8 - THH SCRANTON TRIBUNE SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST 3, 1895,
Justice In Behalf
Of - Aaron Burr.
His Attitude Toward Hamilton Strongly
Defended and His Merits Pointed Out.
An anonymous contributor to the
Times-Herald makes tn a recent Issue
of that excellent paper a spirited de
fense of Aaron Burr, which is presented
her for what It Is worth. Stys he:
No public man in American history
tvaa met with so much undeserved ob
loquy as Aaron Burr. A revolutionary
patriot, and a brave and skillful sol
dier, legislator and attorney general of
New York, a senator in congress and
vice-president of the United States, his
name has been for ninety years the
synonym for almost every crime In the
calendar, including treason and mur
der, and yet had It no been for the un
happy duel which equally terminated
the life of Hamilton and his own public
career, he would have been still remem
bered na a politician of unequaled
adroitness, as a statesman of fair abil
ities, as a successful lawyer and as the
almost ideal man of the world.
The story of the duel has been told
many times, but the most popular ac
counts of It have been written by par
tisans of Hamilton who can see no fault
In the character or actions of their hero,
whlie they picture Burr as an unrelent
ing Mephlstopheles, vindictive and re
v. useful, th;stlng for the blood of his
victim. They charge that he forced
Hami'ton into the duel, and that he de
libe.'utcly piactlced pistol shooting in
his garden at Richmond Hill every
morning during the Interval between
the challenge and the meeting, so that
his aim might be all the more deadly,
and they quote Hamilton's own inten
tion of throwing away his first shot, as
If Burr ought to be fully aware of that
fact, and was therefore all the more
criminal in firing upon a practically
unarmel man. All this Is absurd. If
he practiced pistol shooting he was
strictly within his rights, for If per
sonal tllllicultles are to be adjusted on
the field of honor a man must go pre
pared to disable or kill his enemy, and
must consequently possess some skill
In the use of firearms, which does not
come by nature, but by practice. As to
forcing the duel he certainly had cause
enouph according to the "code." for
demandlnganexplanatlonof the opinion
attributed to Hamilton, which he point
ed out, and as for not firing at him
when on the ground, how could he
know what Hamilton's secret Inten
tions mlRht be? A duel is not particu
larly child's play, and particularly U
wa not in those days.
But this Is the sort of stuff that has
been written on this historic duel, all to
the prejudice of Burr and to the exon
eration of Hamilton.
Their Karly Careers.
Burr and Hamilton were nearly of the
same age, according to the received
accounts, Burr being about a year the
elder, though doubt has been often ex
pressed as to Hamilton's reputed age
at 'that time. They were young men
together on Washington's staff and In
the revolutionary army. After the war
they were admitted to the bar about
the same time and commenced practice
in New Tork city, where they soon rose
to eminence, sometimes being engaged
on the same side of a case, but more
frequently being opposed to each other.
In politics Burr took the popular or Re
publican side, Hamilton the Federalist,
and here again they were leaders. In
society they met as friends, and their
lived in a fine mansion on Richmond
Hill, now In the very heart of New
York city, In a house In which Vice
President John Adams had resided
whlto New York remained the seat of
government. Here he entertained lav
ishly, and no distinguished strangers
ever came to the city without being par
takers of Colonel Burr's hospitality.
Hamilton often dined there,
'Hamilton lived In the city, but In the
rummer reMded at a country seat seven
Tillies out, which he called "The
Grange." He also entertained Burr and
his wife end daughter.
So these men advanced toward middle
life as rivals and friends, though the
friendship was only on the surface.
They were Indeed predestined fes, and,
both being believers in the dueling code,
It was us certain as fate that sooner
or later they must meet. From all the
accounts that have come down to us
there never was a time In the acquaint
ance that Hamilton had confidence In
Eurr's character or Integrity. To his
cwn intimates .he expressed his feelings
In letters and In other ways In un
mistakable terms.
Hamilton's Severe Criticisms.
' As early as Sept. 21, 1792, when Burr
was one of the senators from New York
in the senate of the United States, and
an aspirant for the vice-presidency,
Hamilton wrote of him confidentially
to a friend: "I fear he Is unprinci
pled both as a public and a private
man. When the constitution was in
deliberation his conduct was equivo
cal; but his enemies, who, I believe,
best understood him, considered him as
with them. In fact, I take it, he Is
for or against nothing, but as It suits
Ms Interest or ambition. He is de
termined, aa . I conceive, to make
his way to the head of the popular par
ty, and to climb per fas nut nefas to
the highest honors of the state, and
as much higher as circumstances may
permit. Embarrassed, as I understand,
In his circumstances, with an extrava
gant family, bold, enterprising and in
triguing, I am mistaken 1ft It be not
his object to play the game of confu
sion, and I believe tt to be a religious
duty to oppose his career."
On Sept. 26 he affaire writes "to amoither
friend: "Mr. Burr's integrity as aw In
dividual is not uniiwpeachecK As a pub
He man he Is one of the worst sort, a
friend to nothing "but as H suWs his hi
lt erest and ambition. Determined to
climb to the highest honors of the Mate,
and aa much ihlgher as circumstances
may permit, he cares nothing about the
njeans of effecting his purpose.
In & word, if we have an embryo
Caesar lh the United States, 'tis Burr."
. Burr was a candidate for the vice
presidency In 1796 and again tn 1800,
when his tie vote with Jefferson
brought htm within an ace of tine presi
dency. Of course It was the Intention
of 'the electors that he should ibe vice-
, preslder.it, but the election being thrown
Into the house of representatives, It was
the Federalists that tried to elect (him
president over Jefferson. (Hamilton op
posed 'this with all his power and wrote
in. the arongeat terms to the leading
members of his party imploring them
not to aid Burr's election, and he re-
; Iterated his charges against him.
' An Unprincipled Catallne.
1 Here are some more of the things he
said about hhn: "He la as-unprincipled
and dangerous ai man)- as any country
, van wwm una uiuuw as mvwr
me.! In midnight conclave." And agat.-..:
"Aa to Burr, there Is nothing In his
favor. 'His prlva4e character la not de
fended by his must partial friends. He
is bankrupt beyond redemption, except
by the plunder of his country." "Thu
aippolmment of Burr as president
would disgrace our country abroad. No
agreement -with him could be relied
upon. For heaven's sake lot not the
Federal party be responsible for the ele
vation of this man!" "He is bankrupt
beyond redemption, except by che re
sources that grow out of war and dis
order, or by a sale to a foreign power,
or 'by great peculation." "If there be
a man in the world I ought to bate. U Is
Jefferson. TVIth Burr I have always
been personally well." "'Tls enough
for us to know that Mr. Burr Is one of
the most unprincipled men. In the
United Sta.te." "He is a man of ex
treme and Irregular ambition; he is sel
fish to a degree which excluden all so
cial afflictions, and he is decidedly
profligate." It was In the course of
this correspondence with his friends
that Hamilton disclosed the conversa
tions and toasts he heard at Burr's dtai
ner table, an offense against good man
ners and honorable dealing, considered
unpardonable among genttlemen.
The truth Is thait Hamilton was so
carried away by his Insane jealousy of
Burr that he left no sort of expedient
untried to compass his defeat. He was
successful. Jefferson was elected presi
dent and Burr was chosen vice-president.
Iturr Slow to Kcsent.
Hamilton partisans sometimes wy
that Burr had plenty of opportunity in
this contest to fasten a duel upon
HamM.:on, but that he did not do it, and
therefore was not Justified four years
later In picking a quarrel with him on a
U pretext. But all these charges
made by Hamilton were to his friends
and never reached Burr's ears. They
were not men to disclose .the con tents of
a private letter, and they also knew
that should such charges reach Burr a
duel would be inevitable.
These attacks from Hamilton, exceed
ed all ..'he limits of decency, let alone
those of honorable
Burr was heavily In debt, but so was
Hamilton, and the private character of
was a owe reproach very much
on a par. in fact. Hamilton had pub
licly admitted a mo.it dlsirrr..i in
trigue, and certainly Burr was no more
ambitious than he.
Years afterward Rni-r oih .,,. .
Intimations of Hamilton's methods of
- "" nau reached him a
. lw aner tnis campaign of 1800.
end that he had a conversation with
him In 1802 on the subject, and that
Hamilton had pledged himself to re
J?''1?" stacking him personally,
ana that for the next two years they
were apparently very good friends.
The Mew York Governorship.
In 1S04 Burr's term as vice president
was approaching Its end. and though
he had lost the friendship of JefTer
on and the southern Republicans he
was still strong In New York. The Re
publican party thero .., ...
ZT: Vi c"nto'- One faction
nominated Burr for governor and the
other Morgan lwj8. Xhe PederagtII
held the balance of power, and the
v.J . ..J.11" not onIy In New
i ' 1 ew "K'and, wanted the
Federalists to support Burr and thus
elect him. to the permanent disruption
of the party. Again Hamilton opposes
F.a.. uu pursuea the same method
i iwvi un ourr as ne had In the
campaign of 1800. He ii,ii .i
Burr was defeated, but, unhappily for
......... tun. Borne or me friends he ad
dressed this time were not altogether
The Cause of the TMiot.
