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

WHITE HOUSE. WASHINGTON. June 26, 1905. My dear senators: I have received your telegram and I have soen your letter to Secre- tary Hitchcock in which you say in reference to the appointment of Mr. as surveyor genoral, "We wish to insist upon his appointment." I know you did not intend to use the word "insist" in any disagreeable way, but for fear of misapprehension I must explain that no one has any power to insist upon any appointment by the President. I cannot insist upon your confirming any man, and you cannot insist upon my appointing any man. I very earnestly desire to consult your wishes. I do not intend to make any appointment that is distasteful to you, but I am the ultimate judge of the fitnoss of every kan that I appoint, and I am responsible for the manner in which he performs his dutios. The present Surveyor General of the State, Mr. Anderson, is rendering excellent service. The Commiss ioner of the General Land Office earnestly hopes he will be retained. I should, of course, much profer to continue him, but I do not insist upon this, for I appreciate thoroughly the exigencies that continually come up in connection with politics. I intend to pay all proper heed to these, but only so far as they do not conflict with the public interest. The public interest must come first, and political considerations, though they are to have their weight, must come second. Now, in the present case Anderson is an excellent man. The only reason for changing him is to be found in the exigency of the political