Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-04
LIKES THE LIFE HERE
Attorney General Bonaparte
Talks About Washington.
HAS PLENTY OF WORK
Peonage Prosecutions and the Wide
spread Abuses Along That Line.
CONVICTIONS ARE EXPECTED
Marylander Says That Some Of the
Best Men Will Not Accept
Public Office.

BALTIMORE. February f. Attorney
General Charles j. Bonaparte, after a
strenuous week in Washington, sat in the
library of his home, COL Park avenue, yes
terday and chatsed Interestingly about life
in Washington.
Mr.. Bonaparte was asked how he liked
his new position. which he recently took
upon giving up the navy portfolio. He re-
piled with evident sincerity that he liked
it very well.
"rhe Department of Justice" said the
Attorney General. has plenty of work be-
fore it, There are numerous prosecutions
to be undertaken and there has never been
a time, / believe, when such burden of
work was put upon this department. For
some years the amount of work has been
constantly increasing, and the department.
has now number of activities which it
did not seem to have a few years ago.
Peonage Prosecutions to Come.
Just at present there are the peonage
prosecutions that have to be taken up. In
Florida and Tennessee, particularly in the
former state. there seem to have been wide
spread abuses along that line, and the gov
eminent proposes to prosecute them relent-
leSsly.
In Florida many immigrant laborers APP
pear to have been decoyed into virtual
bondage state of affairs that is very pref
judicial to the social welfare of that state
and of the nation. In number or in
stances the ignorant foreigners have been
made to work under guard for almost moth
ing and the state of affairs has become
intolerable.
1.-The fine gentlemen who have been en-
gagged in the peonage appear to be abso-
lutely without prejudice. for nothing ike
drawing the race line has bothered them.
They pressed negroes into service as well
s,,~%o
as the immigrants and IN many instances
negroes were detailed to stand guard over
the whites The department has the cases
we'll in hand and expects to procure con-
victions in several of them.'
Ideals in Government Employ. :,
Mr. Bonaparte was asked how he liked
his new position compared with that OF
Secretary of the Navy.
We'll. l had just gotten about to, the
point when was immodestly thinking that
l was beginning to be useful to the de-
partment. Then the change came, and
was transferred TO the Department of JUS
tice | must confess that there was plenty
of work in each department, and like
them BOTH
How about the personnel of the men
under you?
my dear sir comparisons are invidious,
YOU know he replied, as he swung back
and forth in his comfortable and capacious
armchair and smiled the most inscrutable
of smiles.
You must know by this time he con-
tinued that every man in the administra-
ton. or. for that matter. in the govern
ment employ anywhere. is the ideal man
for the position he holds"
Mr.. Bonaparte laughed heartily at his
little sally, then added: And l say this
with all due modesty.'
Looks to Retirement.
How do you like public life?" he was
asked do you enjoy occupying a con-
spicuous position in the government and
having important and onerous duties al
WAYS confronting YOU to say nothing of
the everlasting publicity?"
Next to private life, the thing of which