Dr. Charles De Kay Cooper Is the
man wno gave the Information that re.
suited In the duel. Cooper was an AI
bany politician belonging to the Renirh.
lican faction that opposed Burr. One
of nis electioneering letters to a friend
round Its way Into the Albany Doners
It contained, among others, these two
sentences: "General Hamilton and
Judge Kent have declared. In sub
stance, that they looked upon Mr. Burr
to be a dangerous man, and one who
ought not to be trusted with the reins
of government." "I could detail to you
a still more despicable opinion which
General Hamilton has expressed of Mr.
Burr."
The election took place In the latter
part of April, 1804, and about the mid
die of JUne the paper containing Dr.
Cooper's letter was brought to the
knowledge of Colonel Burr.
' The Fatal Correspondence.
He summoned a friend, William P.
Van Ness, a lawyer, afterward Judge of
tne united States district court, and
sent by him a note to General Ham
llton, with the Cooper letter, the offend
ing passages being marked, saying
"you must perceive, sir, the necessity
or a prompt and unqualified acknowl
edgment or denial of the use of any
expressions which would warrant the
assertions of Dr. Cooper."
Hamilton had not seen the letter, but
after reading It he replied to Mr. Van
Ness that the matter required consid
eration, for It certainly must have oc
curred to him that for something like
twelve years past he had 'been express.
ing both "despicable" and "more des
picable opinions" of his rival.
Two days later, on June 20, Hamilton
replied to Burr In a long and Ingenious
letter in which he sought to show that
without a more distinct statement of
the particular opinion ascribed him he
could not make, the avowal or dhv
avowal demanded. "I deem It Inadmis
sible on principle," he said, "to consent
to be Interrogated as to the Justness of
inferences which may be drawn by
others from whatever I may have said
of a political opponent In the course of
fifteen years' competition." And add.
ed, "I stand ready to avow or disavow
promptly and explicitly any precise or
definite opinion which I may be charged
with having declared of any gentle
man. More than this cannot be fitly
expected from me; and especially It
cannot be reasonably expected that I
ahall enter Into an explanation upon a
basis so vague as that which you have
adopted. I trust, on more reflection,
you will see the matter In the same
light with me. If not, I can only regret
the circumstances, and must abide the
consequences." ...
Burr Tolsrstes No Evasion.
Burr's reply came as direct as a pis
tol Shot.
"Political opposition can never alb
solve gentlemen from tihe necessity of
a rigid adherence to the laws of honor
and the rules lof decorum. I neither
claim such privileges nor Indulge It In
others. The common sense of mankind
affixes to the enlihst adopted by Or.
Ceo per the Idee, of dishonor. It has
been publicly applied to me under the
sanction of your name. The question
Is not whether he understood the mean
ing of the .word, or has used at accord
ing to syntax and with grammatical
accuracy, but whether you have au
thorised the application, either direct
ly or by ut. erlng expressions or opin
ions derora:ory to my honor."
A.Yer this letter aoeomroodutioa was
out of the question, though same effort
was n-tde by the seconds to bring the
subject within (he realms of adjust
ment. Be; in the nature of things this
was In.possjble, for Hamilton's criti
cisms of Burr had covered too long a
period. Other correspondence followed,
and sta'tements were made by the prin
cipals, but all to no purpose, sr. J on
June 27 Burr's challenge was delivered
a nd accepted. Major Nathaniel Per die-
Con, the grandfather of George H. Pen
dleton, was Hamilton's second, Mr. Van
Ness acting for Burr. Owing to engage
ments in court he meeting was ar
ranged for July II, two weeks later, and
the designated place Weehauken, on
the Jersey shore. On tMls same spot.
favorite duelling ground In those
days, Hamilton's oldest son, Philip, had
fallen in a duel In the preceding
year.
Hamilton's last letter, written the
night before the duel, is a pathetic Jus
Outlines of
a New and Promising
Local Philanthropy.
Some few weeks since, the local pa
pers published accounts of a special ser
vice held In St. Luke's church, when
a layman was set apart by the Rt. K?v.
