The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-02-16
MAY BE MARTYRS
TO LOVE FOR IRISH
Employees Of Naval Office Violate
Law to Give Retiring Colonel
Silver Cup

The silver loving cup that the Ii civil
service clerks of the customs naval office
presented to Colonel John P. Irish is
likely to prove far greater stest OF
affection than planned. Under the
plain terms of the law each of the
contributors lays himself open to sum-
mary dismissal from the service.
General George Stone was installed
naval officer of the port at 9 o'clock
yesterday morning. Ceremonies opened
with the presentation of the loving
cup to the retiring Colonel Irish. The
colonel thanked his clerks with a
choked voice and moist eyelids and
then ferventIy wished the general good
luck and happy days. Not to be out
done, the general hoped the colonel
would 'bask into an idyllic old age on
the ranch. Special Deputy Collector
Billy Hamilton administered the oath
of. office, and the general was soon left
alone to administer his new duties as
naval officer.
NO DOUBT ABOUT LAW
1t happens that section 1884 of the
Revised Statutes of the United States
reads:
mo officer, clerk or employee in the
employ of the United States govern
ment shall at any time solicit con-
tributions from other officers, clerks
or employees in the government service
for gift or present to- those in
superior official position. Nor shall
any officer, clerk or employe make any
gift or present to any official superior.
Every person who violates this section
shall be summarily discharged.
I'll. ,f,t, ~-f Joc
being of handsome design stands a
foot and a half high and holds half
a peck. was bought while the colonel
was still in office. Its inscription was
engraved and everything connected
with its history, except the actual pres
entation, took place before General
Stone assumed his new duties. 1t is
even said about the custom house that
the colonel had more than an linking
OF what was going on.
GENERAL STONE GUARDED
General Stone was rather guarded
in his remarks over the affair. The
rosy events of the morning put the
whole third floor in a good humor for
the day, and the general seemed dis
inclined to stir up any unpleasantness.
81 knew IL was wrong, said the
general, but it happened before came
into Office and 1t was not for me then
to interfere. There is no doubt that
the clerks acted fnnocently. They
thought, perhaps, that the presentation
and not the soliciting and giving was
what counted in the law. 1 am sure
they acted innocently. About two years
ago the same thing was tried when
John T. Dare retired from the apprais-
ers. Dare sat on it. Yes. it's too bad,
but / am certain this is due to ignor-
ance."
Collector Stratton, who 10 years ago
nipped in the bud similar honor at
the retirement of Surveyor Spear,
frankly admitted yesterday that the
language of the statute is so plain as
to leave no doubt, but said the case is
up to General Stone
IRISH REFUSES TO TALK
When the news was carried TO him.
Colonel Irish was as badly agitated as
if he had found himself wearing
necktie. He declined to talk.
a time honored precedent was upset
yesterday in the appearance of the
naval officer at a.. m. 1t is GUS
tomary for the officer to wander in
about noon and then wander out. The
office itself is a survival of the days
when England put naval officers over
the custom offices of the thirteen colo
MES TO see that the home government
was not cheated For reasons best
known to politics the position has sur
vived as general supervising depart
ment, checking accounts. Colonel Irish
has been drawing down $4,000 a year
very handily since early in Cleveland's
second term, continuing by reason of his
gold campaigning done in behalf of
Mckinley. Although there had for
years been constant rumors of his re-
tirement, only General Stone was able
to make good