West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-10-22
Removed for Incompetency

Washington, Oct. 20.--That George
NJ. Bowers was removed from his office of
commissioner OF fisheries because OF in
competency, and not for political reasons,
was stated here by William G.. Redfeld,
Secretary of Commerce in President Will
sons cabinet. The attention OF Secretary
Redfield had been called to the fact that
Mr.. Bowers, for almost is years United
States Commissioner OF fisheries, and
now candidate for Congressman from
che Second West Virginia district, had
been representing himself as a martyr
because he was the first man discharged
from tae Department of Commerce after
the Democratic administration was in
augurated, and alleging that his discharge
was solely on the ground of his political
activity.
Secretary Redfeld laughed when he
heard the claims of Mr.. Bowers. He
said it was true that Mr.. Bowers was
among his earliest removals after he as
sumed charge OF the Department of Com
merce, but that he was not removed on
political grounds, but because Mr.. Bowers
was untitled for the place and incompetent
to do the work. During the rs years
that Mr.. Bowers was commissioner of
fisheries, Secretary Redfeld stated he had
not written a single line i'm any of the
reports TO which his name had been
signed, but that they had all been pre-
pared and written 10y his assistants and
all he had ever done was to sign his name
to them as fish commissioner. Not a
sentence was contributed by Mr.. Bowers
during all the years he occupied the of
flee, to either the educational or scien-
titic department Of the commission, said
Mr.. Redfeld.
The Secretary stated that Mr.. Bowers
had been appointed by President MoKin-
ley to carry out political promise and
that President Mckinley was fully ac-
quainted with his lack of knowledge
when Mr.. Bowers was appointed and
that little was expected Of him.
Comparing the work of the bureau of
fisheries in connection with the sale of
seal skins for the government, Secretary
Rediield said that under Mr.. Bowers
administration of the bureau the seal
skins were counted and sold in London,
while under the present administration
they are sold in st. Louis. BUYERS from
all over the world have come to st. Louis
to get them, said he, but the preference
has been given to American manufacture
ers and industries in the sale and a much
higher price has been realized from the
sales in this country than from the for
mer sales in London.
Mr.. Bowers seemed to prefer selling
the sealskins in London to selling them
in this country, the practice affording
him many pleasure trips to England and
elsewhere at the expense OF the United
States government.
Secretary Redfed's statement that
MIR. Bowers was appointed by President
Mckinley to carry out political promise
recalls the circumstances of his appoint-
ment. Mr.. Bowers was an applicant for
the position OF commissioner of internal
revenue and was understood to have been
promised 1t as reward for political
services. But President Mckinley an
pointed another man to that position and
Senator Elkins then insisted that Bowers
should be made fish commissioner. He
was appointed and for about is years
he served Mr.. Elkins and his party.
rather than his country, as Secretary
Redfield's statements show, at $4,000 a
year. He has been out OF that office
little more than year and is now asking
for position that pays 81, 800 a year.