New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-03

Commission The Appropriation BIN was ct s is' IvG Te
ported The sum Of $1,000 was sSTe the iu transit Of
Venus for the Introduction Of sap
otnes asr1u Nrtb The various grants Of the
bill amounted to 1913 6s0s65 bu that sum u ne Pres
Ss aSe had single sSay q is
friends for the purpose OF prom9ng committee Of
f W0os Tao 1ne smendments looking to that
end were offered by the opposition, anu ~ s,scac ann
d S an President was moved by OF his party
friends II was contemporary 9pposseu ~ i0o sn2
OF the subject upon which they were
ieSisIating and the Presidents party refused ms re
Of the President and fora sum of $1,000 900
he PRESIDENTS party laughed and Jeered. bu c
T Thich Is felt BY the most nisligen, and
patriotic citizens 70 be OF the highest n ,%pSf
ted grant Of threeftbs OF the pittanoe Tor men ne
had urgently asked This is the sole action OF the
House Of Representatives upon tAis subject ms ~ nc
record upon which the leaders OF the dominant party
think IT wise 70 90 to the country which Is thor9ugy
alive TO the necessity OF REFORM trust tnat tnis
uonal League win recommend 10 all the Civil service ne
for % eyey rsndste for Congress IN their several
States upon this question: 10 announce that position 20
the voters plainly and 10 urge every citizen VINO desires
reform support without regard to his party aympatny
only those candidates whom he believes 70 DC honestly
resolved 10 secure IT.
PIyBIIc SENTIMENT AND POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.
This trial that Of General n. NJ Curtis and the
consequent general discussion by the press exposed the
gross wrong peril of party political assessments upon
persons employed by the Government and disclosed the
agreeable fact that public sentiment was singulary
sound upon the subject The Philadelphia association
had respectfully attention Of the President 10
the abuse, and requested his interference. but without
result The indignant attention OF the whole country,
however was immediately called 10 IT, during the
spring number OF members Of Congress- belonging to
the political party and without authority from that
party, calling themselves Congressional commit zee,
Issued circulars masters and her employees OF ne
Government OF every clIss assessing YAK OF -
per cent or other speclned sums upon the amour. Oh
salary aud The persons assessed included
Gay in navy yards, workmen upon tie Govern
ment works, messenger boys women clerks hOstlers,
mStrOns, In0ian asslsants nurses aundresses washer
women and serubblng- women, In Indian training
schools and public offices ms committee Cass uraS-
net over the whole civil service They cOmeed IL with
iron comb. Webster speaking nfty years ago OF an
inquisition for spouS, dlu l0t dream VI d ato 80
aud rapacious The mean terror OF the SPOTS
system never touched s. low depth OF degradation,
at abuse OF the power OF patronage vas tne co
justly Indignant. On the 'th OF Juhe the
NewYork auOn Issued circular to the same EN-
ployes reminding them ina In'J Weie aio a. nho a
dismissal should they comply Mr. jay A. HuDDell, OF
Michigan, the chairman ana treasurer OF the ltee
heleupon wrote letter TO tne New OrK ASSOCIATION
declaring that its counsel mai missaed the law either
or pervertlng IT, ana processing Ms
Willingness 10 TAKE any form OF ACTON IN any Tribunal 70
soundness OF his circular The association I'M
proposed 10 make test case 10 be designated
Oy Mr.. Hu6bel himself. After some delay MIR. Hubbel
replied that such course would be dishonorible for
HIM that a member OF Congress, he was not amen
able tine aw-wich the association had not asserted
that nc asked only for voluntary contributions tnat
give and that to cr pie action of HIS committee
mat is, the assessed employees that under the
become the efficient ally OF southern bulldOzers
ALLEGED VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS.
