OCR Text |
Show JKJ 1 mm replies TO JHJGHES Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 11. William J. Bryan, former secretary of state, re-plied re-plied here today to criticism of his attitude toward civil service made by Charlesc E. Hughes, the Republican presidential nominee, in a statement in which lie said "he had enforced the civil service law to tho letter." Mr. Bryan challenged the Republican Republi-can nominee to state whether he had given appointments to "deserving Republicans" Re-publicans" while governor of New-York. New-York. & The statement was made in answer to recent speeches of Mr. Hughes which quoted a letter Mr. Bryan had written to Receiver of Customs Vick in Santo Domingo, inquiring as to what positions could be obtained "to reward deserving Democrats." Mr. Bryan admitted the letter as it had been quoted. "I am not ashamed of it," the state ment road. "The lettor was written to an appointive officer whose office was not under the civil service and the inquiry was made in regard to officers which were not men under civil ser vice. There was nothing In the letter to indicate a desire or intention To select men who were incompetent. On the contrary inquiry is made as to 'what is requisite.' " The statement, after declaring Mr. Hughes "to have shown . himself quite prompt in discharging obllga. tions," declares: "As an official, I enforced the civil service law to the letter and, upon my resignation, received from the employes em-ployes in the state department, more than ninety per cent of whom wero under the civil service, a watch which I prize as a priceless treasure. But, while I observed the civil service law III wherever it was in force, I felt my. j I self free to aid in rewarding deserv- II ing Democrats wherever it could "bo i done without detriment to the service. I My regret is that I was able to re ward so lew or me multitude wno are i deserving, measured by their political service, by their capability and by I their fitness for the work to be done. " 'The deserving Democrat,' is not j to be despised he is as much entitled II to recognition as a 'deserving Repub- J lican.'" |