be lacking in intelligence, or else pos.
sessed of malignant oredulity. If any
one is to bo ahenated from me by the
fact that direct the prosecution OF
Republican or Democrat, without re.
gard to his political or social standing,
when it appears that he Is guilty OF
gross wrongdoing, why, all | can say
is, let him be alienatea.
If District Attorney 49, has any,
thing which should be known to the
attorney general OF TO me az regards
, this suit, | should be delighted to SEE
, him. But frankly, ! have not the
slightest desire TO see him if his WISH
is to be in the interest "of the wei
1 fare of the party" or of nv "suc
7 cess " In case like this, where thu