The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-07-01
my DEAR HUBBELL.n

No incident in the interest of civil service
reform and decent administration of the
government has been more fortunate than the
publication Of the circular recently issued by
Mr.. Jay Nubbill chairman OF the republican
congressional committee, levying an assess.
ment OF per cent. upon the salaries OF all the
employees of the government in behalf of a
republican electioneering corruption fund
The business comes to the fore at a time
when political matters are comparatively
quiet, and the popular mind, absorbed by no
other exciting topic, can give its whole at.
tention 10 the subject.
Have our readers any conception of the pro-
portions Of this iniquity? The ofiice-holders
In the employ OF the national government now
number about 10000, whose salaries average
about $i9e0 a year or $l32,OOO0eO Two per
cent on this sum amounts to $2,4OO,OOO. But
the levy is not on Of1ceholders alone. Il ex-
tends to all the workmen. janitors and pages
employed about the senate and house and all
the public buildings at Washington, about the
custom houses court houses and other public
buildings throughout the country, and to the
workmen IN all the government armories, navy
yards, public buildings in process of erection,
NC, NC. The list to whom the circular is
addressed is said to cover over quarter of a
million OF names and two per cent on the
combined pay of all cannot amount to less
than three or four millions. Besides these
vastsums, Mr.. Hubbell boasts in his reply to
Geo. w. Curtis, that I'VE are getting more
money from non.otlce holding republicans
than from otliceholders." This would add n
million or two more to the annual corruption
fund. Besides which are the contributions
of banks, the tariifmongers, the whisky
rings, star route thieves, &c, &c, all of whom
have deep and vital interest in keeping
the republican party IN power. Com.
bining all these sources upon which
the republican campaign managers can
draw, and 1t is readily seen that three four or
five millions can be safely and moderately
named AS the means at their disposal for run
ning any natiOrel campaign. At the election
next fall, when the only national officers to
elect are congressman, this fund would enable
the national committee alone to throw from
$4,000 to $lO0,0ee into every close congress
sional district throughout the country
In addition to the cash means thus in the
hands of the republican party exclusively,
and against which the democrats or other
opponents the republican party have no off
set, the republicans have also an army of no.
900 otlce.Loders and an equal army of other
government employees, upon whom they can
always rely as party workers and voters as
implicitly as If they were specially hired for
the purpose.
Is 1t strange that with all these means and
appliances in their hands II is impossible to
Dust the republican party from powerS Sup.
pose our own congressional district was a
closely contested one but with the chances
in favor Of democrat; then suppose Jay
Hubbell should be advised of the fact and told
that it would take 100000 to insure carrying
the district for the republican: Would Jay
Hubbill hesitate an hour to send the money,
and would 1t he hard undertaking 10 make
difference OF 800 or 1000 votes even among
the truly moral and incorruptble voters" of
this congressional district by the judicious use
of 100000? And il that can be done here,
how much more potent is such sum In those
portions OF New Hampshire, Vermont, Con.
necticut and New York where 1t Is positively
affirmed by the best authority that the party