The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1914-12-31
EDITORIAL NOTES
BY j. ID. WATSON

- responsible Washington correspondent
Of the New York World, charged Mr.. Bryan
with putting in office political henchmen to-
tally unfit to discharge the duties of the posi-
tions to which they had been appointed-he
charged that Mr.. Bryan had not only filled
positions in his own department with incom-
petents, but had forced them upon every
branch of the government and that one of
the Secretarys friends boastingly made re-
mark to the effect that w. j. had got man
In every department of the government-that
Mr.. Bryan had even meddled in fights over
postmastershlps which had caused the Demo-
Gratis to lose Representatives and Senator.
Mr.. Seibold gave the names of the incom-
petents now on the government pay roll for
whom Mr.. Bryan is responsible, with the
amount of salary each draws.
This, of course created quite stir in poll
teal circles, but it did not create the stir
that the charges against Jas. M. Sullivan,
Minister to Santo Domingo, has created
since the Secretary Of State whitewashed him
and sent him back to Santo Domingo.
To begin with, Sullivan's appointment was
one Of those peculiar things put over at Wash
ington- nobody in particular seeming to be
Sullivan's sponsor, yet behind his candidacy
for the position was an invisible force that
kept the ball rolling until the job was finally
landed.
Senator O'Gorman, of New York, formally
Endorsed him, as did several others, who adj
nit that they knew nothing about the man
or his fitness for the position, but did SO
to accommodate some other person who had
made the request, but Tumulty, the Presi-
dents Secretary, and Hamill, New Jersey
Representative, seemed very much interested
in Sullivan's behalf, and the report has it
that their friendship for Sullivan came
through the Irish societies in which Sullivan,
Tumulty and Hamill affiliated.
Soon after Sullivan went to Santo Do
mingo, rumors began to float back from down
there that things were not going we'll under
the new Minister'S administration.
1t was reported that Sullivan was using his
office to further the interests of certain per-
sons who wished to exploit Santo Domingo
that this crowd was after getting hold of the
country's funds and thereby make them avail
able for executing contracts and exploiting
concessions
Walter w. Wick, the American collector of
the PORT openly charged Sullivan with using
his influence in putting the funds of Santo
Domingo where they could be used by Sulli-
vans friends-Vicl finally becoming SO dis
gusted with Sullivans conduct that he re-
signed his place as Collector of the Port.
Vick's charges against Sullivan were laid
before Mr.. Bryan and were made known to
President Wilson, but nothing was done to
Sullivan nor was his conduct in office In
vestigated, although Tumulty told the differ
ent newspaper correspondents at the White
House that the charges against Sullivan
shave been pronounced groundless by former
Gov. Fort of New jersey VINO made an in
vestigation for President Wilson,"
In the meantime Sullivan had gone off on
a vacation, and upon his return to this country
from Ireland. Mr.. BRYAN pronounced him "a