Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-22
The Muck Brush.
Take her up tenderly ,
Lift her with care.

Take her up tenderly
Lit her with
Bridge of Signs.
The President has roundly trounced the
magazine muck-rakers who have said un-
pleasant things about the great trust mag
mates. Now it would seem to be in order. in
the interest of fair play and the Square
Deal, for somebody to show up the iniqui-
ties OF the wielders of the muck brush.
Take. for instance. the case of Mrs. Minor
Morris. now coming to the front again in
connection with pending action upon the
nomination Of B. =. Barnes to be city post
master Mrs. Morris was respectable, cul-
tured, ladylke Christian woman whose hus-
band, through the congressional pull of her
sweet brother. Representative Hull of-Iowa
had been turned out of a petty office and
the family deprived of a livelihood He was
removed without the slightest charge of in
capacity or Ill conduct. and solely at the de-
n1and of the high-minded Hull. Headed off
IN an her enorts to get redress in other
quarters by her dear brother, she naturally
went to the White House to appeal for ius-
tice TO that grand champion of the Square
Deal Theodore Roosevelt. Could she imag-
Inc that the man who poses as the chiyaI-
rous knight standing alert for the protec-
tlon and glorificatfon of womankind and
VINO wants every woman-beater to be pan
ished at the whipping post. would refuse to
Was 1t credible that the President, who is
always so easily accessible to the thrung
of cub-bear exploiters, Rough Riders. al
legged fathers of big litters of children, dom
ofs or dime museum monStrosties in the
shape of seven-toed cats and every office
seeking Tom, Dick and Harry bearing a
tribute of complimentary gush and strl,g-
glng 10 De hrst to name him as the newt
able successor to himself in the presidency
could 1t be possible that he would not give.
her few moments of his time to enable
her to present her most urgent case?
And when Secretary Barnes declared that
she could not see the President was 1t not
natural that she should discredit his an
thcrity to speak for Mr.. Roosevelt and in
her dire distress should be somewhat per-
sistent In her appeals and should declare
her purpose to remain there until she could
see the President? If Barnes had shown
any of the tact and discretion displayed by
ms predecessors in office he could easily
nave disposed of the case by allowing her
TO seat herself and stay until she was tired
But Barnes is not built that way, and her
persistent opportunities so Jared upon his
exquisite sensfbilities that he was really
quite annoyed, don't you know With a
lofty wave of his shapely IiIy-White hand
he summoned the big policemen on guard
ana ordered them to remove the trouhle-
some woman from the imperial precincts
And they did remove her with yepeeancei
The public is familiar with the whole dis
graceful story. 1t was told truthfuIIy nv
The Star and other reliable papers. hut II
placed the White House officials in such an
unfavorab1e light that they found IL neces-
sary to make counter statement in what
is known as the White House version of the
AFFAIR. This version, 1t need not be said. was
very much at variance with the established
facts In the case
An engaging trait of Theodore Roosevelt's
character is his readiness to stand by his
friends when under fire. He not only ea We
pIofnpt approval to the action of Barnes
and the rest in the affair, but In his us1Ial
imperious and impetuous way he undertook
70 make everybody else approve It. He at
tempted to coerce the press into accenttnp
we cookeo-up White House version In lieu
OF the careful, unbiased statements of their
own reliable and trusted reporters In the
same strenuous fashion he went on to epo
pIoy the whole powers of government in
pemali i OF ms White House favorites and to
crush all opposition The police depart-
ment and all the detective machinery of the
government was set to work to scour tbe
CITY CITY ana country for evidence damaging to
Pa~ns .noiIis ana calculated to vindicate
barnes and the police. The manner in
Which the drag-net search was engineered
from the White House is shown by the fol
lowing confidential and PERSONAL CORE
spcndence:
Confidential and personally
h!EEADQuARTERs + y lIa1 a OF THE METRoPoLI-
IAN POLICE DEPARTMENT OF THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
Washington, January 49, 1906
Hon. William Loeb, jr.. Secretary to the
PRESIDENT, White House. Washington.
ID. c. -'
MY Dear Sir: have your reference of the
lotn instant respecting inquiries you desired
should be made of certain persons to whom
you refer concerning Mrs Minor Morris.
ana beg leave to respectfully inform Won
that DR.. ]. Wesley Bovee has for a-num-
Der OF years been intimately acquainted
with Mrs. Morris relatives and he stated
that from the history of her case and judg-
ing from reports he was of the opinion that
her mind is not right, and that he would be
pleased 10 confer with you on the subject
If you SO desire.
AS directed by you. through Assistant
secretary Barnes. have written the Hon.
Thomas 8. Rollins, at Asheville, N c.. in
regard to information given you concerning
the deposition of the physician in that city.
AS to Mr.. Stokes, that gentleman was not
seem as | was informed he had made a
statement to you.
was not disposed to give a written state
ment with respect to that firms experience
with Mrs. Morris, which was her excite
ment over delay in passing upon her check
and certain matters in trade
Mr.. Boxer, at Kann's, stated there was
nothing In the case there: that there was
nothing to be said.
Mrs. Dunlap stated that Mrs. Morris had
upbraided her for having placed her own
name as chairman of the COMMITTEES on a
letter head and omitting the names OF other
members of the committee, work which
she had done at personal expense. and that
the experience was very unpleasant
enclose herewith report of females taken
up at the White House by the service there
since 1903, as requested by you
RICHARD SYLVESTER.
Major and superintendent
ASHEyILLE, N. c.. January 90, 1866
Hon. William Loeb. Washington. D. C.
My Dear Sir: have this day mailed to
Weaver In regard to Mrs Minor Morris.
which trust win be OF some service and