N. 8. Rulison, 1). !., to do missionary
work in this valley. No doubt a great
many people read these accounts, yc.t
owing to the nature of the work be
ing entirely new In this vicinity after
all, knew but very little about it. We
recently had an extensive Interview
with Brother Francltt, the founder of
the Brotherhood of the Good Shepherd,
and seeing that his object Is so use
ful and noble and his motive such an
BROTHER FRANCIS.
unusual and unselfish one, we could
not well look upon the whole matter
without deeming It both a high privi
lege as well as a sacred duty to define
more specifically the Inner meaning and
true object of this newly-founded Insti
tution.
"Deeply conscious of the rapidly in
creasing foreign population through
out this valley, most of whom are Ig
norant, poor, and submerged in misery,
and that neither the church nor the
ctate are carrying on the needed, prac
tical, educational and tellglous worn
among a large class, now almost entire
ly neglected: and believing that conse
crated lay-service, practically and
earnestly applied, could be made to
yield a vast amount or good, we, tne
undersigned, heartily endorse the Bro
therhood of the Good Shepherd, whose
members are devout laymen, giving
their entire service to the teaching of
the Ignorant, the caring for the sick
and poor, for which there Is great need
in this community. And as one of the
vows of the Brotherhood Is poverty,
and as It Is essential that the Institu
tion should have a home somewhere
near the city, where convalescents
could be comfortably cared for and that
It should have some land to help fur
nish the simple living to those In com
munity, we heartily recommend the
Brotherhood of the Good Shepherd to
the kindly consideration and generous
support of all those who are benevo
lently and religiously inclined and In
terested in God's poor as a purely char
itable and Christian Institution."
II II II
The above statement sets forth very
definitely and very practically the na
ture and object of Brother Francis'
work, as well as bears already the sig
natures of some of the best and most
Influential persons of this valley. That
there are a great many poor, Ignorant
and helpless people In our rapidly
growing city goes without saying, and
that neither the church nor the state
has arrived at a practical solution of
the difficult problem, is known to us
only too well. In ordinary communi
ties, Sunday schools and churches, hos
pitals and poor houses, In the main,
may cover all that Is necessary. How
ever, we live In an extraordinary com
muntty. Our.populatlon, as we are told
repeatedly, as we can hear along the
public thoroughfares and as we can see
in certain sections of the city, Is com
posed vt'ry largely of a foreign ele
ment, many of whom are Ignorant and
poor. The church at best is not adapt
ed, to reach more than a small propor
tion of this class, owing to language
as well as other radical differences, she
often Is almost entirely helpless. All
the state does Is to offer educational
opportunities throught the public
schools to the children, help to reform
the criminals and maintain a certain
number in the poor house. Every one
knows that a great deal more than hls
Is necessary in a community like this
that ways and means could be devised
and provided for, which would add de
cidedly to our present system of edu
cating. Christianizing and Americanis
ing the congested foreign settlements
In our midst.
II II II ' .
In our opinion the Brotherhood of the
Good Shepherd strikes one of the key
notes In the manner and object of Ita
work, toward the solution of thla very
difficult problem. It proposes to do
house to house visitation among
those outlying and neglected cheap
tenements; to report ' them to
the different churches who might
be Interested In, and In a condi
tion to help them; to provide them with
Christian literature In their native lan
guage; to Instruct the Ignorant and
care for the alck and poor: to receive
convalescents from the hospitals and
elsewhere Into A home where they
would be kindly cared for, both aa to
their physical and spiritual needs, and
to do such other work as a sealous and
earnest Christian would do tor his fellow-man'
tn time of sore need. .
tification for his course, and cone airs
the admission that his criticisms of
Burr had been of that character to lead
to just such result.
The story Is familiar, how on July 4
the Order of the Cincinnati, of which
Hamilton waa president general, held
their annual banquet, and both Burr
and Hamilton were present, Hamilton
singing, at request, his favorite ballad.
The Drum."
In the early morning of July 11 the
parties stood facing each other, pistols
In hand, at the appointed place. The
word was given and the ball from
Burr's pistol pierced Hamilton's body.
Inflicting a mortal wound. Hamilton's
pistol wert off, Vresumably not Inten
tionally, for he ha J resolved to with
hold his fire. The ball from it cut 4he
twigs from the branches of a tree over
Burr's bead and four fett wide of him.
Suth waa this historic duel and the
circumstances that led up to It. The
popular indignation against Burr was
so great that he was obliged to leave
New York secretly. He visited his
daughter In Sou h Carolina, and as
winter approached returned to Wash
ington to preside for the last time ee
president of the senate of the United
States. The rotable event of his last
session was the impeachment trial of
Judge Chase, at which Burr presided
ivl:h grace, dignity and Impartiality.
