Letter from President Theodore Roosevelt to Secretary of the Interior E. A. Hitchcock

Catel benefit jown for 20th WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON October 18, 1904. To the Secrotary of the Interior: Inasmuch as the article in the North American relates to incidents that occurred two years before Mr. Mead was put into the service, and in view of the very emphatic backing given him by Mr. George Bird Grinnell and Mrs. Doubleday, I direct that my request be carried out, and suitable papers prepared. As Mr. Mead is now in the service, I do not see why there must be an exception made to appoint him to his new position. I wish you would have the matter taken up with the Civil Serv- ice Commission, and if necessary I will of course approve an exception to the rules on the ground that Mr. George Bird Grin- nell, Mrs. Doubleday, and the people most interested in Indian management, think he has exceptional and peculiar qualifica- tions. I may add that if he has not got them, I certainly do not know any one who has. I have sent the copy of the North American to Mrs. Double- day, and asked her what she knows about the matter. Meanwhile,