National Republican., 1882-04-24
Campaign Contributions and Reform
Sncakcry.

days" say these mourners Of departed
greatness. But this spirit cannot survive
the exhibition of might now being made.
The public conscience is being aroused,
and the torpidity of the public mind is
being overcome by brood of statesmen
compared with whom those of the past
were pigmies These noble men are not
| lrittering away their strength on any such
petty questions as the maintenance of
order, the readiustment of the revenue
laws, the education of the young, the
protection of citizens, or the .ad-
ministration of justice. Higher themes
than these engage their atten-
ton. The one great evil of the time
is the one at the root of which they pro-
pose to lay the axe. That is the depraved
| conduct of persons in Government em-
ploymcnt in contributing to the election
fund of their party. Any man not in
Government employ may do any lawful
thing he pleases with his own money.
Any man in Government employ may do
whatever lawful thing he pleases with
his own money except to contribute a.
few dollars of it to the national
committee of his party. That he may
not do. If he is allowed to do it
who knows but the committee may eX-
pend 1t in printing political information
and disseminating it through the land
Or what would there be to prevent the
committee from paying the travelling ex-
penses of some party orator, bent upon
missionary work for the Republican
cause? We are glad this good work is
being taken in hand. Wayne Mac
Veagh's troupe of Civil-Servico Reform
crs at Philadelphia lately memorialized
the President "to assure Federal office
holders that refusal to pay political
assessments would not endanger
their tenure of office" On Saturday a
delegation from the Civil-Service Reform
Association met the executive committee
of the National Civil-Service Reform
League at New York osce what could be
done to force the President to compliance
with the above demand. The important
news is telegraphed that the commit
tee advised that second statement OF
the facts should be presented to the
Ao ~ 10 tNlNIlillIlOu tiibN nv
effort shall be omitted which may con-
J tribute to prevent such assessments
in the future" OF course the word
assessment" means contribution"
The Reformers have to lie to make even
the beginning of case. FIVE except
the New York post-olliCe, there is not q
public office in the United States in
| ,t.l,i,l, 10 ,g1lpptnl from, hn ~,
ployecs under any compulsion or fear Of
removal or disfavor. We do not mean to
be understood us rebuking the civil-ser-
vice reformers for lying. They cannot
be reformers unless they can make it ap-
. pear that there is something to reform
! and we had better have little lying
done than to try and get along without
reformers.
President Hayes was kind enough tc
cooperate with the Congressional Repub
= lican Committee in assessing the office
holders and clubs, and himself framed
, the language in the committees circu
/ lar which assured the Government EN-
: ployees that in making the voluntary
Q contributions" which the Reformers al
A ways falsely and maliciously characterize
a as assessments their conduct would
I "meet with no objection in any oflicia
4 quarter" When President Hayes die
\ this he was the idol of the Civil-Servict
D Reformers, who cursed the party commit
tee for the words which he had written
The paltry sum contributed by mer
who are anxious to aid the party unde
+ whose administration they are employed
i is given cheerfully, and the people laugh
at the hypocrites who pretend to see any
thing Objectionable in it, The Almighty
Z does not want anybody to be as good a
> these fellows pretend to be. We hope
= the nauseating cant, falsehood, and drive
Il which they have sent to the President
r as well as that they are about to scnt
Is will find its way into his waste-baske
II We hope the Congressional Committe
VI will 90 to work and raise all the none,
they require for legitimate campaign
d objects from people in and ont c
is Office. We hope they will do this in tn
n broad daylight. behtting honest and in
e. dependent action. We hope the RepuE
g. lican party will act like a lawful an,
d praiseworthy association of lrcemeI
,e moved by patriotic purpose, and tn,
n they will expel from their councils a
d enemies of party organization and part
n work. We hope that men who openl
$ oppose the party, Safeguarding its rel
ii resentative bodies as " machines" and il
,e chosen leaders as "bOsses," will b
treated rs the enemies they are, and tina
when they add to their venomous hos
r tility the sneakery of lingering in II
m Republican household, and Of preten,
u ind to be Republicans, they will |
Sc shown the door.
10 The millions who constitute the r.
'r publican party will only follow thos
Il leaders who beckon them the way the
l. were to GO Neither sore-headed rogue
Is nor conceited political coxcombs can il
o duce them to dsband in front of tn
enemy by telling them their favort
/ generals are "bosses." Ii is fair an
II right for those who do not believe in pt
y, litical parties to labor for their destru
III tion. 1t is of course the duty of all WI
ie disapprove the purposes of our party
i oppose it, But those who pretend to |
n Republicans, and who claim mcmbc
ship in the party, while losing no oppc
tunity to cripple and defeat it, are e
n titled only to the scorn and contempt
nt honest men.
~ Tbp Rnnpnpnus NpntpnI9