The Red Cloud chief., 1908-02-14
REPLIES TO CHARGES
PRESIDENT SAYS SPoILS ARE
NOT USED IN TAFT'S BEHALF.
Roosevelt in Vigorous Letter to w. D.
Fouike FIatly Denies Filling Offices
With Henchmen-Selections Have
, No Bearing on Campaign.

No Bearing on Campaign.
washington, Feb. 10.-President
Roosevelt made answer to the recent
public statements that he has made
use of federal patronage to further
the presidential interests of Secretary
Taft. The answer is in form OF a let
ter addressed to William Dudley
B'0ulke of Richmond, Ind, and in
Cludes q letter from Mr.. Foulke to the
president suggesting the need OF such
a statement. The president begins
by characterizing the charges as
false and malicious" He follows
this with an analysis of all appoint
meuts sent by him to the senate for
Its action to show that in no case has
the proximity of a presidential contest
Influenced his actions.
The president says, in part:
THE statement that | have used the
Offices in the effort to nominate any
presidential candidate Is both false
and malicious. 1t is the usual iulag.
NATIVE invention which flows from u
desire TO say something I'M Re-
member that those now making this
accusation were busily engaged two
months ago in asserting that | was
using the Offices to secure my W
denomination. 1t is the kind of &C.
cusation which for the next few
months will be rife. This particular
SANDER will be used until exploded,
and when exploded those who have
used it will promptly invent another.
Hits Boiling Delegations.
AT present various etorts are be-
ing made to get up holting delegations
from the southern states, and the
meetings at which these socalled dele
gates are chosen are usually an
nOiinced as "non-oficeholders" at con
ventions. AS a rule this means, only 81
far as It means anything. that they are
held under the lead of persons who
wish to be put in Office, but whose
character and capacity are such
that they have not been regarded as
Sit to be appointed under this admin
istratiOn. In these cases be 1t remem
bered that the failure to secure Office
Is not the result of the political action
Of the men in question, on the con.
trary their political action is due to
their failure to secure Office.
You quote a newspaper as saying:
We are now getting daily lessons in
civil service reform from the White
House, which ought to attract national
attention. The appointment OF Taft
workers to pOstoflices in Ohio and of
the totally unfit George w. Wanna
maker as appraiser of this port, is
now followed by the president S re-
iusal to reappoint a good Hughes man
as collector of customs at Plattsburg.'
Explains Appointments.
This article is a good example of
the accusations made by those of our
opponents whose craftsmanship renders
them especially INSCRIPTIONS and I'M
truthful. Mr.. Wanamaker's appoint
ment was recommended by the three
congressman from New York county
and by the two senators, the appoint
ment being made precisely as the hun
dreds of similar appointments OF post
masters. appraisers, internal revenue
aAiu ilS Inv u ~ WI
iirmed by the senate, are made. In
this particular case, as it ha, pens, Mr..
Wanamaker is peculiarly fit for the
position, being already an assistant
appraiser, who has rendered good SER
vice in that place, and his appoint
.inent Is the promotion of a proper
Ia
The refusal to appoint a good
Hughes man as collector of customs
at Plattsburg' refers to the case of
Walter Witherbee and the accusation
in this case is particularly comic, be-
cause Mr.. Witherbee was an open and
ayowed Taft man, the classmate of
secretary Taft's brother at Yale, and
both Secretary Taft and his brother
requested his reappointment-the only
New York o~ficeholder for whom they
made such a request. The congress.
man from his district and the senators
have not agreed about his successor
and he is still in office. These facts
were either known to the editors OF
the paper in question or could have
been found out by the slightest in
quiry. There remains the allegations
as to the appointment OF Taft workers
TO postofices in Ohio. The charges re
late to only three out OF the whole
number, eleven hundred and siXty.foul
postoffces; that of these three, two
were nominated in the usual fashion
on the recommendation of the outgo
tng congressman, and that the thirt
nomination was made on the report o
The Inspector and would have beer
made without the slightest regard a