The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-07-28
[Philadelphia North Americana

LIZ OLs0O Va ~fEAOA "a ~ III c4kS'
The action of the Circuit Court in the case
of General Newton M. Curtis, special agent
of the Treasury Department in the New York
Custom House, is we'll calculated 10 produce
in political circles considerable excitement and
no little apprehension. General Curtis had
been found guilty of what most people will re-
gard as the not very heinous oHense of collect
ing or at least of receiving from Federal office
holders contributions of money for political
purposes. II is quite conceivable that in act
ing as be did, General Curtis had no idea that
he was breaking the law of the land and COM
hitting an indictable offence. What he did is
being done every day, and has hesn done ha-
bitually for SO long time as the memory OF
man runneth not to the contrary. Whether
the custom is one which would be more hon.
ored in the breach than in the observance is
another question, and one which need not now
be discussed Perhaps it is desirable to sup
press the practice of assessing office holders for
the support of the party TO which they belong
and to which they owe their places, though
where in that case the money is to come from
to pay the expenses inseparable from political
campaigning does not appear.
But however that may be, the assessment of
office-holders is regular and recognized fea-
ture of practical politics" and when General
Curtis took his part in il in the usual course, he
would no doubS have been very much sur
prised had any one told him Of the const
quences which were to ensoe. That of course
, will not serve as argument against the SEN
tence which has since been passed upon him.
Ignorance of the law excuses no man, and If
General Curtis was not aware OF the
act of March Is, 1876, which prohibits
call executive officers Or employees OF the
United States not appointed by the Presl-
dent, with the advice and consent OF the Sen
ate, from requesting, giving or receiving from
any other officer or employe OF the government
epy money or property o. other thing OF value
for political purposes" he has no one TO blame
for that but himself At the same time Gener-
al Curtis is likely TO receive from an obsery-
ant public more liberal share of sympathy
than of condem nation. Though the law in
question has been on the Statute Book for
more than six years, no attempt has been made
to give it general application. 1t has been
broken continually during that period. and yet
this is the first instance in which it has been
made operative. OF course that circumstance
does not affect General Curtis's legal culpa-
bility.
But people can hardly avoid taking up the
impression that the manner in which he has
been singled out so be made an example of
savors persecution. A law which can Only be
is going to be popular. If there were any
prospect that the statute under which General
Curtis has been convicted would be effectual
in preventing the practice against which it is
directed the case would be different. But of
this there is little or no likelihood. AS We
have already pointed out, the law has been in
force for six years. and this the first convic-
ton under its terms. What reason is there to
anticipate that it will be applied with greater
effect hereafter than it has been hitherto?
And besides, no matter how vigorously it
might be carried out, the assortment of office
holders is ce. tain to 60 on for SO long as none J
is needed to carry ON the operations of politi-
cal party, that money will be supplied by those
who are most directly and vitality interested in
the pa. ty IS success.