Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-20
Republican Disadvantages.

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In the clvil-service law which was
passed last year, since any national or
congressional election has been held,
there is a section providing that mo
senator or representative, or territorial
delegate Of congress, nor any officer or
employee of either house, and no exec
utive, judicial, military or naval officer
Of the United States, and no clerk or
employee of any department OF the
government shall directly or indi-
rectly solicit or receive, or in any man
ner be concerned in soliciting or re-
ceiving any assessment, subscription
or contribution for any political pur-
pose whatever, from any officer, clerk
or employe of the United States, or
from any person receiving compensa-
ton from any moneys derived from
the treasury of the United States.n
congressman are expressly included in
this prohibition, and the penalty for
the violation of these laws is a fine of
s., 900 and imprisonment in the peni-
Tertiary for five years.
1t will be seen that the law is very
sweeping and arbitrary, and that all
political committees must be composed
of private citizens. No congressman
or senator, no army or military officer,
nobody, in fact, who is in the service
Of the general government and draws
pay therefrom, can act as a member o!
the national committees of the Repub-
lican or Democratic parties, because in
that position no assessments of money
can be levied or contribution received
from any government employe for any
political purpose. A reorganization o.
the national committees must be made
composed of private citizens who ar,
not connected in any capacity will
the government. The intention ant
effect of this law was to put stop t,
the harassing of government clerks b,
assessments" for campaign purposes
which the Republican executive com
mittees have been in the habit of levy
!, ing and collecting by coercion. Tn
Republican campaign Is crippled q
once, for the fear of this law will driv
their most capable and experience,
politicians from the national commit
. tee, and put the conduct of the can
o paign in the hands of private citizens
o comparatively unacquainted with tn
e approved methods of political engineer
Q ing.
e The law applies to federal official
n who are members of state, county {
% township organizations. There
q scarcely a county in the United Stat,
It in which there is not postmastt
'r serving as member of political con
IS mittee, and if another postmast,
10 should subscribe 81 to the expenses
'e the campaign he would be liable
&c $1,000 fine and imprisonment. Nor
IF over, the law applies to the use
re money "for any political use whs
ever" and includes conventions, tore
flZtllght professions, the printing of pc,
o. ers orMe hiring of brass bands, n
rt only after theeBoninstipns of cand
ut dates or delegates, but lSrs thezhol
% ing of conventions. N''>>/$
'ol This is a great blow to the Blair
Is campaign. They cannot levy cont
Ill buttons on clerks, or receive al
is, money from any government Ell
de ploye, except by displacing their b.
on managing talent, who are all off,
al holders, and putting on the commit
of untried hands. To be sure, the &c
S. eminent clerks may give what sur
he they are willing to contribute to Il
ef- success of their party, but it is 4
to probable they will become frantic
rs give anything when they come to (,
he that the compulsion hitherto used
Republican campaign committees Is
be removed. Democrats will like
keep close watch on their enemy, a
.ge see that the law Is not violated; "a
ms the fear Of prosecution, with the pr
his pect of $1,000 fine or penal servitu
red for five years, is good whip tn ma
les the Republicans, respect the law. TIL
pie deprived of the source of millions
cut unwilling dollars that in past ca
Of paigns have gone into their corrupt
aid fund, the Republicans are natura
ion feeling bad, and coupled with the d
re- NAL state OF affairs In the East I'll
on are blue and melancholy.