Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-02-14
PRESIDENTS
! STATEMENT
HAS NOT USED FEDERAL PATRON.
AGE TO FURTHER NoMiNA.
TioN OF TAFT.
EXPLAINS HIS COURSE
TELLS HOW AND WHY APPOINT.
MENTs HAVE BEEN
MADE.

Washington. - President Eoorevelt
has made answer to the recent public
statements that he has made use OF
federal patronage TO further the presi-
dental interests OF Secretary Taft. The
answer IL In the form OF letter ad-
dressed TO William Dudley Fouike OF
Richmond. Indiana. and includes let.
ter from foulke to the President sus-
gesting the need OF such statement.
The President begins by character
king the charges as false and mali
cious, He follows this with an anal
ysis OF all appointments sent by him 10
the Senate for It's action. to show that
in NO case has the proximity Of u
presidential contest influenced his ac-
lions.
Fouike's letter. dated February sth.
says. In part:
"On January 18th l laid before you
nm article In the Indianapolis News Ia
paper supporting the candidacy Of Mr..
FairbanksJ. accusing you Of using the
federal patronage to secure the nomi'
nation OF Mr.. Taft and naming the post
Offices In particular.
II spoke OF the fact tha, certain Taft
men had been nominated In Ohio. nnd
you answercd that that was true: that
you would be very weak II YOU allowed
the power Of appointment In that state
TO be used only m n means OF attack
upon the administration.
-On my return home observed other
articles making similar charges In VA.
rious papers.
These charges also continue to be
circulated by other newspapers In all
parts o. the country.
In vieH Of these reiterated com.
plants. would not detailed statement
Of your recent appointments. the men
BY whom they were raised. your rea.
sons and the principles upon which
you have acted In making them. as well
as a statement In regard to the alleged
coercion, be tho best method OF cxhib.
iting the facts? Yours truly.
tSixncd) "wM. DUDLEY fOULkE."
In his reply to Foulkc President
Roosevelt says:
..The statement that have used III.
ofiiccs Ia the efforts to nominate any
presidential candidate IN both false and
malicious. II Is the usual imaginative
invention which flows from desire to
nay something injurious. Remember
That those now making this accusation
were busily engaged two months ago
u
to secure my own nomination.
since the present Congress Assem-.
bied, two months ago. have sent TO
tho Senate the names Of all the ON.
clnls I have appointed for the entire
period since Congress adjourned ON the
lth Of March last. that is. for eleven
months.
Excluding army and navy officers.
scientific experts. health officers and
those Of the revenue cutter service.
have made during this period about
1852 appointments subject to coniirma.
ton by the Senate. 1.16i being post
masters. The appointments III the dip.
lomatic and consular services and In
the indian service have been made
without regard to politics.
In nominating Judges have treated
politics as q wholly secondary consider
alton, and, instead Of relying solely
upon the recommendation Of either sen.
ators or congressman, have always con.
Quoted independent inquiries myself.
There remain the great bulk OF OF.
fees. including almost all OF the post.
o6ices. tho collectorships Of customs.
the appraiserships. the land offices and
the like, numbering some 1880 or
thereabont II il. OF course. out OF the
question for me to examine or have
knowledge Of such multitude OF mp
pointments, and therefore. rs regards
them I generally accept the sugges-
tious OF senator's and congressman. the
elected representatives Of the people
in the localities concerned. always re-
saving TO myself the right to insist
Jpbu the mans coming up to the re.
quincd standard OF character and capa.
cit1 and also reserving the right
to nominate whomsoever choose.
II for any reason am satisfied that I
am not receiving from senator or con-
gressman good advice. or II happen to
personally know some peculiarly ft
man.