Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-10
Senator Foraker Replies to
Presidents Letter.
PROOF GIVEN IN ONE CASE
He. Said He Could Get It in
Hundreds of Cases.
TO FURTHER MIR. TAFTS CAUSE
Chamber and Galleries Crowded and
Close Attention Given to the Sena-
tor-Case of Bryson.

Senator Foraker of Ohio. obtaining the
floor in the Senate this afternoon on a
question of personal privilege. answered
the Presidents denial of the alleged use
of federal patronage to further the cause
o. Secretary Taft. the administration can
didate for the presidency. which denial
appeared in the morning papers today in
the form of correspondence between the
President and William Dudley Foulke of
Richmond, Ind.
Senator Foraker offered proof in one
case. and stated that he could get proof
in hundreds of cases. to show that persons
close to the President have used federal
patronage to further the cause of Mr..
Taft and oppose the wishes of the two
Ohio senator's.
During the speech o. the Ohio senator
the Senate chamber and galleries were
crowded. and republicans and democrats
alike turned about in their chairs and
gave him their undivided and closest at
tention.
1t was evident that nothing that has
occurred this session in the Senate has
proved half so interesting to the senators.
Mr.. Forakers statement was terse and
to the point. and he made very few gen.
eral comments upon the proof which he
submitted. The subject was not dis
cussed by any other senator
Some Humor in the Situation.
Humor was added to the tense situa-
tion when the Presidents secretary. Mr..
Latta. was unexpectedly announced by
the Vice President with message from
the President of the United States just
as Mr.. Foraker was in the middle of his
remarks and had finished the statement
that he had proofs of the unfair use OF
federal patronage In hundreds of cases
in Ohio.
dulse me-" began Mr.. Foraker. "I desire
TO speak for few moments upon a Ques-
tion of personal privilege.
On the 14th day of January, 1908. the
Senate, In executive session, at the in
stance Of the two senators from Ohio. re-
fused to confirm certain post ONCE ap-
pointments which had been made by the
President. Interrogated by our friends
taken such action. 1 made statement
about in these words. as nearly I can
recall IT.. That the action taken meant
that there should not be in Ohio any
age for public purposes without Its be-
ing resented
"That is all I said about it. but it
seems to have been enough. A day OF
two later 1 saw it stated in the news
papers that the President would pre-
pare and make full and detailed an
swer to all the charges that have been
made in the newspapers and otherwise.
as to the use of patronage for any i'm
proper purpose by himself. In the morn
ing paper-I refer to the Washington
Post. which I have before me-there ap-
pears a correspondence between the Presi-
dent and the Hon. Dudley w. Foulke Of
Richmond. Ind, formerly civil service
commissioner, as l am Informed and as
recall. In this letter Of the Presi-
dents to Mr. Foulke he takes up all his
appointments made since the last Con-
gress and accounts for them in detail.
He speaks in detail of the Ohio appoint
Inents that were rejected
Will Not Go Into Details.
'I might answer specifically going into
detail. but, Mr.. President. it seems to
me that this is unnecessary in view of
the other things that appear in this
letter. omit therefore. to answer in
detail in the first place. because it is not
very interesting to the people OF this
country who holds a particular post Of
flee outside of the community in which
1t rs held. and it is less interesting to the
people. of this country to know the de-
tails of the controversy leading up to
such an appointment, If there may have
been any controversy.
In all such statements of details. it
may be assumed that there will be found
reasonable grounds fOr differences of
opinion and for controversy. II would
be fruitless effort. therefore. TO under
take TO handy words as to what hap
what the particulr details were what
the particular recommendations We're, or
what were the particular considerations
or influences that brought about the
appointment.
There is something else however. that
j think l can address myself to with
profit in this letter. and in answering that
! will have answered it without going
into details as to all the specific cases
that have been mentioned.
Two General Propositions.
II call attention to two general PROPOSE
tions stated in this letter The President
says. among other things:
My interference with patronage mat
tiers I'm Ohio has been limited to insisting.
I should insist anywhere else. that
opposition to the purposes. policies and
friends of the administration shall not
be considered necessarily as prerequisite
to holding the commission of the Presi-
dent
Evidently there is misuse Of Ian
guage there. / think what the President
intended to say was that agreement with
his policy and his purposes and with the
friends of the administration should not
be taken as necessary prerequisite to
holding presidential commission"
Doesn't Arraign. the President
Il do not charge anybody with bad
faith: I have IT no time charged any
responsibility upon the President per-
sonally for any misuse Of patronage In
Ohio. ! have had in mind what others
have been doing. / have supposed all the
while that the President was acting upon
representations and recommendations
made to him without knowledge of the
basic facts upon which these recon-
mendations and representations rested"
1T Is difficult to prove cases of this
character" said Mr.. Foraker, because
ordinarily there is no evidence reduced to
writing bearing on them.
Case Of Mr.. Bryson.
But fortunately he added. I'VE have
one case in Ohio where there is written
testimony. do not charge anybody with
bad faith. supposed all the while that
the President was acting upon recon-
me ndations made to him without knowl
edge of the basis of fact upon which
these recommendations rested He re-
ferred to the recess appointment Of
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