TheneedforimprovementintheGovernmentalmethodsoftransactingbusinessmaybeillustratedbyanactualcase。AnofficerinchargeofanIndianagencymadearequisitionintheautumnforastovecostingsevendollars，certifyingatthesametimethatitwasneededtokeeptheinfirmarywarmduringthewinter，becausetheoldstovewaswornout。Thereuponthecustomarypaperswentthroughthecustomaryroutine，withoutunusualdelayatanypoint。Thetransactionmovedlikeaglacierwithdignitytoitsappointedend，andthestovereachedtheinfirmaryingoodorderintimefortheIndianagenttoacknowledgeitsarrivalinthesewords：“Thestoveishere。Soisspring。”
　　TheCivilServiceCommission，undermenlikeJohnMcIlhennyandGarfield，renderedservicewithoutwhichtheGovernmentcouldhavebeenconductedwithneitherefficiencynorhonesty。Thepoliticianswerenottheonlypersonsatfault；almostasmuchimproperpressureforappointmentsisduetomeremisplacedsympathy，andtothespiritlessinefficiencywhichseeksaGovernmentofficeasahavenfortheincompetent。Anamusingfeatureofofficeseekingisthateachmandesiringanofficeisapttolookdownonallotherswiththesameobjectasforminganobjectionableclasswithwhich/he/hasnothingincommon。AtthetimeoftheeruptionofMt。Pelee，whenamongotherstheAmericanConsulwaskilled，amanwhohadlongbeenseekinganappointmentpromptlyappliedforthevacancy。Hewasagoodman，ofpersistentnature，whofeltIhadbeensomewhatblindtohismerits。
　　Themorningafterthecatastrophehewrote，sayingthatastheconsulwasdeadhewouldlikehisplace，andthatIcouldsurelygiveittohim，because“eventheofficeseekerscouldnothaveappliedforityet！”
　　Themethodofpublicserviceinvolvedintheappointmentandtheworkofthetwocommissionsjustdescribedwasappliedalsointheestablishmentoffourothercommissions，eachofwhichperformeditstaskwithoutsalaryorexpenseforitsmembers，andwhollywithoutcosttotheGovernment。Theotherfourcommissionswere：
　　CommissiononPublicLands；
　　CommissiononInlandWaterways；
　　CommissiononCountryLife；andCommissiononNationalConservation。
　　AllofthesecommissionsweresuggestedtomebyGiffordPinchot，whoserveduponthemall。TheworkofthelastfourwillbetoucheduponinconnectionwiththechapteronConservation。Thesecommissionsbytheirreportsandfindingsdirectlyinterferedwithmanyplace-holderswhoweredoinginefficientwork，andtheirreportsandtheactiontakenthereonbytheAdministrationstrengthenedthehandsofthoseadministrativeofficerswhointhevariousdepartments，andespeciallyintheSecretService，wereproceedingagainstlandthievesandothercorruptwrong-doers。Moreover，themerefactthattheydidefficientworkforthepublicalonglinesnewtoveteranandcynicalpoliticiansoftheoldtypecreatedvehementhostilitytothem。SenatorslikeMr。
　　HaleandCongressmenlikeMr。Tawneywereespeciallybitteragainstthesecommissions；andtowardstheendofmytermtheywerefollowedbythemajorityoftheirfellowsinbothhouses，whohadgraduallybeensunderedfrommebytheopenorcoverthostilityofthefinancialorWallStreetleaders，andofthenewspapereditorsandpoliticianswhodidtheirbiddingintheinterestofprivilege。TheseSenatorsandCongressmenassertedthattheyhadarighttoforbidthePresidentprofitingbytheunpaidadviceofdisinterestedexperts。OfcourseI
　　declinedtoadmittheexistenceofanysuchright，andcontinuedtheCommissions。Mysuccessoracknowledgedtheright，upheldtheviewofthepoliticiansinquestion，andabandonedthecommissions，tothelastingdetrimentofthepeopleasawhole。
　　Onethingisworthpointingout：DuringthesevenandahalfyearsofmyAdministrationwegreatlyandusefullyextendedthesphereofGovernmentalaction，andyetwereducedtheburdenofthetaxpayers；
