Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-01-08
WASHINGTON LETTER

Dec. 28-Everybooy is aware of the
strenuosity and reverberating vooifer-
BUSINESS of the President as civil SER
vice reformer. It has been his hobby
which he had ridden for years with
all the delight which he evinces when
busting q broncho. He protests in
season and out Of season that he will
allow no infringement of the law
governing the civil service, and will
hold every man to strict observance
of the same. Let us see If all these
protests and voeiferation are sincere,
or only bluff to fool the people. Not
long ago the President sent Civil Ser
vice Commissioner Alfred w. Cooley
over t. Philadelphia to investigate a.
to the doings Of Postmaster McMich-
ael Of that city who had been reported
as using his Office and his power as
postmaster for purely political and
partisan purposes, and in other ways
violating the civil service law. Mr..
Cooley went and made out bis report
to the President, and in that report he
declared that the Philadelphia post
master was guilty of all the oAenses
charged against him, and recon-
mended his dismissal for good and
sufficient cause. As soon, however,
as Matt Quay, the Pennsylvania re-
publican boss, got wind of the matter,
he went to the White House and read
the riot act to the President to the
effect that he did not intend to have
one of his chief hencamen and tom
tom heaters In PennsYlvania disturbed
In his fat Office. he had placed him.
he intimated, in the position he
occupied for the very purpose of
having him do the things he is
charged with having done in fragrant
violation Of the civil service laws of
the country, and he iatimated, also,
that the President would better be
careful how he disturbed his pets.
What was the result?
The President fastened to send for
Civil Service Commissio Cooley
and, practically taking him by the
throat, demanded Of him that he
straightway write another report Of
the findings against the Philadelphia
postmaster, in which he would find
nothing to his detriment. and In
which there would be no recommends
ton Of dismissal.
The second report has been written
and the Philadelphia postmaster. who
has been guilty OF the most fragrant
violation of the civil service law, will
not be disturbed in his fat job. And
this, at the behest of the Chief Elk.
ecutive of the nation, who has sworn
to execute the laws; this, at the hands
of the chief fugleman of civil service
reform in all the country. Disregardi
of his oath Of Office, hypocrisy and
fawning is all born Of fear The man
who has caused 1t carries in the hol.
low of his hand the republican delega.
tion to the next reuhlican national
convention, and Roosevelt wants that
delegation. How do the people like
it,
Jan. 4-Addressing Yale students,
Rev. DR.. Rainsford said:
"Mr: Roosevelt has earned the
thanks Of this country for the good he
has done in telling the truth.
"The man who tells the truth and
sticks to it does the most lasting good.
whether he tells that truth at the din
ner table or in public
4 Did Mr.. Roosevelt tell the truth
when, In his life Of Thomas Il.
Benton he agreed with political
economists that protection "is vicious
In theory and harmful In praotice,''
Then did he stick to It when he adyo.
Gated protective tarid wherein the
duty. should be more than = equal b
h the cost o. wages abroad and home,
|. Did he tell tho truth In his Cincin.
natl speech On Sept. 20. 1904, when
ssssih said that tho tariff did not foste,
H trusts, and asserted that the anthra: