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。