The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-07-01
Assessments on Public Employees.
Reply of Hon. Geo. VIM. Curtis to Hon.
Jay A. HubbeII

ReUIy of Hon. Geo. VIM. Curtis TO Hon.
Jay A. Hubben
New York. June 25.-The Hon. Geo. Viii
liam Curtis has written the following to the
Hon. Jay A. Hubbel:
Hon. jay 4. HabbeH, Chairman and Treas
urer, DC, DC. Gc-Sir: have received your
letter of the 22d instant, in which you com
ment upon the circular of the Civil Service
Reform Association advising certain employees
of the government that they may render
themselves liable to legal penalties should they
yield to a requisition to pay speclhed part
of their salaries into the treasury of your COM
mittee. Upon this suggestion yen remark
1.-The law is misstated in your circular, and
the alarm you seek to create is without Justl-
feation in the law. Your counsel, to whom
you vaguely allude, either misunderstands or
perverts it. 1t seems to me, however, that
a man who lives with his family upon $500 or
$500 year would find it much more alarming
and confusing to be summoned to pay two per
cent. of that amount than to be told that such
payment might lead to legal trouble. If, IN
deed, there be any question of comparative
manliness and honor in the transaction, 1t
strikes me that virtually to threaten laborers
in navy yards and elsewhere, clerks, errand
bows and even women and girls in the public
offices, to whom am informed that circulars
have been sent, that they are in danger OF dis
missal if they do not surrender part OF their
wages, is conduct quite as open to the charge
of want of manliness and honor as the act of
warning such laborers that the law probably
protects them against the demand.
You remark that you disdain Ito seek pro
lection and shelter behind any cover. You
will not, therefore, attempt to hide under the
pitiful pretense that the assessment OF two
per cent or other specific sum levied by the
congressional committee is an invitation to
make voluntary contribution. IL Is
stated that thirty thousand or more of the cir
culars Of your committee have been sent out.
| have personal knowledge Of them adj
dressed to the employees of the government
from Kentucky to New England, and they are
undoubtedly daily mailed to every part OF the
Union. They are apparently addressed eN-
clusively TO public employees, and those EN-
ployes undoubtly understand that the alterna-
tive is that of paving or dismissal. The de-
mand is issued bv a committee which knows
that such is the general understanding IN the
service. once pleaded with . superior ofi-
Ger against the injustice OF this assessment
upon poor men earning small wages aud re
dnced TO despair by the demand, and he told
me hotly and plainly that for every enc that
did not wish to pay there were fifty persons
ready to take his place, with all IT'S incnm-
bFances II is not necessary for me 10 point
out to you that this is practically sale OF the
public service to the highest bidder, that u
DESTROYS the selErespeet of the public EN-
ployes. and that il is necessarily fatal 70 hon
est politics and economical administration.
If the wages Of the public service are too
high, let them be reduced Buthy what night
does committee Of an irresponsible club Of
members Of Congress levy party tolls apoa
the public employees under pain OF dismissal
You, SIR. are chairman and treasurer Of the
republican congressional committee. hal
party authority constituted that committee
In what way is Il responsible - tbs FcPahh
can party ? II lew Of money Is TO DC made
upon employees Of the government for The ben
liz of party treasEry--which ! bold 20 be
perilogs ahase--it should be authorized By
those whom the party desiguases for the Par-
pose. /; Is certainly not duty to he Assnns-
cd hy any committee II members Of the party
elected for another purpose II such . eosr-
mittee mar demand per csni- Of wages, q
NAV extoSt - per eeni. under the same ter
rur. Other similar committees may do the
same thing, and in fact the Pohlic efRployrs
are nov sabiecs 70 yaFioas demands OF the
kind The money thHs ecerced BY irrespoa.
sible committees i expended IN ways 81
which there L no pahIic account. ltbec0saes
efsea q vast corruption fund drawn tFum the
pahlic treasury By the party in p@Fer 20 ss-
care is continued control al ths government
This Is dangerous hlow 10 FRYE Institutions
and tho general kaa~lcdve Of tlse abuse ne
cssszrily destroys poPaiaF confidence ia iAe
honesty of elections. and hg5nEs as face to
lace wtsh a catastrophe.
Extraordinarily there are legitimate political
expenses for every party, and IA free coun.
sry everybody shonld be al liberty 10 asd and
To refuse 10 aid bis party. Rnt the pahllc esn.
ploves Of The government are sssaally selected
IN ! wzv which practically depFtxss them Of
the liberty Of giving or withholding sach A1a
81 ihsir pleasure. II man kug~s that he
holds his place by personal favor hc wia nat
Hsaliy propiiiAts that favor IN sTsier 70 retain
his place. Il vas tbs kaowieSge tAas The lis
ssysy Of tie 0ascehaldrF ia shis matter i thus
impaired which led congress 10 pass thc act q
protection 70 which car circular FeferS- That
at recognizes, a. universal experience ana the
reason of she case shows, shat government
smplaye. whose Sanity depends apoe has
wages. - not delaaea By she phrass ''sol-
antsry CONFEDERATION ana fears that be csa
not REFUSE ta raw wtthSat taking the RISK 81
dismissal. His refusal Indeed, wonld nos b.
alleged ~ the reason, but ID woHld se the rea.
aan aad to say ia Rn emplays. as the circular
of the congressional committee SAYS. tAak his
contribution uiil noe he objected 10 N aay
official quarter, - fnefssE ~ shssa ttas scTss
II 4 3 hint 10 him that the demand i known
ard approved by those who can dismiss hsus-
You assert yoar willingness 30 ask the Presa
acna 10 ask the opinion AZ the Attorney -tseRer.
Al. Bot voar circular has hecn seat 10 the
employesin the Attorney General softee. and
Il distinctly assarss thssa. by necessary lEnph
cation. that the head u the otlsce does NOT OBJ
jeet II voc read ths newspapers carefally
yea are aware of the very general pshlie Goa
demnAtion Of the practice u political assess
menls. ard they are condemned for the pre-
else reason that saeh assessments sre pot What
they pretend 10 be, voluntary contributions
If yea ask me to consrihate 10 your TREASURY,
ana private eitixea and ! can give OF REFUSE
without suffering. Bat II yea and year $3.50
eiaies ask nv neixhbor ~ho Is employed 10 the
custom house for contribution, he feels that
he i in danger IL he declines. This i the IN
riEgement % the equal liberty Of citizens which
makes this practice odioas, while It's inevitable
consequences make il threatening to the pub
lie welfare. The association Of which have
the honor to be president will spare no lawful
effort 10 restore that equal liberty to every
citizen Respectfully yours,
Csc. WILLIAM CrRTIs,
President Of the New York civil Service Re
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