The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-28
THE FIRST VICTIM
Is EIyidge's Dismissal a
Square Deal?
1t Follows the Presidents Recent Or
der Giving Cabinet Officers the
Power to Dismiss Civil Ser
vice Employees.
vice Employees.

Especial to News and Observer
Washington, d. c., Oct. Eft has
grown to be standing joke in the
House that whenever that body, in
the course of it's work of making APP
preparations for the various bureaus
of the government, reaches the items
of salaries of Civil Service Commits
sioncrs and other expenses connected
with that service, numerous objections
are made against continuing this ap-
preparation, but when the vote is Ia
ken, there is an exceedingly small mi
nority willing to go on record as Vot-
ing against civil service. as represent
cd by this appropriation. 1t is gener-
ally predicted here that the recent or
der of President Roosevelt-giving
heads of departments power of sum-
have the effect of giving backbone to
the opponents of the Civil Service
Commission and it's present methods
o. operation.
1t is noteworthy, in this connection.
that Civil Service Commissioners Coo
Icy. in defending Mr.. Roosevelt's or
der, says that the clerks in govern
ment service never had an appeal
from the decision of the head of the
L.
instance to show this, which also IL
Illustrates how easy it is for injustice
To be done employees even under the
old ruling that they should be given
opportunity to answer charges before
dismissed.
=. j give the instance in Mr.. Cooley's
own words: 1T has not been so long
ago that the Civil Service Commission
had case of a letter carrier who was
TO Che rhv- bo Ech III
not be dismissed. and was dismissed
because ne had failed TO deliver a let
ter. The man brought positive proof
to show that he was not on duty on
the day the attempt was made to de-
liver the letter and that the failure,
if there was any, was due to the fault
of the substitute that carried his
route. The papers were forwarded
to u.s. but we could do nothing. The
postmaster had deemed the explaEa-
ton unsatisfactory and had dismissed
the man. and that ended it. The COM
mission cannot go into any department.
and tell the executive head what he
can do with his employees, and the
commission never could do that"
The first victim of the Presidents
recent order is Walter s. Elvidge,
driver of an automobile belonging to
the Department of Commerce and Lo
bar. who got in the way of the Presi-
dents carriage on the day before the
order was issued. Elvidge says that
he did not know that it was the Presi-
dents carriage and that his getting
in the way was due entirely to the or
ders of the two secret service men on
bicycles behind the carriage, whose
authority to interfere with him. as to
the side of the road he should take,
he did not recognize as they were
dressed in ordinary attire, and he did
not know who they were.
His dismissal without opportunity to
be heard in his own defense does no.
seem to accord with President Roose-
velts oft-repeated promise to give a
square DEAL to ali alike. Elvidge
was entitled to have his statement re-
corded but he was denied this. The
Fundamental basis of all law and of
all right treatment of man for hi;
fellowman is that of defense. The
meanest and vilest criminal that ever
lived is accorded the opportunity 70
defend himself and prove his inno-
cence if possible. That principle has
heretofore existed in the government
service.
All that can be said in favor of this
new order is that it makes for speed
OF punishment rather than for GER
tainty of justice.
when the President got out of his
carriage to enter the State Capitol
down in Raleigh the other day, almost
Immediately in front of him stood a
farmer of gigantic size" said Mr.. j. r.
Patterson, of that city at the Raj
eigh, to a Washington Post man.
There was an immense crowd and
much enthusiastic yelling, but this
sturdy tiller of the soil outdid them
all i'm vocal effort, and his stentorian
hurrahs so rent the air that the Pres
ident was vastly tickled.
with his face wreathed in smiles,
the Chief Executive made little
pause. and, pointing his finger at the
countryman shouted: Aha. my friend
I've got you spotted and I'll bet you
are the best fox hunter in this coun-
try The little touch of nature that
makes the whole world kin was un-
derstood and appreciated by the vast
throng and the cheering that went uI
wa. terrific"