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Many rats take chunks of cheese labeled “Graft” from a large block of cheese labeled “Public Office” and run into a hole labeled “Statute of Limitations,” as a black cat with a collar labeled “The Recall” approaches through an open doorway.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1911-05-03
President Roosevelt advises Republican delegate James Sullivan Clarkson to take caution in his dealings with the United States Civil Service Committee, but to feel free to call on Roosevelt or his allies if need be.
1902-05-05
Theodore Roosevelt informs his sister Anna Roosevelt he turned down New York City Mayor-elect William Lafayette Strong’s offer of becoming Street Cleaning Commissioner. After much thought, Roosevelt wants to complete the work he started as a Civil Service Commissioner. He urges Anna to take care of herself and describes Christmas Day activities.
1894-12-26
Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt tells journalist Edward Porritt he will send him half a dozen reports of the Commission. He insists “probably not one percent” of jobs in the classified service are influenced by politics and asks Porritt to give him the names of his informants so Roosevelt can speak with them. He admits the spoils system of the last sixty years leaves the impression favoritism is used in classified service appointments but that it is no longer the case.
1895-01-12
Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt thanks Boston Journal editor William Warland Clapp for his article in support of the fight in the House of Representatives over funding for the Commission. Roosevelt says the pretense behind denial of funding was a fraud and thankfully all the money was approved and received in one lump sum.
1890-02-15
Commissioner Roosevelt will have the review sent to The Atlantic Monthly by the deadline and it will be 1,800 words. He doubts there would be any interest in a Civil Service article and he could not write it at this time.
1892-03-14
Governor Durbin defends James N. Tyner on the basis of their long relationship and the integrity Tyner has shown during his career in public service.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-03-27
Rollo Ogden encloses an article on the Indianola case and expresses his approval of President Roosevelt’s handling of the issue. Ogden informs the president that he has become the editor of The Evening Post and assures him that the paper will praise him when he does the right thing but will not hesitate to criticize him when it is warranted. He commends Roosevelt on his efforts in civil service reform.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-02-04
Austen G. Fox would like to speak with President Roosevelt regarding some men who wish to enter public service.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-10-06
Colonel Constant Williams informs General Adna Chaffee that it will take some time to investigate the charges that Civil Governor James Ross raised about the military in the province of Ambos Camarines in the Philippines, and that his official report will therefore be delayed. Williams nevertheless sends a quick letter to clear up doubts about the attitude of the military towards the civil government. He says that the military has done everything it could to be helpful and cordial towards the civil government, and illustrates this by describing an instance of helping treat a cholera outbreak. He also addresses several charges that Ross brought forward including a recent fire, as well as the killing of a Filipino girl. Williams says that Ross seems to want to pick a fight with the military, but that he will not be drawn into a conflict.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-06-04
William Dudley Foulke objects to the appointment of Dulany as messenger because there are already messengers on the eligible list and Dulany has not been employed long enough to be classified as a messenger. Foulke points out that President Roosevelt would incur criticism for breaking established civil service policy when he claims to be supportive of civil service reform.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-04-16
Thomas Roberts Slicer is making the case that Edward F. McSweeney has performed admirably at his position in the United States Industrial Commission and quotes a letter from Albert Clarke to do so. McSweeney has other supporters including Jacob Riis and Arthur Von Briesen. Slicer thinks that McSweeney should resign, but only after he has had the opportunity to answer the charges against him as an civil servant should.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-04-11
Cornelius Newton Bliss has understood from Senator Platt that United States Marshal William Henkeli and Internal Revenue Service Collector Charles H. Treat may be retained in office by President Roosevelt. Bliss asserts that if merit is to be considered, the men deserve re-appointment.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-10-08
Herbert M. Seymour requests Vice President Roosevelt’s help in obtaining an appointment as a special inspector in the Interior Department. Seymour applied two years ago with the help of Representative Aaron V. S. Cochrane of New York. He was told there were no vacancies then, but now there are two new special inspector positions. Seymour and his family are from Columbia County, New York, and worked to elect Roosevelt twice. Seymour asks Roosevelt to pass his application and a recommendation on to Secretary of the Interior Ethan Allen Hitchcock. Seymour encloses several letters of recommendation, which he requests be returned to him with Roosevelt’s response.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-03-04
James Bronson Reynolds confers with Theodore Roosevelt about problems in a particular district regarding a civil service bill.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1899-09-19
Carl Schurz has contacted President-Elect Grover Cleveland about Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt’s desire to meet with him. Based on Cleveland’s response, Schurz expresses his hope that Roosevelt will be retained in his position on the Civil Service Commission.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1893-01-04
Secretary of the Treasury Carlisle responds to an inquiry by Theodore Roosevelt about an interview given by Mr. Cumming, an employee of the Treasury Department, to the Washington Post. Cumming gave the interview as a private citizen and believes the statements he made about the civil service to be true. Carlisle does not believe he can take action against him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1894-03-12
Speaker of the House Henderson shared Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt’s letter with a gentleman who claimed the law had been violated by a particular appointment. The complainant calmed down on reading the letter but still insisted that improprieties were being committed regarding places on the register of special pension examiners. Henderson acknowledges that it may be impossible to prevent all violations of the law, but he believes in Roosevelt to confront any one who might do so.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1895-02-28