The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-10
FORAKER TAKES IT UP.
Replies to Roosevelt's Letter on Floor
Of the Senate.

w asnlngton, Feb. Ex-senator For |
aker today made reply to the presf-
dents statement published this morn |
lns concerning charges that public pat
ronage had been used by him, the pres |
ident, Tor political purposes. He took |
..e moor IN the senate on question
VI personal privilege and reading at
length from the presidents CORES
pondence with William Dudley Foulke
proceeded to explain his own attitude
towards the federal patronage in Ohio. |
MT. FORAKER opened his remarks by
saying that on January IA, 1908, the SEN
ate In executive session at the instance
or the two senators from Ohio, refused
10 confirm certain postoffice appoint
ments, which had been made by the
president
Urged by our friends of the press as
10 the reasons why we had taken such |
action, said Mr.. Foraker, 81 made a |
statement in about these words: That
the action taken meant that there
would not be in Ohio any further pros
tltutlon OF patronage for political pur
poses without its being resented
mat, the senator said, seemed to be
enough and it was announced that the
president would make a fun and detail
Cd answer to all the charges of that
kind. Mr. Foraker referred to the pres
ident's- statement published in the pa
pers and said he did not propose to go
into details in his reply to that state
ment because the appointment of a
Which he lived is not of interest to the
public. He read part of the presi-
dents statement in which the latter
declared that no presidential candidate
had been favored In any appointments,
Matter Is Important.
These general propositions are inn
portant,' said Mr.. Foraker, referring
to the presidents words. while the
people of the country are not inter-
ested in specific details OF appoint
me nfG a mt cd in he
eral propositions enunciated by the
president; they are interested in
knowing that the appointments are
made with an eye single to the good
by this statement, recognizes the inn
portance Of observing these PROPOSE
tions.
cit is difficult to prove cases Of this
character" said Mr.. Foraker, be
cause ordinarily there is no evidence |
reduced to writing bearing on them. |
"But fortunately" he added, we
have one case in Ohio, where there Is
written testimony. I do not charge
anybody with bad faith. 1 supposed
all the while that the president was
acting upon recommendations made
to him without knowledge of the basis
of fact upon which this recommends
tons rested"
He referred to the recent appoint
ment of Charles H. Bryson as postmas-
pointed without his solicitation upon
recommendation Of Representative
Alfred Douglass. He then read from q
local paper an Interview with MI BY
son, in which he stated that TAFT hao
lost his following in Ohio and FORAKER
had greatly grown in strength: AT the
conclusion OF the reading of the inter-
view Mr.. Foraker observed that there
was nothing in it hostile to Secretary
Taft but that it expressed an honest
difference Of opinion on subject en-,
tirely within his rights of indlvldual
opinion. Mr.. Bryson returneo 70
conscious that he had made any trouble,
until few days later, when he received
a letter from Representative Douglas
telling of q talk he had with Postmas-
ter General Myer On the subject OF the
appointment. According to TINS letter
Mr. Douglas had been sent for to pc
told that the president had decided not
to appoint MT. Bryson after all Repre-
sentative Douglas said that the post
master general was nice about it, but
determined, and evidently was carry
ing out the presidents oroelo. ~
From the postoffice department MI
Douglass went to the White House
where he took up the matter with Mr..
Loeb the presidents secretary, VINO
said the president could see mo rea-
son for appointing men TO once VINO
were, not IN. "iSAA N~S
cies.''
Mr.. Loeb, according to Mr.. Doug
lass letter, said the president was
determined that Mr.. Douglass snouio
recommend another appointment.
Mr.. Foraker said that Mr.. Doug
lass had told Mr.. Bryson that 1t would
he advisable for him to come TO
Washington and take the matter up
himself. After receiving reply
dated December 9, in which Mr. Bry-
son said he would be in washington
within day or so, Mr.. Douglass saw
the president The story of the con-
ference at the White House was told
in a. letter which Mr.. Douglass I'M
mediately sent to Mr.. Bryson saying:
.rThe president bluntly told me that
r would have to recommend anotner
man Mr.. Douglass said that ne
urged the president to reconsider, but
that he was insistent. a..
Mr.. Foraker said that ne olo not
want to comment upon the cores
nondenee beyond showing the pres
snre that had been brought to pear
on one man who had expressed ms
| nersonal views on a matter OF which
he had a right to express them, TO
scoerce' as the president has said IN
his letter..
r, p Jones Goes to Los Angeles.
T. r. Jones, a former official of the
Tavas a. Gulf railroad, left Topeka
Yesterday for Los Angeles. wnere ne