　　forwereducedtheinterest-bearingdebtbymorethan$90，000，000。Toachieveamarkedincreaseinefficiencyandatthesametimeanincreaseineconomyisnotaneasyfeat；butweperformedit。
　　Therewasoneuglyandverynecessarytask。Thiswastodiscoverandrootoutcorruptionwhereveritwasfoundinanyofthedepartments。
　　Thefirstessentialwastomakeitclearlyunderstoodthatnopoliticalorbusinessorsocialinfluenceofanykindwouldforonemomentbeevenconsideredwhenthehonestyofapublicofficialwasatissue。Ittookalittletimetogetthisfactthoroughlydrilledintotheheadsbothofthemenwithintheserviceandofthepoliticalleaderswithout。Thefeatwasaccomplishedsothoroughlythateveryefforttointerfereinanyshapeorwaywiththecourseofjusticewasabandoneddefinitelyandforgood。Most，althoughnotall，ofthefraudsoccurredinconnectionwiththePost-OfficeDepartmentandtheLandOffice。
　　ItwasinthePost-OfficeDepartmentthatwefirstdefinitelyestablishedtheruleofconductwhichbecameuniversalthroughoutthewholeservice。Rumorsofcorruptioninthedepartmentbecamerife，andfinallyIspokeofthemtothethenFirstAssistantPostmaster-
　　General，afterwardsPostmaster-General，RobertJ。Wynne。Hereportedtome，aftersomeinvestigation，thatinhisbelieftherewasdoubtlesscorruption，butthatitwasverydifficulttogetatit，andthattheoffenderswereconfidentanddefiantbecauseoftheirgreatpoliticalandbusinessbackingandtheramificationsoftheircrimes。
　　Talkingthematteroverwithhim，IcametotheconclusionthattherightmantocarryontheinvestigationwasthethenFourthAssistantPostmaster-General，nowaSenatorfromKansas，JosephL。Bristow，whopossessedtheironfearlessnessneedfultofrontsuchasituation。Mr。
　　Bristowhadperforceseenagooddealoftheseamysideofpolitics，andoftheextentoftheunscrupulousnesswithwhichpowerfulinfluencewasbroughttobeartoshieldoffenders。Beforeundertakingtheinvestigationhecametoseeme，andsaidthathedidnotwishtogointoitunlesshecouldbeassuredthatIwouldstandpersonallybehindhim，and，nomatterwherehisinquiriesledhim，wouldsupporthimandpreventinterferencewithhim。IansweredthatIwouldcertainlydoso。Hewentintotheinvestigationwithrelentlessenergy，doggedcourage，andkeenintelligence。Hissuccesswascomplete，andtheextentofhisservicestotheNationarenoteasilytobeexaggerated。Heunearthedareallyappallingamountofcorruption，andhedidhisworkwithsuchabsolutethoroughnessthatthecorruptionwascompletelyeradicated。
　　Wehad，ofcourse，theexperienceusualinallsuchinvestigations。Atfirsttherewaspopularincredulityanddisbeliefthattherewasmuchbehindthecharges，orthatmuchcouldbeunearthed。Thenwhenthecorruptionwasshowntherefollowedayellofangerfromalldirections，andaperiodduringwhichanymanaccusedwasforthwithheldguiltybythepublic；andviolentdemandsweremadebythenewspapersfortheprosecutionnotonlyofthemenwhocouldbeprosecutedwithafairchanceofsecuringconvictionandimprisonment，butofothermenwhosemisconducthadbeensuchastowarrantmyremovingthemfromoffice，butagainstwhomitwasnotpossibletogetthekindofevidencewhichwouldrenderlikelyconvictioninacriminalcase。Suitswerebroughtagainstalltheofficialswhomwethoughtwecouldconvict；andthepubliccomplainedbitterlythatwedidnotbringfurthersuits。Wesecuredseveralconvictions，includingconvictionsofthemostnotableoffenders。Thetrialsconsumedagooddealoftime。Publicattentionwasattractedtosomethingelse。
