The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1908-02-11

about it. but determined. and evil
IDENTIFY was carrying out the presi-
dents orders
Mr.. Douglass then went 10 the
white house where be took uL the
matter WIN Secretary Loeb who said
the president could see mo reason
for appointing men to office who
were not in harmony with his poll
cies.' Mr.. Loeb said the president
was determined that Mr.. Douglass
should recommend another appoint
ment.
Mr.. Foraker said Mr Douglass had
told Mr.. Bryson that 1t would be ad-
visable for him to come TO Washing
ton and take the matter up himself.
Mr.. Douglass subsequently saw the
president and the story of the con-
ference at the white house was told
in a letter which MIR Douglass i'm
mediately sent to Mr.. BrysOn. say
ing: The president bluntly told
me that he would have to recon-
mend another man" Mr. Douglass
said that he urged the president to
reconsider, but that he was insis-
tent
Mr.. Foraker said he did not want
to comment upon the correspondence
beyond showing the pressure brought
to bear on one man who had express
ed his personal view on matter
on which he had a right to express
them, to 5oerce him, as the presi-
dent has said in his letter.
Mr.. Bryson then sent a letter to
Mr.. Douglass said Mr.. Foraker, in
which he said that in his interview
he had said that Taft was losing and
Foraker gaining in Ohio, and that
7 aft, if nominated, could not carry
the state. Mr.. Bryson reiterated
this and declared that it was true
He said that he had always been in
favor of the presidents policies and
that nothing had ever appeared In
his paper in opposition to the ad-
ministration. He reviewed some OF
the things he had printed, however,
including the statement that the
president would be compelled to take
another nomination because with
Taft as a candidate the LABOR and
capital and negro vote would DC
eliminated from the party. He as
serted that the presidents statement
of his (Bryson) activities, as repre-
sented by Mr.. Douglass, was entirely
" L.
son said
Il favor the president, but not his
candidate. And | shall 1ot as long
as | think Bryan can beat him at the
he letter contained a declaration
Of political independence SO far as ex-
pressing preferences for candidates
is concerned and Mr.. BrysOn an
nOunced that while he would like
to continue in the office he would
not do so by the sacrifice of his in
dependence and the president could
give the office to some one who was
willing to carry out his personal
wishes in all matters.
He said that he supposed Mr..
Douglas had laid the letter before
the president and that the president
deCiCed to send in the nomination.
MI. Foraker gave the president en-
tire credit for seeing the justice OF
ouch a course.
Commenting upon Senator Foraker'S
re marks in the senate today, Postmas-
ter General Meyer later gave out the
following:
Il do not quite understand Senator
Foraker in the charge today because
his statement itself shows that not
withstanding the president knew that
Postmaster Bryson favored Foraker:
he sent in Bryson's name for master
at Athens, Ohio. The president had
previously directed me to hold up the
nomination it having been alleged to
him that Bryson had been guilty of
corruption and had been a violent op
ponent of the administration policies.
After looking up the matter l notified
the president that the charges had been
Investigated, were not sustained, and
proved to be wholly unjustifiable. The
president then, directed me to send in
his name. It was accordingly sent in
as soon as the senate re-assemh]e1
after the Christmas holidays When
the preide2t gaze his direction to
send his name, he and I knew that
Bryson was a friend Of Senator Fora
ker." :