The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-12-04

crate compensation to persons in the
public service who may perform extra
labor upon or under the Commission,
as the Executive may direct.
am convinced that If Just and adj
equate test Of merit Is enforced for
admission to the public service and in
making promotions, such abuses as re-
movals without good cause and partisan
and official interference with the proper
exercise OF the appointing power, will
in large measure disappear.
There are other administrative
abuses to which the attention Of Con-
gress should be asked in this connec-
tion. Mere partisan appointments, and
the constant peril of removal without
cause, very naturally lead to an absorb
ing and mischevious political activity,
on the part of those thus appointe9,
which not only interferes with the due
discharge of official duty, but is incom-
patible with the freedom of elections.
Not without warrant, IN the views OF
several of my predecessors in the Pres
Dental office, and directly within the
law of 1871, already cited, / endeayored,
by regulation, made on the 22d of June,
1877, to put some reasonable limits to
such abuses. 1t may not be easy, and
it may never perhaps be necessary, to
define with precision the proper limit of
political action on the part of the Fed
eral officers. But while their right to
hold and freely express their opinions
cannot be questioned, it is very plain
that they should neither be allowed to
devote to other subjects the time
needed for the proper discharge of their
official duties, nor to use the authority
of their office to enforce their own
opinions, OF to coerce the political
action of those who hold different
opinions.
Reasons Of justice and public policy,
quite analogous to those which forbid
the use Of official power for the op-
preston of the private citizen, impose
upon the Government the duty Of pro-
tecting its officers and agents from
arbitrary exactiOns. In whatever
aspect considered, the practice of MAX
ing leVies, for party purposes, upon the
salaries of officers is highly demOraliz-
ing to the public service and discredit-
able to the country Though an officer
should be as free as any other citizen
to give his money in aid of his opinions
or his party, he should also be as free as
any other citizen to refuse to make such
gifts. If salaries are but a fair COM
pensation for the time and labor of the
officer, it is gross injustice to levy tax
upon them. If they are made excessive
in order that they may bear the tax,
the excess is an indirect robbery of the
public funds.
ranOOnunoT1 bornf u,,ob n ,,o
vision and extension of present statutes
as shall secure to those in every grade
of official life or public employment the
protection with which great and en-
lightened Nation should guard those
who are faithful in its service.
The Neglected Appropriations.
The appropriation for judicial ex-
penses, which has heretofore been
made for the Department of Justice in
gross, was subdivided at the last session
Of Congress-, and no appropriation
whatever was made for the payment of
the fees Of Marshals and their deputies,
| either in'the service of process or for
the discharge of other duties and since
June 30th, these officers have continued
the performance Of their duties with
out compensation from theGOyernment,
taking upon themselves the necessary
incidental Outlays, as well as rendering
their own services. In only a few un-
avoidable instances has the proper exc
cution of the process Of the United
States failed by reason of the absence
of the requisite appropriation. This
course Of official conduct on the part of
these officers, highly creditable to their
fidelity, was advised by the Attorney
General, who informed them, however,
that they would necessarily have to
rely for their compensation upon the
prospect of future legislation by Con-
gress. [ therefore especially recon-
mend that immediate appropriation be
made by Congress for this purpose.
The act making the principal apprO-
pnatiOn for the Department of Justice
at previous sessions has uniformly con-
tained the following clause: "And for
defraying the expenses which may be
incurred in the enforcement of the act
approved February 2Sth, 1870, entitled
'Au act to amend an act approved May
3Oth, 1870, entitled an Act to enforce
the right of citizens of the United
States to vote in the several States of
the United States, and for other pur-
poses,' or any acts amendatOry thereof
or supplementary thereto"
No appropriation was made for this
purpose for the current year. AS no
general election for members of Con-
gress occurred, the omission was mat
ter of little practical Importance. Such
election will, however, take place dur
ing the coming year, and the apprOpria-
tiOn made for the pay of Marshals and
deputies should be sufficient to en-
brace compensation for the services
they may be required to perform at
such elections.
The Indians.