The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-06-03


no idea of resigning. Again those who
claim to have had a straight tip from
President Roosevelt reiterated the re-
port that he was about to resign, and
With the reiteration came reports of the
Attorney Generals derelictions Those
things made the Attorney General ex-
ceedingly angry and he issued formal
statement. In so far as the publ
cations in question reflect on me per-
sonally,'' the Attorney General began
4 do not care to say anything at all
about them: but they reflect by impli-
cation upon my subordinates as well.
since they aIlege in substance that
the work of the entire department is
duty, as its head, to pronounce this
statement bald falsehood, originating
either in malice or else in gross and
wtlful ignorance Of the facts
There were more in like vein. but, in
some way or another, Attorney General
Bonaparte seems to have 'tumbled' to
the situation He surprised official
Washington by coming to the city the
morning after these stories were afioat
at 8 a. H., and remained in town till
$50 p. m, looking after business in his
department. Then he came the follow
ing day early in the morning and has
been keeping this up. He continues TO
refer sarcastically to the enterprising
newspaper correspondents who ar
ranged his retirement to private life,
but, nevertheless, is making business
hum around the Department of Justice
in a manner unknown Heretofore.
AFTER THE TRUSTS.
1t seemed as though the activities in
prosecuting trusts had ceased alto
gether but when Mr. Bonaparte began
to wake up his department he soon an
nounced that he had decided to begin
suit against the Harvester trust. He
reviewed the evidence in this case, as
secured from the Department of Com
merce and Labor, and it will virtually
be his undertaking. The powder trust
is TO be assailed in the near future.
There have also been other activities in
trust-busting within a few days. Peo-
pie who come from afar with business
before the Attorney General are now
able to see him, and when the F'resi-
dent has business to take UP with Mr..
Bonaparte he does not nave to teie-
phone to Baltimore and make an ap-
pointment for him.
Whether the President desired sim
ply to warn his Attorney General or
whether he is intent on getting him
out Of the cabinet is not known. APP
however. Mr. Bonaparte viii
remain Attorney General. Many Pres
Ha47Tc IN H1rh Lod ~
difficulties in getting rid Of cabinet Of
hcers with d minimum of personal
friction. The late President Mckinley
had considerable difficulty in breaking
the news to the late Senator Alger that
his services as Secretary Of War were
no longer desired.
While Mr.. Bonapdrte got along pref |
" well as Secretary of the Navy, there |
is no Disgusting the fact that he has |
been very unpopular in Washington, |
since he became Attorney /
General. It is also fact that the /
leading lawyers among Republicans in |
public life have little confidence in Mr.. |
Bonaparte's ability to handle the great |
trust prosecutions now pending before |
the department.. II is conceded that /
regard Mr.. Bonaparte as /
an able lawyer but he has by no means
attained great eminence at the Mary /
and bar for handling cases Of any /
thing like the magnitude OF the trust |
cases.
It is whispered about Washington,
perhaps unjustly TO the Attorney Cen
aral, that Senator Knox, Of Pennsyl-
vania, has been the administrations
most trusted legal adviser since Mr..
Bonaparte became the head of the de-
Dartment Of Justice. Certain it is that
some Of the Assistant Attorneys gen.
sraI have been frequently consulting
With Mr.. Knox on legal questions they
lad to consider. This might have been
because Of Mr.. Bonaparte's frequent
absence from the city or because OF
/ greater confidence in Senator Knox's
egal judgment.
The President would not tolerate a
.abinet officer long. on whom he could
lot place full reliance. Above every
hing he could not afford to retain
ong an Attorney General who was not
ookiag carefully after the govern
nent's trust cases. Any criticism that
night be made Of the Attorney Gener-
/ along that line would be made Of
he President and the people would
con be saying that the President had
,rown iukewarm in his trust busting
rogram. To a President who has
limbed to such a pinnacle as has Mr..
Roosevelt such popular comments
Tould be very damaging indeed
THE REST DOING WELL.
Apart from this incident the Presi-
ent IS getting along exceedingly well
nth his cabinet. All are congenial
hen to him and are working in the
1ost perfect harmony with his plans.
# none is this more true than OF the
ew Postmaster General, Mr. George
on l. Meyer. He is a business man
y long training before he embarked
pom a diplomatic career and is taking
old as a business man in the great
-ork Of administering that depart
rent. The President and others OF Mr..
Ieyer's friends hope that he may
AXE a marked success, for there is
Dundant opportunity for the exercise
good business judgment The last
ostmaster General, who was regard j
as really a great Postmaster Gen