New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-27
POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS.

A SENATE DEBATE on THE CIVIL sEEViCE-coN-
rRRTTIoNs NOT AsSESsMENTS-MR. VAN WfChs
PLAIN LANGUAGE
IBY TeLEGRArH TO TUE TRIBuNEl
washington. June 26.--Seuator PendletoD called
mn his Civil Service resolution to-day, and made a
speech upon it which disappointed hls hearers IL
consisted chiefly of turgid assertions OF Democratic
itv botb in principle and practice aud OF denunci-
st,ons of what the Senator assumed to he the mo-
tives of the Republican Congressional Committee IN
i.sunp the circular calling for contributions from
oncc-holders Tor campaign purposes
Senators Allison and Hale followed, and rented
every political point made by tho Senator from
Ohio. Senator Alhson, member OF the congress
siopal Committee said the Senator from ONO Ia
bored under a grave misrepresentation III beheVlhg
The committees circular to call for anything other
than voluntary contributions The clrcular was
used IN 1880. 1t was well known that ffesldeht
HAYES was opposed to political assessments ana
hi, circular was prepared to meet his views. The
committee did not undertake to make political
assessments and every man holding Office
was at perfect liberty to decline TO
contribute toward the Congressional Committee's
funds OF the responses TO the circular of 1850
oulv II 5lI were favorable Out Of the 100000
Federal otlice-holders only about one-'enth made
contributions yet he defed the Senator from ono
o. any other Senator 20 point TO a single instance
where man had been removed because oi his lall-
ure to make q contribution.
senator Hale skfulIy dlssected the claim made
bv the Senator from Ohio that the Democracy was
the party of pure principles and high civil service
aspirations. lie read from sworn testimony taken by
investigating committees, showing that under The
last Democratic Administration the President him
self had held daily consultations with his political
coworkers in relation the matter of party ASSESS
ments and had approved of the seyerest methods to
,Ntort money from oiicchoders By the invention OF
q high bureau Oficial-the then Commissioner OF the
Land Office, and since then member OF the Senate
and shining light the Democratic party, Mr.
Hendricks, of Indiana--the money had beer dls-
bursed directly from the National Treasury for
political purposes and afterward assessed upon the
employees in the departments.
Senator Van Wyck who has a resolution pending
TO make inquiry into the methods of the committee
in raising money. made long speech. lie de-
nounced the plan of making political assessments.
but passed quickly from that to the practices Of the
present Administration. He had in mind, as did
every one who listened to- him, recent scene in
which the Postmaster General and himself were tho
chief actors when Mr. Howe attempted. rather
success fully TO discipline the Senator from Nebraska
for voting according to his convictions Ill the Sem
ate. lie found a speech made by Mr..
Howe when a member of the Senate, which en-
bodied very fitting commentary upon the action
of bir Howe as illustrated in tic Van Wyck inter
view Portions of the speech were read by the
Senator from Nebraska, whose sarcastic iuterJec-
tons and comments were extremely amusing. lie
said he had doubt the contributions asked for
from the clerks voluntary and that refusal
would he as harmless or them as It would De FOR
Senator IF the United States TO vote ag inst Ires
Dental nomination. Senators were told that their
rights were inalicnable and that they might vote
a. they chose but take care" he said " not 10
sIclse that right" Turning 10 the speech he read
MIR. PRESIDENT: During the past year we have seen
here and everywhere throughout the country small Ont
active squads OF political Dqusiicrs busy with the work
o. assisting the Republican party IN gathering INTO
hgllowed gamers all those who thems' Ives sup
porers OF The Presidents policy and pouring unquencn
able fire upon all The rest Poles have been set up at al
policy" have been suspended from them, aud selEap
pointed uqutOrs have lurked IN convenient jungles to
1etect who and who did not uncover under the flag.
Mr. Van Wyck ged upon his opposition to
secret sessions, "a relic of bygOne times, which
worked Injustice 10 members OF the Senate to can
didaes ior Office and to the people, who had night
10 know what was going on. Men came there and
violated their oaths and honor by telling what Scu-
ators did in secret sessions He alluded to the fact
that ho found the Postmaster General perfectly
well informed with regard to his " al Wyck'sl vote
upon the confirmation OF certain nominations He
had noticed that some OF the friends Of the Admin
istratiou, however. had voted against confirmation
aud had not suffered by IT, lie dld not understand
II. Mr.. Van Wyck defended himself against the
euppoSltlOn that he was anything hut "a hcpuDl-
can. lie wanted his party 10 avoid the abyss of
degrade ION into which the Democratic party had
fallen aud IN consequence of which they had been
sent into retirement by the peCple. With such a
record there was place for him to 20 outside the
Republican party, unless he Joined the party Of
the President OF the Senate to do which lie would
have toresiga his seat, and there only precc
dent for that. TO follow that precedent il would
De necessary for his colleague TO suggest resignation
e. him aud this his colleague had failed to DO.
Besides there was no Vice President 10 ask the
State legislature OF Nebraska to yindcate INN.
Senator Van Wyck had a greater number OF Sen
ators and of outsiders both upon the floor and in
the galleries listening TO him than have waited
upon the words OF any previous speaker III the
Senate at this session.
INTERNAL REVENUE REDUCTION.
TEL HoUSr READY TO PASS THE REVENUE BIIL--PO-