Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-11-17
THE VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS.

The Washington correspondent OF the
Richmond News.Leader writes as fol-
lows, "The correspondent OF the News
Leader is now at liberty to give a most
interesting story to the republicans Of
Virginia, which he was restrained from
writing before the election. About seven
or eight weeks prior to the election, AS
sistant Secretary Taylor, acting secretary
of the treasury, received letter from
President Roosevelt saying that the lat
ter h id been informed on what he con-
sidered good authority that at least twelve
out of the sixteen members of the Vir-
ginia republican State committee were
federal Office holders. The President
said that such a condition of affairs could
not be allowed to exist in any State, and
suggested TO Mr.. Taylor that he take
steps Immediately to put a stop to this
BY requesting a number Of federal office
holders to resign their positions as men,
bers of the committee, and that Park Ag-
new, chairman of the republican State
committee, should be especially asked
to sever bis connections with the COM
mittee. The wishes of the President were
Immediately conveyed to Mr.. Agnew,
who sent in his resignation at once. 10 the
meantime Mr.. Agnew went TO Washing
ton aud had talk with Secretary Tay-
lor, who gave the reasonsin detail for the
request. He succeeded in proving to
Mr.. Taylor that there was absolutely no
truth in the story and showed that not
more than four out of the twelve mem
bers of the committee we're ONCE.
holders of Uncle Sam.
"Upon this being conclusively shown,
Mr.. Taylor recommended to the President
that no further steps be taken and that
Mr. Agpew be allowed 10 withdraw his
resignation If he so desired. The Presi.
dent accepted this view and the result
was that Mr.. Agnew withdrew his resig-
nation, and there was no sensation in the
republican ranks of Virginia. If the facts
had leaked out before the election, it is
believed that there would have been
great rumpus in republican circles.
For several years President Roosevelt
has not given the consideration to Ma
tional Committeeman Bowden and State
Chairman Agnew in the distribution of
patronage in Virginia that he has ac-
corded to meu holding similar positions
10 other States, and there has been no
real love lost between these two republic
cans and the President. To prevent
Colonel Slemp from obtaining posses
sion of the State organization, however,
these men joined the Roosevelt forces
last June and elected the Roosevelt dele
CATION to the Chicago convention. j is
no secret, however, that il there had
been any chance of nominating anybody
else, they would have thrown their in
auence 10 the State convention against
Roosevelt. The Presidents action in
the last incident may re-establish more
.rdial relations between the White
House aud Mr.. Agnew. as tits evident to
the latter that the President has proba-
bly, acted for the best through miscon-
ception of the facts as to the Virginia
republicans"
THE correspondent is 10 error in sew
eral of his statements. For some time
past there have been but ten members
OF the republican executive committee
in this State and but four of them are
federal oficeholders. Then Mr.. Agnew
never rendered his resignation, conse-
quently there was no occasion for bis
being "allowed to withdraw" The
statement that ito prevent Col. Slemp
from obtaining possession of the State
organization these men joined the Roose-
welt forces" is also said, by those who
ought to know, at variance with the