The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-06-29
BLACKMAIL.
Government Employees Robbed for
Campaign Purposes.
New York Star

Campaign Purposes.
New York Star.l
Senator Pendleton's proposed in
quiry to ascertain whether officers
and employees in the the service of
the government have been and are
still blackmailed for partisan pur-
poses, is timely and ought to be
pressed. The facts brought to light
by the trial of General Curtis here
would seem to answer this question.
1t was shown not only that money
had been extorted from officers and
employees by a system OF "moral
pressure" which no one dared to re-
sist, but exactly how this "moral
pressure" was brought to bear on in
dividuals. The courteous and
considerate Republican detail
ed for this duty did not con-
front his victims In person
and say IN vigorous Saxon: "Your
money or your place." Such di-
rect and honest proceeding would
shock the civil service reform
party, and lay him open to indict-
ment under the statutes. He sent
circular, soliciting voluntary contri-
buttons. And unless the recipient
of the invitation to contribute should
not know how much to give, the sum
required of him was stated in plain
figures. And the "moral pressure"
forced him to understand that only
by paying the tax could he retain
his place. This is the beautiful sys-
n oIu nj
Gated so strenuously by the Republi-
cans, in practical operation.
The method of raising funds is not
obsolete. A circular, dated the
middle of May, but only
just received by the en-
ployes of the government answers
explicitly the inquiry raised by
Senator Pendleton. 1t shows that
government officials and employees
are beng blackmailed for partisan
purposes by prominent Republicans,
and how the blackmailing is done.
That circular lays bare the whole
system of robbing men in the en-
plOy of the government. 1t appeals
to all "who look with dread upon
the possibility of the restoration of
the Democratic party to the control
of the government" to contribute to
the funds of the campaign commit
tee. And to assure them that "the
committee is authorized to state
that such voluntary C0 contributions
from persons employed in the SER
vice of the United States will not be
objected to in any official quarter"
The thumb-screw is approved by
the president also, who is the
head of the Republican party.
1t is, therefore, an official extor-
ton. The government of the United
States sanctions the blackmailing of
men in its service to meet the cam
paign exigencies of the Republican
party.
How this systematic blackmailing
affects the men who are victimized
is matter of the first concern. The
officers with large salaries can pay
their party assessment-for that is
what the pretended voluntary con-
tributions" really is-without incon-
venience. But the employees who
earn from four hundred to a thou
sand dollars a year, find it no easy
matter TO pay the exacted two and a
half per cent, especially when the
blackmailing operation is resorted
to second time. These men have
families to provide for. children to
send to school, and other claims on
their slender resources. They have
no interest i'll the politics or
the personel of administra-
ton; their opinions are of
not the remotest consequence to
anybody. Yet they must pay tax,
under the name of a "voluntary con-
tribution," to the Republican black
mailer or lose the privilege of work
ing for the government. Take
case which we happen to know of,
and which is not entirely exception
al, of a young man who earns not
over $500 year in government SER
vice, and has to support a sick IA
ther and decrepit mother from that
paltry income. More than a whole
weeks pay is demanded of him by
the partisan blackmailer There is
no alternative. The money must be
forthcoming or he will be bounced.
This is Republican consideration for
the men who do the routine work of
the government. Stealing is too
mild name for it; it is downright
The Republican party wants mon
ey for campaign purposes, But not |
satisfied with what it can raise from
the rich and interested members
the men whose interests it runs the |
government to serve, the corpora
tions it wrenches the government |
from its original purpose to build |
up--it levies blackmail on the en-
ployes of the United States. This |
is where the crimes come in. 1t |
treats the government of the coun-
try it happens to administer as its |
own private property, and uses the
government employees precisely as
though they were its serfs or slaves.
This perversion and prostitution of
the government to a party level
Is the source of the iemor-
llization of our politics and of
he abuse of patronage. The
Republican party has no more right
20 levy tax on the employees of the
United States than the government
Of the United States has to lay tax
IN the citizens ofCanada. They are
lot in the service of that party, and
% attempt to exUort two and one
lalf per cent. of their salary from
hem, under the thin pretense of a
voluntary contribution" when the
employees are given to understand
hat refusal to pay the assessment
will be followed by dismissal, ought
o be severely punished. IT the
Republican party cannot get money
o carry on its campaigns without
government employees,
t has reached the end of its tether,
md the sooner it gives up the ghost
he better.
The army that Arab Pasha has at
lis back appears to be very much an