Venture in
There certainly Is nothing selfish and
sectarian In an Institution of this kind.
Its aim is broad, deep, purely charita
ble and Christian. So much so, that
the good, generous and Intelligent peo
ple of this enterprising city will not be
slow In appreciating Its motive and In
realising their opportunities in helping
to further the Interests of a very prac
ticable and most noble institution.
First of all, as has been stated be
fore, a suitable tract of land will be
necessary whereon to erect the build
ings. The securing of this ought to be
a very easy matter indeed, since there is
almost any amount of land lvlne
around the outskirts of the city, not
only well suited for such an Institution,
but in addition, owned by corporations
or individuals, who might be very glad
to donate a site for such an Institution.
We learn from Brother Francis that he
expects to secure from ten to twenty
acres of ground, to constitute a little
farm, providing for the keeping of the
convalescents, as well as give them the
benefit of wholesome outdoor exercise
In such farm work as they might be
able to do.
The necessary buildings required to
begin the work are few. and could be
erected at a small outlay of money.
From what we know of Brother Francis
as a man his unselfish devotion to the
uplifting or his brother man his prac
tical, common-sense plan for doing the
work, we have a full right to believe
that the willingness and readiness to
assist him will meet the ready approval
of all classes and conditions of men.
II II II
It may be of Interest to some to learn
that there is a somewhat similar Insti
tution at Verbank, New York, known
as rriory farm, under the order of
ine Brothers of Nazareth. A few years
since, coionel De Peyster, a wealthy
ami wen-anown resident of New York
city, had found an Intimate acquaint
ance with the elevator boy In the build
ing where he had his office. One day he
missed him and on lnqullng learned
that he was sick and had been sent out
or the city to a convalescent home by
some friends. Some time after this the
boy returned to his work In the elevator
and Colonel De Peyster, seeing him
back, asked him where he had been
and all about the home. On being told
the nature of the institution, he sent
for Brother Gilbert, who was In charge,
to come and see him. He did so, and,
as the result of his visit. Colonel De
Peyster deeded a farm of 300 acres to
the Brothers of Nazareth, and at dif
ferent times since has given them In
the neighborhood of $50,000 to put 1n
buildings and otherwise help to carry
on tne cnaritabie work at Priory Farm,
It consists of a training school for
boys, a convalescent home and a home
for consumptives. The institution Is
well and favorably known In New York
and supported by a large circle of some
of the best and most influential families
In the state of New York.
II 'II II
Last summer Brother Francis spent a
week at this Institution; he studied
the nature of Its work, and came back
to Scranton thoroughly convinced that
a similar Institution might accomplish
a most excellent work throughout this
thickly settled valley. The more he
thought about It, the more he decided
it his duty to enter upon this work per
sonally. So that finally on the second
day of July he was solemnly set apart
for this special kind of work In St
Luke's church by the Rt. Rev. N. S.
Rulison, D. D., assistant bishop of the
diocese of Central Pennsylvania. Since
that time Brother Francis hns been
busily engaged In his new line of work.
vtaltlng among the sick and poor. In
structlng the Ignorant, and formulating
plana (or a permanent organization
upon which he expects to conduct his
work.
II II II
Brother Francis has consecrated him
self wholly to this special line of work
he expects to make It a life work; he
wants no compensation for It, only the
plainest kind of living. This Is all he
asks ror and the amount or good ac
complished he very gratefully arknowl
edges as his highest compensation he
could wish for. Whether our rich city
of Scranton Is prepared to accept the
magnanimous offer of Brother Francis,
remains to be manifested on the part of
all those who can in any manner or
form assist him In his work. The writer
here would suggest that The Tribune
open a subscription list in Its columns
In behalf of this worthy charity, public
ly acknowledging the gifts as they may
be given. The Institution Is to be In
corporated, as we understand, In the
near future, and a board of trustees
appointed.
' II II II
Scranton Is beginning to be a large
and wealthy city; we have already sev
eral excellent charitable Institutions of
which we may well feel proud, but In
all fairness be It said we have none
more practical, common-sense like,
more unselfish and purely charitable
than that of the Brotherhood of the
Good Shepherd, now In Its Infancy and
asking for recognition In thla commun
Ity, May our well-to-do people be
prompt and generous and ere long an.
other most deserving charitable Insti
tution will be engaged In doing good
among the needy and neglected an In
atltutlon that will prove a blessing not
only to the poor, but a blessing also
to the good people who may be Inter
ested In it, as well aa a blessing adding
glory to the good name of our enter
prising city of Scranton.
