Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-10
CALLS CHARGES FALSE
Roosevelt Denies That He Is
Using Offices to Aid Taft.
He CITES PLATTSBURG CASE
In Letter to William Dudley Foulks
President Calls Newspaper Accusa-
tion a Deliberate Invention" and
Challenges Disproof From Anybody.


ton a Deliberate Invention" and
Challenges Disproof From Anybody.
Washington, Feb. 10. = President
Roosevelt made answer at great length
to the recent statement that he made
use of federal patronage to further
the presidential interests of Secretary
Taft. The answer is in the form of a
letter to William Dudley Foulke OF
Richmond, Ind, and includes letter
from Mr.. Foulke to the president sug-
gesting the need of such a statement.
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 imaginative
invention which flows from a desire to
say something injurious. Remember
that those now making this accusation
were busily engaged two months ago
in asserting that l was using the of
fees to secure my own denomination.
1t is the kind of accusation which for
the next few months will be rife. This
particular slander will be used until
exploded, and when exploded those
who have used it will promptly invent
another. ..
"At present various efforts are being
made to get up bolting delegations
from the southern states, and the meet
ings at which these so called delegates
are chosen are usually announced as
nonofflceholders' conventions. AS a
rule. this means only, so far as it
means anything, that they are held un-
der 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 fit to be appoint
ed under this administration. In these
cases be it remembered that the fail
ure to secure Office is not the result Of
the political action of the men in ques-
ton. On the contrary, their political
action is due to their failure to secure
office.
"You quote newspaper New York
Evening POST as saying:
1--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 postofiices in Ohio and of
the totally unfit George w. Wanna
ker as appraiser of this port Is now
followed by the presidents refusal to
reappoint good Hughes man as col
lector of customs at Plattsburg.'
This article is good example OF
the accusations made by those Of our
opponents whose partisanship renders
them especially INSCRIPTIONS and un-
truthful. Mr.. Wanmaker's appoint
ment was made precisely in conform
ance with custom. Mr.. Wanmaker
is peculiarly fit for the position, being
already an assistant appraiser who
has rendered good service in that
place, has served as acting appraiser
several times and has very good rec
ord.
1.-The refusal to reappoint good
Hughes man as collector of customs
at Plattsburg,' refers to the case OF
Mr.. Walter Witherbee, and the accu-
sation in this case is particularly COM
&C., because Mr.. Witherbee was an open
and avowed Taft man, the classmate
Of Secretary Tafts brother at Yale,
and Secretary Taft and his brother re-
Quested his reappointment-the only
New York officehoder for whom they
made such a request.
"The statements in the editorial In
question are untrue in every particu-
lar.
"As for your quotation from another
newspaper Boston Herald, running as
follows: Somebody has instructed
postmasters that they must obtain
from their subordinates either their
designations or their pledges Of sup
port for Taft delegates to the conyen-
tion. Even in Massachusetts Efforts OF
this kind have recently been made.
There is really nothing TO say except
that Il does not contain the slightest
particle Of truth. and that the misstate-
ment is so gross that II is difficult TO
believe II other than deliberate in
vention. There Is not the slightest
foundation for II. and no successful ef-
fort can be made TO show that there is
the slightest foundation for il.
''If such assertions as those of these
papers are made in good faith. on
knowledge OF facts and with any other
purpose than to produce political ef-
feet by false pretenses or by reckless
statement without knowledge. let those
making them produce the specific cases
20 which they refer. II in any such
case the accusation Is found true. IL
will have occurred without my knowl-
edge. and l shall deal with II in the
precise spirit Of my instructions TO the
civil service commission hereinafter
referred to.
MY interference with patronage
matters in Ohio has been limited to In
siSting. as I should insist anywhere
else, that opposition TO the purposes.
policies and friends Of the administra-
ton shall not he considered as ncces-
sary prerequisite 10 holding the com
mission Of the president
In my hitter 70 the civil service
commission Of June u. 1892 which
now hoIls good and win be enforced.
officers are warned not 10 use their
places to c0ntrol political movements
nor 20 eoerce their SuborfinzteS nor to
neglect their puIsIIe duties for political
WORK nor 10 cause any pubic scandal
by their polifiral activity. but outsidl