The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-09-06
PALMER OUSTED FROM
 OFFICE BY ROOSEVELT
PRESIDENT DEMANDS THE RES IGNATION OF THE PUB
 LTC PRINTER.

Latter Attempted to Force Two Others
 Out of Government Printing Office Forwards Charges to Oyster Bay but
 Loses His Job Instead of the Others Letting of Contract for Seventy
 two Typesetting Machines DiscIOses
 Serious Condition of Affairs in Man. agement.
 Washington, Sept. 5.--Public Printer F. w. Palmer practically has been busted from office. It was learned au- thoritatively tonight. that President Roosevelt had demanded MT. Palmer's resignation, to take effect on the 18th inst.
 The demand of the president for MT. Palmer's resignation was due primarily to the latters action in trying to force Oscar J. Ricketts, foreman of printing, and L. c. Hay, a foreman of division, out of the government printing office. MT. Palmer asked for the resignations of Ricketts and Hay on the ground that they had been insubordinate. The public printer formulated a series of charges against the two men. These charges, it is known, were forwarded to Oyster Bay.
 As soon as President Roosevelt learn- ed of the situation that had developed he directed Public Printer Palmer to forward to him his resignation, to take effect in two weeks.
 It has been known for some time that Mr' Palmer would not be reappointed to his present office. For several months before President Roosevelt left Washington for Oyster Bay he was casting about for 8 suitable man for the position of public printer He off, Tered it to John A. Sleicher, of New York, but he declined it, having some- thing better in view. Until this time there has been no change in the situa- tton.
 The investigation made by the Keep commission into the letting of a con- tract for seventy-two Lanston typeset- ting machines for use in the govern n1ent phinting office disclosed a serious condition of affairs in the management of the office. Prominent men in the office force were divided into cliques. These cliques were so detrimental to the interests of the government that the standard of efficiency in the estab- nshment was reduced materially.
 The evidence adduced by the com- mission in the course of its inouiry created much bitter feeling among the men holding high positions in the office. One of the direct results of this feeling was the demand made by Public Print CT Palmer for the resignation of Rick etts and Hay. As the Keep commits sion inquiry, so far as known, devel- oped nothing to the disadvantage of Ricketts or Hay, the president acted promptly in taking the whole matter out of Palmer's hand placing it in the hands of the Keep commission for such further investigation as might be nec- essary. Coupled with this action of the president was the demand on MT. Palmer for his resignation.
 With the incoming of MT. Palmer's Successor-and there is ample authority for the statement that he has not been selected yet-it is expected that thor ough reorganization of the working force of the government printing office will take place. Among the men men, tioned in connection with the office are Oscar J. Ricketts, whom the public printer sought to remove; H. T. Brian, chief clerk of the office; William s. Rossiter, chief clerk of the census bu- reau, and John Leech, public printer in the Philippines.
 The office pays a salary of S4,50O a year. The annual disbursements for the government printing office aggre- gate about $7000,000