Max Melville.
, ' -.v.: , i - v ..r,,
Side 'Glances
Live Reformer.
Pollce Commissioner Roosevelt Is Now the
Most Talked -About flan in All Gotham.
New York, Aug. 2. Already people
are talking of Police Commissioner
Theodore Roosevelt's future.- The
vigorous fight he Is waging for the en
forcement of law In this city and the
abuse which he naturally incurs from
the lawless element, who have never
before been treated to the spectacle of
a city administration really intent upon
doing Its duty and not to be dissuaded
from such a purpose, either by bribes
or pulls, have combined to make him
for the moment the most talked about
man In Gotham. It seems to be the
consensus or belief that he may succeed
Colonel Strong as mayor; or that he
may be governor. In time; and there are
some who go so far as to Intimate that.
as civil service reform Ideas spread and
the era of cleaner politics dawns, Roose
velt, as the fighting chieftain of this
great political reformation, may yet be
the logical candidate of decent and
grateful men for president. Such Is the
talk on the streets and in the ofllces
and hotels; but It does not appear to
effect Mr. Roosevelt In the slightest.
In the thick of It he Is the same brainy,
fearless, aggressive and self-contained
man as or yore, surcharged with energy
yet full at the same time of prudence
and discretion. It Is the misapprehen
sion or some that Roosevelt Is an er
ratic. Impulsive, uncertain character.
Nothing is further from the truth. He
Is sagacity personified. No other young
man In American public life is endowed
with a larger quantity of ballast than
Is Theodore Roosevelt.
Tributes from iairOpponcnts.
Some of. the best tributes to this
virile young American came from men
who have differed from him in partisan
effort and discussion. Take, for In
stance, Henry Macfarland's recent
Washington letter. Macfarland Is a
Democrat of the Democrats, working
incessantly for Democratic Interests.
Roosevelt to an equal degree Is a Re
publican, where party does not clash
with public duty. Yet Macfarland
writes of Roosevelt: "I had supposed
that if any on thing occurring here dur
ing the last decade was thoroughly well
known the country over, and even In
the New York newspaper offices, It was
that Theodore Roosevelt had achieved
a remarkable success in his work here.
I thought he had fully demonstrated
to all the Inhabitants of these United
States that he had the ability, the pa
tience, the pugnacity In short, all those
things that are needful to win a great
battle against great odds. Yet, now
that he is engaged In what is actually
a less Important contest, in all its cir
cumstances and consequences, some of
the New York papers seem to think that
he can be either ridiculed or bulldozed
out of It. They simply show that they
do not know the man or what he did
here.
What Roosevelt Has Done.
"When Mr. Roosevelt came to Wash
ington he found the civil service law on
the statute books, to be sure, and a
civil service commission in existence
to enforce it, but he found, too, that In
spite of what had been done by con
gress and by the executive under the
pressure of a well-directed, though lim
ited public opinion, the great majority
of politicians of both parties. Including
all the party buses, hated civil service
reform, hated It all the more because so
much had been wrung from them In Its
name, and were prepared to do every
thing In their power to thwart it. He
came to Washington at a time when
3ome of the stoutest hearts among civil
service reformers were Inclined to
doubt whether they would be able to
hold what they had gained, and were
more than doubtful as to making any
advance. It seemed to be the hour of
the power of darkness and some of the
spoilsmen were confident that It
marked the beginning of the end of the
much-despised reform.
"It Is not too much to say that civil
service reform owes all that It has
gained since that time much more
largely to Theodore Roosevelt than to
any other man. Since George William
Curtis acted as chairman of the first
Mvll service commission, under TreBl
dent Grant, nobody used the opportun
ities of the civil service commissioner
ship to advance its objects as Mr. Roos
evelt did. His predecessors had hin
dered the reform nt least as often as
they had helped It and had always fol
lowed rather than lod the reformers.
Mr. Roosevelt, as civil service commis
sioner, became the actual leader of the
reform forcrs, although '.Mr. Curtis and
others still sounded the trumpets, and
by his aggressive, and at the same time
prudent and even tactful fighting, he
.established the reform In an Impreg
nable position.
Tho Triumph of Reform.
