The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-07-05
MACVEACH TELLS WHY
He DISMISSED ANDREW
Says Assistant Secretary Was
Both Inefficient and
DisObcdicnt.
CALLSLETTERS SCURRlLOrS
Declares Andrew Tried to Stick,
Though Asked Four
Times to Resign.

swcr to the charge OF his former as
sistant, \. Piatt Andrew.
II regret that 1t seems necessary to
refer to the letters published by A. Piatt
Andrew and addressed TO the President
and to me
THE violence OF the attack has prob
ably limited Its effects. but apart from
the attack upon me he strangely misrcp-
resen;s a number of the chief men Of the
Treasury Department to whom | at
tribute a large measure Of the success
of the department work and seems Ia
deny that anything has been accom-
plishcd either by them or anybody else.
II am obliged therefore TO restore Mr.
Andrews resignation to its proper
light
MIR Andrew says he resigned be-
cause of the conditions in the Treasury
Department of which he d!sapprovcs. A
comparison of this statement with the
facts is probably the simplest way To
test the animus and the Vcraclty Of
his letters.
He did not resign voluntarily. but
was asked To resign--and asked repeat
edly-and he used every effort and In
flucnce possible To get the requeat tnr
his resignation withdrawn and pleaded
to he allowed to continue in his place.
and II was when he had failed to
have the request for his resignation
withdrawn and because of this that he
made his attack and chose to give the
impression that his resignation was a
matter Of his own choice and deter
mined for public reasons.
THE details as to his resignation are
az follows:
"On June -. when Mr.. Andrew re-
turned from Chicago. I formally asked
in note for his resignation. He called
on m~ at once to urge me to change
my mind and allow him to stay.
AT his wish I explained at length my
reasons and listened to all his argu-
ments md wishes. felt. however.
obliged to tell him the request for his
resignation could not be withdrawn 7
supposed Mr.. Andrew would send his
resignation promptly and as matter
Of course as | had never known of a
case where such request had not been
promptly compiled with.
Il waited however. without reply un-
I'll June ~. | then wrote again repeat
ing the request. on the 18th Mr.. An
drew sent me brief note. treating tho
matter with vagueness. replied !mme-
|diatcly. saying could not accept vague
ness, but wished to have that day his
resignation or his refusal TO resign. To
this he did not reply at all.
And therefore on July I wrote a
fourth time. renewing the re quest and
communicating a copy Of letter ad-
dressed to me by the President author
!z!ng and deciding me to ask for the
resignation.
II asked for a prompt reply. stating
that was going out of town. | went to
Washington on the midnight train with
out hearing from MIR. Andrew and saw
In the next afternoons papers long eX-
tracts from two scurrilous letters. one
to the President and one to me- which
at last conveyed his unwilling resigna :
tion.
Meanwhile as I only learned after a
week. Mr.. Andrew had diligently used
the interval while | was waiting to Sc
cure all the influence he could to aid
him In keeping his place. besides ar
guing the case himself with me and with
certain Senator's: and besides having his
case argued both at the White House
and before me he argued his case HIM
self at the White House.
mir. Andrew did not at any time
mention to me any objection to his
treatment In the Treasury Department
except that he thought | did not give
him as much of my time as ought and
that had sometimes allowed other
callers to be received when he was in
my room.
ION the other hand, some OF those
connected with my ONCE and who were
impartial thought MIR. Andrew had
at certain periods too much of my time
certainly his curious calculation OF the
amount Of the time given him will
strike every one In my Office with won.
dcrment.
mo other complaint or criticism did
Mr.. Andrew ever Offer, and 1t Is hardly
necessary to point out that man whose
grip on his place could hardly shake
loose could scarcely have had found his
place undesirable or his association un-
epdurable
"lt Mr.. Andrew could represent him
self AS resIgning voluntarily when he
was with difficulty forced to resign, II
causes no wonder that he should with
out warrant call as witnesses group Of
important men to the department who
nearly all contradlcted him. and whose
immediate assurances To me by tcle-
graph and telephone are among the
pleasantcst happenings Of official life,
mo one In the department who has
done successful work could. ] believe
indorsc any Of Mr.. Andrews statements
There In nothing out of the usual
In Mr.. Andrews case The work OF the
Treasury Department has been and still
IL strenuous. owing to the programm,
adopted at the beginning Of the Admin
istration and II II necessary tn have
all three of the Assistant Secretaries
MT only able. but efficient
~ was "a nrca, disappointment, to m,
that Mr. Andrew Was not efficient
enough to meet the requirements, and
that II Was necessary to get some on.