The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-01

Washington. April 3O.-As a result
of investigation of administrative con
ditions AT the Ellis Island immigration
station at New York Robert Watc-
horn, the commissioner of immigra-
tlon. may retire in June Secretary
Nagel of the department OF commerce
and labor. is considering Herbert
Knox Smith, commissioner of corpora
lions and a member of President
Roosevelt's tennis cabinet, as his sue
cesSor,
Charges were preferred against Mr..
Watchorn early in the year by Henry
Balfe. who formerly held a concession
at Ellis Island They were investi-
gated by the department of commerce
and labor. Mr.. Smitr being In charge
of the investigation. President
Roosevelt was at first dlsinclined to
consider the charges seriously, and
sent Mr. Watchorn's nomination 10
succeed himself to the senate. There
upon additional charges we're made,
and Mr. WatchoTns name was with
drawn. Four days before the eXpira-
ton of his term Mr.. Roosevelt sent
the name back TO the senate.
The charges were not made public
here at the time and the department
of commerce and labor will not dis
close them pOw When the subject
was finally brought to an issue 1t is
said that MI Watchorn offered to re-
tire, and in this connection the nfor-
nation is forthcoming that he will
slep out about June. when the work
Of the quarter is ended
One criticism Of Watchorn's admin
istration is that he did not remain
"on the job" as closely as he should
A close and enthusiastic student OF
immigration problems. he has deliver
ed many lectures on the subject, and
this practice did not meet with the
approval of the new secretary Of com
merce and labor.
Secretary Nagel is anxious TO i'm
prove the administration of Ellis Is
land, which in his opinion should be
in charge Of a man of legal training
For this reason he has considered MI.
Smith
The latter entered tho bureau OF
corporations as assistant commission
er when it was first created. Pres1-
dent Roosevelt appointed him TO sue
ceed James r. Garfield several years
ago. AS commissioner he investigated
and rendered several extensive reports
on the organization and activities OF
the Standard OIL company. These re-
ports formed in part the basis oil the
government suits for dissolution oil the
Standard Oil company.
The news that Mr. Smith is being
considered for the Ellis Island billet
accounts for the recent reports that he
might retire as commissioner Of cor
porations. Who Will succeed him in
that post has not yet been decided.
New York, April 30.-'I have not
resigned from my post and know moth
ing OF the appointment of a man to
succeed me as commissioner OF immi-
grafton at New York"
These were the words of Robert
Watchorn, who has been stationed at
the main immigration gateway Of the
rew world for four years. when he told
q reporter last night that he knew
nothing Of the reported action OF
President Taft in replacing him with
Herbert Knox Smith, the present com
missioner OF the bureau of corpora
tions.
Commissioner Watchorn has been in
yolved in a peculiar series of circum-
stances in his Office since the first
part of the year and his case has
attracted considerable attention. His
regular term of service in Office eX-
pired on February 10, according to a
statement made by him last night. but
he has remained In office since, attend
ing to the many duties of the place
since that time.
President Roosevelt sent the nomi-
nation OF Mr. Watchorn to the senate
for ratification more than month be-
fore the commissioners term was to
expire Ii was generally understood
III Washington and in this city that
Mr.. Watchorn would succeed himself
in the Office.
On January D, however. without Civ
ing any reason further than that
charges had been made against Com
missioner WaLchorn, President Roose-
welt withdrew the nomination from the
senate There was much speculation
as TO the nature of the charges filed
with the president. but it was general
ly reported that they were of tech
nical nature, the commissioner having
made many enemies while in Office be-
cause of the rigid manner in which
he enforced the laws,
Four days before President Roose-
yelts term of Office expired he again
sent 10 the senate the nomination OF
Mr.. Watchorn, While the nature OF
the charges made against Mt Watc-
horn were never made public, the act
OF President Roosevelt was taken by
| friends OF Mr. Watchorn TO indicate
that the charges had been disproved
The senate postponed action on the
nomination until after the inaugura
ton of President Taft, and the matter
has not since been given considera-
| tlon,