"No one has any Coul't new that the
principles of civil service reform will
be applied to all the olllcc3 of the gov
ernment and that In n'A proisattllty thrs
work will be accomiillshnj before the
present administration goM omt of pow
er, and the most antiquated spoilsman
han no real belle that he will ever be
able to get the old system restored,
even in a very limited wliy. President
Cleveland has extended the civil ser
vice rule to the lat't stronfcOioM of the
spoilsman in the federal erv!ce-the
government printing office so , that
there Is now no government place out
side of the classified service except the
idmlnlsirative offices. The offices'
known as chiefs of rtivlKlor.B, and the
private secretaries, together .with the
charwomen and such humble laboiers
and thtae excepted places, or.ly a few
score all told, will probably be brought
within iha rules beifnre March 4, 1897.
"In congress not only Is there now no
hope of repealing the civil service law
or even cutting down i'Jhe civil service
commission's appropriation, but the
principles of cLvll service reform are
far better appreciated and Its practical
working fas better understood, and
therefore ft is Hit more papular than
when Mr. Roosevelt began his cam
paign, which was a campaign of educa
tion and a good deal more. COvll ser
vice reform his arrived, as our French
friends say, ar.d it Is here to stay, aa
we say ourselves. Thla will be recog
nized more and more clearly every day
by those who have amy thing to do with
the machine of government, aa It al
ready Is by the more sagacious public
men. ,
,r Roosevelt Deserves Most Credit. ,
"No, I say again, with all due respect
for President Cleveland, ex-Preeldent
Harrison and everybody else In public
.life who helped to bring thla about,
that Theodore Roosevelt deaervei more
of the credit for It than any other man.
He faced the politicians and the politi
cal organs, and aome newapapera that
were not political organs, and all the
power and Influence of the political ma
at "
chines throughout the whole country.
He fought privately and publicly in the
offices of the commission, In the com
mltee rooms of the capital, in the offices
of the cabinet and In the white house
itself, In the newspapers and on the
platform, speaking and writing In a
more effective way than any other civil
service reformer; for he was always so
thoroughly practical. He did It all cour
teously, but courageously, and, us the
event proved, successfully.
"Civil service rerorm had been to the
practical politicians, as to most other
people, a theory, an abstraction, 'a bar
ren. Ideality,' but it .beoaime personified
In Theodore Roosevelt, and that made
it seem, as it was, a living reality.
Roosevelt has not only the fighting
qualities, but the social qualities which
most Americans admire, and he used
tihewi to make rrlenda for the reform
by making friends for himself. Wis
personality, particularly his Independ
ence, which certified to his disinterest
edness, undoubtedly had much to do
with his success. 'Everybody knew
that he was able to live without his of
ficial sal try and th'at he was ready to
give it up at any time, and this gave
him a very different standing from that
of a man who was known to be depen
dent on his salary for h'la living, how
ever he might desire to be Independent
of rlrcumsturices.
"His prestige, known to all the north
western senators and representatives
as that or a mighty hunter, a thorough
ly 'game' man, as brave as he was hon
est, and above all airs and affectations,
an American of Americans; Ms literary
reputation Indeed., his ibooks them
selves, especially the 'Winning or the
West,' known not only to eastern but
western men; hia political servicvj,
known and admired by all honest parti
sanseven hla social position, which
lijve him friend. among public men
whom he otherwise would not have
known at all well all contributed to
his success.
Neither Fool Nor Knave.
"He is the kind or man who makes all
his resources available, and he did It
r.dmlrably hre. No one was a better
Judge than he of what he had accom
plished, for he Is as far from being the
egotistical fool pictured In some of the
New York newspapers as he Is from
being the ambitious knave pictured in
others. He sees .things as clearly and
as calmly as any man of his age, and
has fewer delusions on any subject than
most men.
"Mr. Roosevelt did not go to New
York suddenly, hastily and without pre
medication, as you might Infer from
some of the New York newspapers. He
considered the matter from every point
of view for weeks, and when he had
made up his mind to go he planned all
the work that he has carried out, and
all tlia.t the la going to carry out, with
his accustomed foresight and thorough
ness. He knew what he would have to
do, and he knew how he was going to do
It, and he fully estimated In his plans
all .the opposition he has met.
"It must be remembered that he was
a New Yorker born and bred; that he
knew the city better thin most men
who live In lit, ror he had knowledge of
every class or its Inhabitants and of
their customs. He knew society In all
Its strata, from the clubs of the fash
ionables to the politicians and the
slums. He had not only studied the
city and written about It, but had
mixed with its business men, its politi
cians, its people of every sort. He had
fouRfit In Its primaries; he had repre
sented lit at Albany; he had conducted
a legislative Investigation of Its affairs;
he had run for tha highest office in Its
gift. Certainly he could not be truth
fully charged wth not knowing his city.
