Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-31
Former Official Gives
Hot Reply to
President
Ex Governor of New
Mexico Says He Was
Wronged
Asserts He Was SummariIy Removed
from Office and Given No Chance
to Refute Charges Made by
His Political Enemies
By Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
A LBUQUERQUE, n. NJ, May May &C. &c.
II The Citizen, an afternoon paper,
today printed the text of a letter
from President Roosevelt to former
Governor Hagerman, who recently re-
signed from the office of governor at
the request of the president. In the let
ter Mr.. Hagerman is scathingly ar
raigned for the part he took in the
Pennsylvania Development land trans
action.
The publication today inspired Mr.
Hagerman to make public his reply to
the president, in which he reviews his
part in the Pennsylvania Development
company transaction and vigorously
defends himself against the charges
contained in the presidents letter. In
the letter the administration of Mr.
Hagerman Is referred to as unsatisfac-
tory and his conduct in the Pennsylva-
MIA Development transaction is charac-
terized as "illegal and blameworthy."
The president says that but for the
former governors previous good record
he would have been dismissed instead
of being allowed to resign. The letter
goes at length into the Pennsylvania
Development company'S business and
quotes an opinion of Assistant Attor-
ney General Cooley, which severely
criticises Hagermans delivery Of the
deeds to the land in question.
| In conclusion the president says:
"If permit such an act by the high
est officer in the territory to go un-
punished / cannot hold to account any
| subordinate official for any infractfon
of his duty. 1t was a grave question
in my mind as to whether ought not
to remove you instead of merely ask
ing your resignation. resolved the
doubt in your favor and requested your
resignation. Under no circumstances
would 1 reconsider this action.
Message from Father
Secretary Root has handed me a
long telegram from your father in
which he wishes me to delay any ac-
ton on your resignation until you have
had time to answer the charges made
against you, which he further states
are we'll known to be unfounded and
made by party freebooters to restore
themselves to power. Apparently your
father does not know, or disregardS.
the fact that these charges are con-
tanned in the statements above referred
to from the department of justice and
in the records of the interior depart
ment, and that there is not the slight
est question to the facts which were
admitted in your interview with me
as well as in your interview with Sec
retary Garfield, and that you had
full hearing before Secretary Garfield
and before me. Under the circum-
stances what your father means by
saving that the charges are unfound-
ed am unable to imagine. If any
party freebooter or any one else is
guilty of conduct such as yours l will
treat him just as 1 have treated you.
With the gossip that your father re-
peats and the differences that he draws
therefrom I have no concern; as to the
charges he by inference makes against
others I can only say that any facts
he will give me against anyone Will
consider them If 1 have the power to
do so. Charges of a very grave char
acter were made to me against your
father himself in connection with his
land transactions in the past Whether
they were true or not L cannot say, be-
cause preliminary investigation
showed that action upon them would
be barred by the statute of limita-
tions."
Mr.. Hagerman's reply said in part:
"I had been previously informed
that the matter of my removal through
the form of regisnation from the COVER
norship of New Mexico was by you
considered as a closed incident.
your letter appears inconsistent with
this view. 1t is at once challenge and
an invitation which it would be both
uncourteous and cowardly to decline,
although it offers the unpleasant alter
native of a controversy with you or
submission to the impeachment of my
integrity at your hands without an et-
fort to defend myself
"If YOU can take the time to give the
matter, important as it is, calm and
careful examination you will be con-
yinced that 1 have been unjustly
treated and that my action as to the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad company deeds,
for which 1 was removed by you, was
commendable and praiseworthy.
due regard for your exalted station
forbids that l should reply to your let
ter in language which would be justi-
fiable under the provocation 1t offers,
If you were not the president of the
United States, but / am not permitted
by my sense of propriety to forget what
is due to your great office, as well as
to myself. 1 hope, however. that my
reply will not be considered the less
forceful because of the absence of harsh
language.
Permit me to say in conclusion that
but for your gratuitous and irrelevant
assault upon my father l should prob
ably have been able to restrain myself
from maying any reply to your letter,
Notwithstanding it is easy to refute
every suggestion of fraudulent or inn
proper conduct you make against me,
but constituting as l do your reference
to my father as threat 10 blast his
reputation unless 1 remain silent. 81
lence is impossible"