Suddenly thrown upon their defence by public indig
nation the leading members of the committee
echoed their chirman's assertion that the circular
asked only voluntary contributions. But it is be-
such payments justly held not TO be voluntary
that they prohibited by law It's generally true
says Webster" that lie VINO controls another mans
means OF living. controls his WILL Macauay furnishes
quaint ILLUSTRATION OF heOstels REMARK men James
H. issued order customs Oncer remarked that he
"a wife and thirteen young chlidrei nave Known III,
n civil service WHO received order, to vote
tgal"tt JheH WISHES ana VINO sAiu ~ NE L'nhI5 TO
iisooey would be to take the bread from
the mouths Of our families Inc law
which forbids payment Of political assessments
Dy empoye OF the Government 10 an officer OF the
Government, merely expresses the universal conviction
out assigning any reason whatever ask him to pay Il
specified percentage oil ILLS to promote cause IN
tney tell MIN tnat he Is much interested they
are, and when they dun n Sharply and lnsolenty Tor
payment he is virmaLy threatened and mis- compliance
Voluntary tnan mat Of Tue traveller upon the
nigh way who up his purse DICK Iurpn. Those
ask free g1s DO moi demand purse al tue pelnt OF
Iot specify the amount, require them a que,
threaten 10 report noh-payhent as a Delinquency.
TOT Vii Vii 19 e az liberty Ike o
ens 10 refuse Indeed argument is often urged
hey their places to the part and tha they Ougnt
pay willingly nelp TIE party. But this Is asking
voluntary contribution, THIS simply selling office
21I M crciar Was ever sent to them demanding py-
nent OF per upon their Incomes There
Ulcers of the army aud navy, but no politician |
ares 10 assess them per cent upon their pay 10
&c spent without account by Irresponsible
Committee. The character and tone Of al tHe-e |
ITcnIars the fact nat they are ISSUED by poll real com
nittees ana addressed only To employees APP |
,Oinled and removable by political lunaence; the |
Teciecaton of a percentage ana OF certain sun tne
OF the payment due the peremptOry
eteratOn OF the demand; tue threat OF reporting de-
nonenrs TO a superior Ocal authority the methods OF
oltIo m. unveral UNDERSTANDING OF the recipients
circular that there Is serious rlHE ID Refusing ."
AL Of ,bicn facts are proved beyond question
ma udi alb "a
oluntary contribution IS ASSESSMENT levied unuer
inaI threat of dismissal This is 50 notorious mat
vefy man wno is familiar with practical pOnucs Laughs
/ the that the money 90 obtained Is a Tree
Ill
A REPLY TO HUBBELL's CHALLENGE.
MI Hubben and the memOers Of his committee de- |
se that nobody has ever been dismissed from the pub
C service TOR refusing pay the party assessment.
tut in saving this they what they cannot possibly
now because not necessary TO assign reasons for
be removal of the subOrdnates TO whom the circular
ddressed. They dismissed without reasons alleged,
nd, were necessary 10 state caoe preehleQ rea
Dns would not be wanting distinguished Senator,
1at of 100000 persons the circular OF 1850
-as sent, only aooGt II5O0 responded airmatiyciy,
rrsOn VINO mad dismissed for declining 20 pay.
ut III OF the name cannot he pro-
very one OF the 100000 probably received
similar summons from state and district
now how many respondent Can he possibly know that
he 1000 who did moi respond 10 Mr. hubDcH were
qua liz obdurate to the other demands Does ne Know
raj the IL 500 who did RESPOND Mr.. HubDel did not
lao give 10 the other eXtoruOucr5 Does ne
OF that the men receiving 900 year nave Deeh
eoured TO pay assessInent1 or per cehe
Iher Neither tine senator nor any one eise
kept superior officer can Know now many rem0v-
Is have been III cOnsequenceOf refusal 10 pay de
aware not Only that subOrnaLes are dismissed Wild
ut alleging reasonn Dut also mat certain resOs are
e yer alleged WHAT, Tor example, could De more CON
-ln Dt dismiss honest anu efficient clerk
public service because Al influential politician
fishes his place for parasite VI hID own 1eL nave
uOwu and perhaps Senator known, sucn renOV-
Is he made. But never Knew such reason 10 De
81 gned Tor removal
protest against political assessments OF ths KIND Is
ct 10 deny great great puOLc objects eau DE At
aimed Only by the understanding and tho Ougn Or
anizati0n Of those who desire tnem. Every man,