He Knew New York.
"As a matiter of fact, (he knew it bet
ter than some of his newspaper critics
who had recently moved into it or who
had never lived in it at all. He there
Tire wpnt to his task knowing all its
difficulties, knowing all the bitterness
and hatred of the enmity which he
would stir up, knowing all the power
of the elements that would combine
against ihim, but believing that he was
oalled to a public service which he
could not honorably refuse to under
take, and that in the long run he would
succeed In it and be sustained by all
decent people. Such a man, going In
such a spirit to such a wotk, cannot be
laughed down or beaten down and I
tm confident that he will win In New
York as he did In Washington, how
ever misrepresented nnd misunderstood
bi may be .there now as he one was
here."
This lira only cm of many eulogies
which are being written or spoken con
cerning Mr, Roorovelt by men who
krow him well. They show that In his
present battle fcr a reformed and re
organized pollc de-partmer.t In this city
he has the rlsht-tl.lnklng classes of the
community wlnh him. Some of these
days the masses will waka up to a dis
covery of what thay really owe to men
like T'hoodore Roosevelt, who, without
needing the salaries of public office and
personally able, should they so desire,
to shirk public life for the more selfish
enjoyments of society, are yet Impelled
by a sjnse of duty to give their best en
ergies to the public service and to take
the lend In movements for the public
welfare, bravlnff ridicule, criticism,
taunts and abuse because they know
that what thoy are doing Is right.
Till-: HtSBAM) WAS Pl'ZZLED.
From Pcflrron's Weekly. . .
There is or.o married man living who
was badly frightened the other night. He
sent a note to his wife about 9 o'clock to
say that he would not be home till late.
The messenger boy when he. delivered the
note to the wife happened to mention that
he had gone 'to the wrong house and had
been very wrathfully treated by a man for
disturbing him. The wife read the note,
which was on a scrap of paper. She
thought a minute. Then she said to the
messenger boy:
"I'll give you a shilling If you will take
the note back to my husband and tell him
that story without saying that you came
here at all."
The boy porketed the money and went
bnck to th.? husband with the note.
"Well, why do you bring this back?" he
asked.
"Because they wouldn't take It. A man
came to tha door, and told me If I didn't
go away he would break my neck for me,"
The husband did not stay out late that
evening. On the contrary, he got home aa
fast as the underground train could take
him. He looked auspiciously at his wife,
and said:
"I sent a note, but the boy must have
taken It to the wrong house."
"I suppose so," said the wife Innocently,
"I haven't got It."
' The man waa dying to find out If any
body had called, but he waa afraid to ask.
THE
LEADER
124 and 126 Wjssir Avi
WILL PLACE ON SALE T0DA
And ill of Kext leek .
THE FOLLOWING BARGAINS:
One lot of Black Cbevlotine, SO
inches wide, was 7fc., Lead
er's price ,
One lot of Black Serge, 40 inches
wide, wide wale, was 65c,
59o
xjeauer s price
49o
One lot or Black French Berge,
40 inches wide, was 75c,
Leader's price ..
One lot of Japanese Silks, polka
dot, were 4c., Leader'a price....
One lot of Japanese Silks, new
stripes, were Leader's price
One lot of Men's Unlaundrled
Shirts, double front and back,
were 50c, Leader's price
One lot of Men's Laundrled
Shirts, double front aud back,
were 75c, Leader'a price.
One lot of Men's Fine Neckwear,
Tecks and Four-in-Hands,
were 60c, Liader's price
One lot of Men's Fine Suspend
ers, were 35c and 45c, Leader's
43o
25a
310
370
49o
.38o
23o
One lot of Ladies'
Hose, seamless,
Leader's pried
Fast Black
were 15c
3 for 25o
One lot of Colcrate Colossal Scan.
Leader's price .. 8o
One lot of Pure Vaseline, Lead
er's price Bo
One lot of Men's Handkerchiefs.
fancy borders, Leader's price, S & 9
One lot of Fiue Silk Ribbons,
were 10c to 20c. a yard, Lead
er's price 5c a Yd
One lot of Extra Fine Bilk Rib
bons, were 45c to 85c, Leader's
price.. 18o
One lot of Ladies' Skirts and
Gowns, finely trimmed, were
75c, Leader's price
One lot of Ladles' Skirts, with
fine embroidery, were 89c,
Leader's price ....... .
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First-Class Sleeping and Dining Cars
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Ev. V. SKIN NER, Q. EC. A.
353 BROADWAY, NEW YORK.
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00 days.
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