　　Indifferencesucceededtoexcitement，andinsomesubtlewaythejuriesseemedtorespondtotheindifference。Oneoftheworstoffenderswasacquittedbyajury；whereuponnotafewofthesamemenwhohadinsistedthattheGovernmentwasderelictinnotcriminallyprosecutingeverymanwhosemisconductwasestablishedsoastomakeitnecessarytoturnhimoutofoffice，nowturnedroundand，inasmuchasthejuryhadnotfoundthismanguiltyofcrime，demandedthatheshouldbereinstatedinoffice！Itisneedlesstosaythatthedemandwasnotgranted。Thereweretwoorthreeotheracquittals，ofprominentoutsiders。Neverthelessthenetresultwasthatthemajorityoftheworstoffendersweresenttoprison，andtheremainderdismissedfromtheGovernmentservice，iftheywerepublicofficials，andiftheywerenotpublicofficialsatleastsoadvertisedastorenderitimpossiblethattheyshouldeveragainhavedealingswiththeGovernment。ThedepartmentwasabsolutelycleanedandbecameoneoftheverybestintheGovernment。SeveralSenatorscametome——Mr。
　　Garfieldwaspresentontheoccasion——andsaidthattheyweregladI
　　wasputtingastoptocorruption，buttheyhopedIwouldavoidallscandal；thatifIwouldmakeanexampleofsomeonemanandthenlettheothersquietlyresign，itwouldavoidadisturbancewhichmighthurttheparty。Theywereadvisingmeingoodfaith，andIwasascourteousaspossibleinmyanswer，butexplainedthatIwouldhavetoactwiththeutmostrigoragainsttheoffenders，nomatterwhattheeffectontheparty，and，moreover，thatIdidnotbelieveitwouldhurttheparty。Itdidnothurttheparty。Ithelpedtheparty。A
　　favoritewar-cryinAmericanpoliticallifehasalwaysbeen，“Turntherascalsout。”Wemadeitevidentthat，asfaraswewereconcerned，thiswar-crywaspointless；forweturnedourownrascalsout。
　　TherewereimportantandsuccessfullandfraudprosecutionsinseveralWesternStates。ProbablythemostimportantwerethecasesprosecutedinOregonbyFrancisJ。Heney，withtheassistanceofWilliamJ。
　　Burns，asecretserviceagentwhoatthattimebeganhiscareerasagreatdetective。ItwouldbeimpossibletooverstatetheservicesrenderedtothecauseofdecencyandhonestybyMessrs。HeneyandBurns。Mr。Heneywasmycloseandintimateadviserprofessionallyandnon-professionally，notonlyasregardsputtingastoptofraudsinthepubliclands，butinmanyothermattersofvitalinteresttotheRepublic。NomaninthecountryhaswagedthebattleforNationalhonestywithgreatercourageandsuccess，withmorewhole-hearteddevotiontothepublicgood；andnomanhasbeenmoretraducedandmalignedbythewrong-doingagentsandrepresentativesofthegreatsinisterforcesofevil。HesecuredtheconvictionofvariousmenofhighpoliticalandfinancialstandinginconnectionwiththeOregonprosecutions；heandBurnsbehavedwithscrupulousfairnessandpropriety；buttheirservicestothepubliccausedthemtoincurthebitterhatredofthosewhohadwrongedthepublic，andafterIleftofficetheNationalAdministrationturnedagainstthem。OneofthemostconspicuousofthemenwhomtheyhadsucceededinconvictingwaspardonedbyPresidentTaft——inspiteofthefactthatthepresidingJudge，JudgeHunt，hadheldthattheevidenceamplywarrantedtheconviction，andhadsentencedthemantoimprisonment。Aswasnatural，theonehundredandforty-sixland-frauddefendantsinOregon，whoincludedtheforemostmachinepoliticalleadersintheState，furnishedthebackboneoftheoppositiontomeinthePresidentialcontestof1912。TheoppositionralliedbehindMessrs。TaftandLaFollette；andalthoughIcarriedtheprimarieshandsomely，halfofthedelegateselectedfromOregonunderinstructionstovoteforme，sidedwithmyopponentsintheNationalConvention——andasregardssomeofthemIbecameconvincedthatthemainspringoftheirmotivelayintheintrigueforsecuringthepardonofcertainofthemenwhoseconvictionHeneyhadsecured。
　　Landfraudandpost-officecaseswerenottheonlyones。Wewereespeciallyzealousinprosecutingallofthe“higherup“offendersintherealmsofpoliticsandfinancewhoswindledonalargescale。