The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-07-26
MR.. THOMAS CORRUPTION FUND.

Five dollars per head was the amount
assessed upon the employees of the Custom
House upon the eve of the recent ward
primaries in Baltimore. Moderate as the
per capita assessment was when the num-
Der of employees is considered, the sum
realized was nice little Missionary"
fund for the civiLServi-zation of the Bal
timore political heather. Now everybody
knows that this fund, raised by rolumtary
subscription;-as the Thomas REFORM
crs' of the Baltimore Custom House
term it was corruption fund. That it
was fund to be spent at the Democratic
groggerics and doggeries of that city to
secure lift - from those conscientious
but impecunious constituents of VIM.
Pinkney Whyte, who fret, fumc and fes-
ter, in the lower wards of that political
Sodom. That it was partizan fund,
raised as such by officers in the Govern
ment employ, in the face of the most
solemn protcstations of Mr.. Hayes and of
his Secretary Mr.. Sherman, that such
demoralizing and disgracefull prostitu-
ton of the public service should have no
countenance under the present admins
tration. When, therefore, Mr.. Thomas,
Mr.. Vernon and the other ''odcrous" re-
formers of hc|Custom House junto made
their demands upon their helpless employ
es they must have known what the sent
iment was at Washington, upon the sub
iect of g inside" corruption funds. Now
in the object for which these fifteen hun
dred dollars were to be expended, lies the
offence of this civil service hypocrisy.
The party necessity for a Campaign fund,
in State or National election finds ample
justification in the plea of ''legitimata
uses" But what earthly reason can DO
urged for the expenditure ofmoney at a
party primary, except for corrupt person
al uses. The spectacle, then, of John. l..
Thomas and his INSCRIPTIONS satellites,
pilfering from the pockets Of his subor-
dinates, one-half of whom would have
resisted had they dared, this sum, to be
expended in maintaining the political su-
premacy Of wards in Baltimore on which
to predicate Fulton and Thomas success
sion, is one of those refreshing mid-sum-
mer performances, of which these veteran
tricksters alone are capable. Will
Thomas political master condone such
offence to the respectable sentiment of
the Republican party in Maryland? Is
Mr.. Sherman really applying the admin
istration pressure upon Thomas and his
class of machine managers, and is he pre-
pairing to put the whole official army on
war footing for the capture of the
State Convention.
Nothing could be worse for the party
than to have the public become thorough
" impressed with the idea that the Re-
publican army is under tho control of
Federal officers. and that its leader is
forcing his nomination by aid of his Off
cialism in the machine management. In
such fight the popular feeling i'll favor
of fair play would inevitably be convinced
that, while a legion of officials may pack
caucuses and conventions and bestow
nominations, there are more votes, need
ed to elect President than can be deliv-
cred even by SO numerous a body as the
bread and-butter brigade. The Sccreta-
~ will best consult his own interest by
going slow in the work of marshaling his
official forces, particularly those Of the
Thomas Fulton type in Maryland. Their
avowcd espousal ofhis interests will elm
mate from his cause every respectable ele-
mcnt in the Republican following.