The Globe-republican., 1908-02-13
THE PRESIDENT 5 DENIAL
Mr.. Roosevelt Declares he Has Made
No Appointments In Interest Of
Secretary Taft.
FORAKER REPLIES TO The STATEMENT

The OHIO senator RelterateS HIS
Charge That Postmaster Was Re-
moved for Expressing Anti-Taft SEN
timents In His State-Claims Writ.
ten Testimony Regarding Affair.
Washington, Feb. 11.-President
Roosevelt Sunday 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 letter addressed to William
Dudley Foulke, of Richmond Ind, and
includes a letter from Mr.. Foulke to
the president suggesting the need of
such statement.
The president begins by characterlz-
ing the charges as false and mali
cious" He follows this with an analy-
sis of all appointments sent by him
to the senate for its action to show
that in no case has the proximity Of
presidential contest influenced his
actions.
He closes the statement as follows
In my letter to the civil service COM
mission Of June IL, 1902, which now
holds good and will be enforced, Of
ficers are warned not to use their
places to control political movements,
nor to coerce their subordinates, nor
to neglect their public duties for poll
tical work, nor to cause any public
scandal by their political activity; but
outside Of the classified service they
are not otherwise limited In political
activity. No officer will be permitted
to violate the above injunction, with
my knowledge, no matter for what
candidate he may be working; and l
may add that the only officers as to
whom any question of violation of this
injunction has hitherto ariser have
been men who are not working for
Mr.. Taft.
"The. above is a full statement Of the
facts. Not an appointment has been
made that would not have been made
If there had been no presidential con-
test impending and in no case has
there been a deviation from the course
that would have pursued had none of
those who actually are candidates for
the nomination been candidates; nor
has single officerholder been re-
moved or threatened with removal or
coerced in any way to secure his sup
port for any presidential candidate. In
fact, the only coercion that | have at
tempted to exercise was to forbid the
officeholders from pushing my own re-
nomination, this being done in letter
sent to the members of my cabinet on
November 10, 1907"
Senator Foraker Monday made re.
ply to the presidents statement con.
corning charges that public patronage
has ben used by him (the PRESIDENT
for political purposes. He took the
floor in the senate on a question of
personal privilege and reading at
length from the presidents CORE.
spondence with William Dudley
Foulke, proceeded to explain his own
attitude towards the federal patronage
in Ohio.
Mr.. Foraker opened his remarks by
saying that on January IA, 1908, the
senate in executive session, at the in.
stance of the two senators from Ohio,
refused to confirm certain postoffice
which had been made by
the president.
Urged by our friends of the press
as to the reasons why We had taken
such action" said Mr.. Foraker, q
made a statement in about these
words: That the action taken meant
that there would not be in Ohio any
further prostitution of patronage for
political purposes without being re
sented'"
1T Is difficult to prove cases of this
said Mr.. Foraker, because
ordinarily there is no evidence reduced
to writing bearing on them.
but fortunately" he added, 1--WE
have one case in Ohio where there is
written testimony" He referred to
The recess appointment of Charles H. |
Bryson as postmaster at Athens, O.,
who, he said, was appointed without
his solicitation upon recommendation |
Of Representative Alfred Douglass. He |
hen read from local paper an inter
view with Mr.. Bryson in which he |
stated Taft lost his following in Ohio |
Ind Foraker had greatly grown in |
strength.
At the conclusion of the reading of |
he interview Mr. Foraker observed |
hat there was nothing in it hostile to |
Secretary Taft, but that it expressed |
IN honest difference of opinion on a
subject entirely within his rights of
Individual opinion. Mr.. Bryson re-
urned to Athens, said Mr.. Foraker,
ntirely unconscious that he had made
my trouble until few days later,
When he received letter from Repre-
entative Douglass telling of talk he
lad with Postmaster General Meyer
n the subject of the appointment. Ac.
ording to this letter Mr.. Douglass
ad been sent for to be told that the
resident had decided not to appoint
Tr prvcon oftor oil Dapcocoo4o4i,o |