The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-05-21
ANTICIP ATFD FARCE OF GREEN
INVESTIGATION.

The solemn farce contained IN the
result eff civil Service Commission
er Green's investigation Of "perniciouS
activity in politics. on the part OF
North Carolina Federal offce-holders
was so clearly foreshedowed by the
methods adopted that the only sur
prise possible is one of speculation a.
10 how the statement could issue with
a straight face. It is 50 frankly a
neuter quantity that it is almost in
conceivable that Il should have been
put forth by an important commits
sioner as food for men. A wink owe
the shoulder. the droop Of On eye
lid in connection with the issue Of
something which contained at least
prima facie suggestion of virility might
have been recognized, indeed. but
%condoned to an administration which
is partisan in everything except its
public pronunciamentoes. When COM
missioner Green, who had come to
Investigate" allowed his pursuit Of
knowledge to stop with the accept
ance of social conversation from the
parties under suspicion, it required
small adroitness in deduction to fore
cast his verdict. That he should, in
making it, have omitted even the pre-
tense of correction, in the light Of
any statement Whatsoever, is in the
nature OF an insult to public intelli-
gence.
Commissioner Green's visit to the
State was made, it viii be remem-
bered. upon the representation Of Sen
ator Simmons that the Federal office
holders, big and little, throughout the
State had during the campaign prac-
t.cally thrown over the administration
of the public business in the pursuit
either of patronage in their own par
ty or getting in lire for patronage
by every nj of political activity
in connection With the campaign prop
er. In support of his charges, Senator
simmons adduced q mass Of ~testi-l
mony, showing that the Republican
conventions, rom ward meetings to
the State gathering at Greensboro,
had been run solely by the potoficc
and ryeenue classes; that these gov
officials almost entirely neg
lected their business in a rush to sup
port c~ontending interests seeking the
distribution of office; that their metl1-
DDS We're such as to bring the Offices
they filled into common diSrepute with
the people and to render themselves
Objectionable in many ways to the
mass Of decent citizenship irrespective
of party; and, finally. that all Of this
was in direct, open and Migrant viola
ton, not only Of the theory OF the
civil service regulations. but Of an
explicit letter Of the President him
self calling attention to and forbid
the very practices complained Of
Whereupon, after the campaign.
"invastigations.' lie proceeded. lye
believe. to Asheville, Salisbury, Pal
eigh and probably other places in the
State, In all of which he could have
taken evidence at first hand concern
ing the matters complained Of. In
fact, he contented himself with huns
ing up otficeholders under indict.ent.
entertaining and being entertained by
them. and 50 far as known failed in a
single instance to take any testimony.
nnder oath Or otherwise, except from
the o~fice-holders themselves.
And low. having returned -
Washington. he issues d statement =,
the effect that he has Recommended
to the Commission the ~adyisabilitv Of
a circular. rglng upon tn
employees Of the goyernmea
the necessity Of keeping strictly out OF
in connection with the recon-
mendation Of President RooseveIts
letter of June 3. 1902"
Since the letter referred to v.ae +ba
one thing most carefully violated bor,
in letter and spirit. its repetition ~
circular can be nothing except 4 -
newai of the invitation to its breach ,
long g as the date Of the letter
itself the suspicion was strong that The
order was ION the SIDE The sus- I
piclon became evidence during Tho
"a mpaign. when the men to wha,o !
he letter was addressed dropped evon !
ne appearance of complying with it, ,
-erms- When Commissioner cree I
displayed his methods Of NOT rnai,~ .
out the real situation in search of in !
evidence became a moral !
certainty.
1t needed only the publication Of I
he result TO establish the practices !
which were under investigation as ha- =
ng in harmony with the seyzd NJ =,