Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-09
At THE WHITE HOUSE
Federal Officials Not to Be
Offensive Partisans.
TWO GASES IN IDAHO
CANNOT ATTEND STATE CoNvEN-
TON IN OFFICIAL CAPACITY.
Register Lyons Observations in the
West-Secretary Loeb's Denial Of
a Richmond Dispatch.
TWO CASES IN IDAHO


federal officials shall not take an active or
offensive part in partisan matters, and nc
has recently withheld his approval through
the heads of depar tments having control,
from applications by H. Smith Woollcy.
assayer of the mint at Boise, Idaho. and
Robert Grimmon. United States marshal
of that state, to attend the republican state
convention as delegates from their re-
spective counties. 1t Is stated that the
Treasury Department. probably upon the
advice of the President. also deemed 1t In
advisable for Mr. Woolley to attend the
convention in a private capacity At any
rate Mr.. Woolley will not use his thirty
days leave mingling in Idaho politics, and
there may be some interesting gossip in the
state about the incident Grimmon, on the
ether hand. was informed by the Depart
ment of Justice that there was no objection
to his attending the convention in his pri-
vate capacity as a citizen.
Some of the leading newspapers of the
state have printed remonstrances against
these federal officials taking part in the
state convention, and these editorials
have been filed at the treasury and White
House Later followed the application of
Woolley and Grimmon to attend as dele
gates from their counties. and the action
of the departments controlling Them
based upon the advice of the President, 1t
is stated.
Woolley was at one time a Mormon
bishop and Is the leader of that religion
in Idaho. A hard fight was made to pre-
vent his nomination as assayer of the
mint at Boise. resulting in much agita-
ton as to Mormon dominance and inter-
ference in Idaho politics. The President
gave long and serious consideration to
the question of the appointment of Wool
ley, and finally sent his name to the SEN
ate, Senator Hepburn having urged that
DeSDtta q Of
confirmation of Woolley's name the Sem
ate approved the action of the President
The Mormon and anti-Mormon issue is
being waged somewhat fiercely in Idaho at
this time, and 1t is supposed that the Presi-
dent did not care to have federal official
whose appointment had caused some bit
terness identified in any way with factional
or religious quarrels.
Lyons is Hopeful.
Judson W. Lyons, register of the treas
ury has returned from trip to the west
and called at the White House today to
report his observations. He has made a
number of speeches while away from the
city, and has had opportunity to sound
public sentiment. Everything is hopeful
in the west for the republicans" said Regis
ter Lyons, land so nearly all one way as
to be practically without opposition Reg
lister Lyons holds the best position given a
colored man under the republican admins
%. ~
died soon after his appointment register
of the treasury.
Lyons is from Georgia and is an able ana
successful speaker. He will speak in q
number of states this fall, working for the
republican ticket wherever possible.
James r. Garfield, commissioner of cor
porationS, had conference with the PreSi-
dent this morning. Mr.. Garfield has been
away on his vacation. and he talked with
the President this morning bout the gath
ering of facts bearing on the beef trust.
What Mr.. Loeb Says.
Late last week dispatch was sent out
from Richmond relative 20 the failure of
National Association of Stationary I'm
gineers, who were in session there. One of
these dispatches reached Secretary Loeb to-
day. 1t was as follows:
Richmond, Va, Friday.-The National
Association of Stationary Engineers in ses-
sion here abandoned their pilgrimage to
Washington because President Roosevelt
declined to them.
"A letter was read before the convention
from the local association stating that they
had message from Secretary Loeb stating
that President Roosevelt would be unable
to receive the National Association tomor-
row owing to the, fact that he was in the
midst of his campaign.
The letter from Washington further
stated that the President did not deem It
wise to receive large bodies just at this
time, alleging that it would create capital
for the democratic campaign, and particu-
larry where an association SO closely
allied to labor"
Speaking of the telegram Mr.. Loeb said:
The inference is that such a letter was
sent from Washington by direction of the
secretary to the President or with his au-
thority. No such letter was sent with the
knowledge approval either of the Presl-
dent of his secretary, and no statement
in any way resembling those alleged to
have been made was made by either the
President or his secretary to any one. Fol-
lowing the custom of President Mckinley,
President Roosevelt has been obliged to re-
fuse to receive delegations, excepting upon
public business 1t is not possible for the
President to receive delegations for other
purposes and of course if he made eXcep-
ton in one case he would have to- in justice
to other organizations, receive them also. :"