The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-06-30
CIVIL sERyICE nEr0RM.

Z II Aee0,sto laskepo .iiAerehee to the
republicans pasly Rhnagers, that Fwe
base . law on OR atNtute books, ,nalxipg
It a criminal offence 10 hwy aaaeasmeAts
upon tho oiiice.holders of the coantry
for political purposes. Notwithstanding
the fact, that Gen. A. M. Curtis, treas
urer of the Republican State Committee
of New York, was tried, and convicted
| n few weeks since, lin . federal court
for levying assessments, and collecting
money from Government employees
calls are still made on the Office. holders
Cor contributions to help the glorious
cause of the republican party. From
the little pages in Congress, often th'
sons Of poor widows, to the highest
paid official in the land, exorbitant de
mands are made, varying from ton dol
lars to hundreds, in proportion to The
amount of pay received. No matter
how small the pay, or how needy, anC
worthy the employee, a refusal to com
ply with tho demands of the party
bosses and machine men, ID pohtica
suicide. The circnlst. recently ISSUED
by ]. A Hubbell, present chairman and
treasurer OF the Republican, Congress
sional Comuaittec, and member o.
Congress from Michigan, bear more
tho impress of commands, than solieita
tious. Following is an oYtraet from
ono of these curious little documents
that find their way into the hands o.
every officer, clerk, and employee in the
service of the United States o2
"Under the circumstances in which
tho country finds itself placed. the com
mittee believes that you will esteem Il
both privilege and pleasure 70 make
10 its fund contribution, which It Il
hoped may not be lesa than s.
Tho committee is authorissd to state
that such voluntary contributions from
persons employed az tLe serrice Of h'
United States ,oiH mel b. objected 10 a.
any Official quarter, Please make
prompt and favorable response to thu
letter by bank check or drai: or money
order. st.sl .fa.ief ...sa O..
The recipients Of these circulars cat
read between the hines, that refusal t
respond, will ensure prompt distniAsa
from service, and off so their politica
heads. Il il no. TO hs wondered at
that in niae cases out of ten, "pronp
and favorable response is made v
these mandates from the national re-
publican committee, when j.. Ia taker
into consideration, that such proceed
ings have the sanction Of the admins
tration at Washinston, and the tax
ridden officials are openly and boldl,
assured, that such "cunttibuufns ffou
persons employed in the service Of th,
U nited States will not DO objected to II
any official quarter" The Law forbid
ding these assessments, was passed IL
1876 by a wicked democratic congress
has been sustained by the federal courts
and is heartily eadorsel 10y the pse'
pie at large, and yet, IL seems, that il
Is not entitled to any respect at tbs
hands OF the republican congressiona
coumitsee. Shortly after these circulars
were issued, Dir. Geo. VIM. Curtis
President Of the Civil Service Reform
Association, issued coantsrcirsalars
addressed 10 many Of the employees Of
the United States, advising them 20 re-
frain from complying with the demands
of the republican, congressional commit
tee, on the ground, that Il compliance
therewith, would subject them TO crimi.
nal liability. But Mr. Hnbbell, in oP'
On defiance Of the law, in an open letter
to Mr.. Curtis, says, that he ia willing to
meet M-. Curtis on this Question, any.
where or at any time, and @ paite 'eith
him an reqa<sliaJ ths President 10 ask;
an opinion Of tie attorney general as 70
the liabilities Of the parties in theprem-
isses. The magnahfmity Of the chair
man of the republican. congressional
committee can be fully appreciated,
when it is remembered, that in his ad-
dress TO the employees of the govern
ment he expressly tells them that con,
tributions from then viii not be ub-
jected to in any Official quarter. 90 rs
He does not reckon without his host.
when he calls upon the present admin
istration 70 c3nstrhs the law. His
efforts to secure money to buy up seats
in congress, are warmly seconded by
the president and his cabinet, and he
knows full well, that. in this ooticiol
quarter, nothing viii be done to inter
fere with his corrupt practices. There
is great lesson to Le learned from The