National Republican., 1884-01-16
The Indiana Republican Committees Cir
cuiRr.

defraying the expenses Of the noxt political
campaign.
Section of the act to regulate and improve
the civil service of the United States requires
the commissioners it creates to aid the
President in preparing rules which
shall provide, among other things,
that no person in the public service is for
that reason under any obligations to contrib
ute to any political fund, or to render any
political service, and that he will not be re-
moved or otherwise prejudiced for refusing to
do so;" also that no person in said service has
any right to use his official authority or in
fuence to coerce the political action of any
person or body"
Section IL of the act provides that no officer
or employe of the government shall solicit,
receive, or be in any manner concerned in
soliciting or receiving, any political contri-
button whatever from any other government
officer or employo.
Section II reads as follows: "That no per-
son shall in any room or building occupied
in the discharge Of official duties by any
officer or employe of the United States men,
toned in this act, or in any nav yard fort,
or arsenal, solicit in any manner whatever,
or receive any contribution of money or any
other thing of value for any political purpose
whatever"
Section 10 prohibits rewards, by promotion,
for contributions, and punishments, by dis
charging or degrading, for refusing to con
tribute for political purposes.
Section II provides that no officer or en-
ploye Of the government can give or hand
over to any other person in any branch of
the government amy money or other valu-
able thing on account OF or to be applied to
the promotion of any political object what
ever
The civil service commission has aided the
President to make regulations to conform to
the act.
The true friends of civil service reform
will not overlook either side of the law. By
this we mean to say, as a republican partisan
newspaper, that the law contains certain
provisions to protect party men in some of
their rights, as we'll as other provisions to
protect them from party tyranny.
Officials are prohibited from using their
official authority or influence to coerce the
political action of any person or body. This
applies to the civil service commissioners, as
we'll as to all others in the civil service. Under
this provision it would be an offensc subject
ing them to removal for the civil service
commission to prevent contribution to party
| by making lawful modes to seem unlawful OF
innocent acts to seem ofTenses. An employ o's
official action would be coerced in violation OF
the law if he was frightened from making q
willing contribution in q lawful manner by
strained and unwaranted constructions ofthe
law. The thirteenth section clearly and in
terms declares that giving to ones party is
Just as meritorous Us refusing to give, and
that unless the gift is made through the for.
bidden channels it shall in nowise affect the
giver. The words are
No officer or empoye Of the United States men
toned in this act shall discharge. promote, or
degrade, or in any manner change the official ranl
or compensation Of any other officer or employ,
or promise or threaten so TO do, for giving, o
Withholding, or neglecting 10 make any contribu-
tion OF money or other valuable thing for an!
political purpose.
Hero giving and Withholding are placed OF
exactly an equal footing There is no war
rant for the prevalent assumption that politi'
civil service act. To SO construe it is T.
violate it, and to attempt the very coercion
of political action which it expressly forbds.
As to the employees Of the government il
Washington or anywhere else, it is not the
slightest violation Of the act in question for
their party committees mot officials or om
ploycs) to urge upon them the need of money
for q party fund. Theappeals to them can b.
sent by mail or made personally outside o
their departments. If their mail is delivered
to them in the Office where they are at work
that is not violation of section 12 whicI
only says that no person shall il
any room or building occupied in tn
discharge of official duties" solicit il
any manner whatever" any contribution
sc. This section merely forbIds the entranc
into public Office of solicitor Of politica
contributions for the purpose Of doing hi
work. But the solicitor who in his owl
Office indtes letter and mails II makes tn
solicitation on his own ground, The fact tina
it is made known by the delivery of tn
letter in public Office where the recipient
employed is no violation of the law. Such
construction would exclude from the publ
offices newspaper which, like The NA
rIoNAL REPUBLICAN, should venture to eS
press the hope that republicans everywher
would contribute little of their means
aid in the circulation Of political trutl
Such construction would exclude from a
the offices of the government the plan fC
money aid to a worthy political object
, which the following is a true copy:
George william Curtis, President.
OF Executive Com, Carl Schurz, IN, of Con
y, L.Godkn, ca. Of Pub on lcgisiati9n.
Ira Bursley Ch. of Fl. William Potts, secretar
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM ASSOCIATION, Pr
, STREET, NEW YORK, Sept. 49, lss3-Deqr St
You are doubtless aware that, taking adyal
= Of laagigI hnth n1g "a