Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-23
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.
An Explanation Of the Law by Civil
Commissioner Gregory.

He DECLARES IT GROSS TYRANNY TO ExToRr A
CLERKS EARNINGS BY THREAT OR PRoMIsE-THR
LAW INTENDED TO PROTECT THE CLERK. But NOT
TO RESTRICT HIS LIBERTY-THE CLERK STILL A
CITIZEN, ETC
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
hoped that Mr.. Eatons full and clear exposition
OF the bearing OF the civil service law and rules on
political assessments would answer all inquiries II
1t did not check all attempts ito violate the law
But 1t Is not surprising that In the Inauguration OF
a new system involving q revolution so radical as
this law makes the force OF old habits and OF
deeply-rooted ideas should lead many to distruSt
the power and permanency OF the new regime, If
not also to boldly disregard its requirements. At
any rate there seems TO be demand for further
explanation.
More than half a century has passed since Gov
ernOr Marcy'S brutal MAXIM ITO the victorS belong
the spoilS," announced the Inauguration OF the
Spols system OF office-holding. Few now living
recolect the earlier and purer practice OF the gov
ernment, and the public mind has been so de-
bauched by the long prevalent abuses that II is
hard for most to believe that genuine reform has
been made, and that ii can and Will be maintained.
The grand intent OF those sections Of the civil
service act which relate to contributions for pot
lcal purposes was twofold l. To prevent the use
OF government places and government funds as
FORCES to control elections. 9. To protect govern
ment employees from compulsory contributions TO
and instructive dislike to see their public servants
interfering prominently in political conventions
and elections, except in the legitimate way OF pub
llc debate; and Congress designed an emphatic
prohibition OF the use OF Official positions and SAL
aries to debauch or defeat the clear popular will
and vote. 1t was also the design OF Congress that
the government clerk should have the same abSo-
lutte freedom In the use and enjoyment OF his earn
ingS that is possessed by the clerks In banks and
business houses in his vicinity. He is employed to
work for the people and not for q pdrtp. and his
pay comes from the people and not from his party.
What he earns is, therefore, his own; and ii is the
groSSeSt tyranny to eXtOrt from him any part OF
thrpaJ, n nv
or promotion. Beyond all question IL was the clear
and high purpose OF the law to protect those who
serve the people in governmental positions from all
such tyranny and robbery And what Congress
did In this case the people ratify and will continue
to ratify.
But while shielding the employees OF the govern
ment In one direction, 1t was not the purpose OF
Congress to needeSSly restrict their freedom in
another. The broad rights OF citizens, the rights
OF property, OF speech, OF action and OF association
belong alike to government clerks and all citizens.
The members OF Congress, In their determination
TO stop oppression took good care not TO establish
tyranny. They knew very well that they could
only lay their mandates upon officials as officials
and upon persons and places clearly under the
jurisdiction OF the government. A careful con-
Siderat1On OF the law will show all this, ami Will
make 1t clear that Congress went to the utmost
limit of Its power In order to protect these people,
but stopped strictly short at that limit In order
leave constitutional liberty intact
The prohibitions Of the law cover four distinct
So oca States Senator
tive, officer, clerk or public empoye) shall Solicit
or receive or be in any manner concerned In solicit
ing or receiving from any officer clerk, employe
OF the United States, or from any person receiving
any salary or compensation from moneys derived
from the Treasury OF the United States" any
SeSSnent, subscription. or contribution for any po-
lltical purpose whatever This section forbids oi-
cial intimidation, and precludeS members or Con-
greSS and all government officials from serving on
any committee which solicts or receives political
2. No onicer, clerk, or employe Of the government
shall directly or indirectly give or hand over to any
officer tm ~ nr anv Soma far
or Member OF the House OF Representatives" OF the
United States "any money or other valuable thing"
counterpart OF the other prohibition and doubles
its str1ngency. AS that forbade the receiving, SO
this forbidS the giving by one official to another.
1t arms the clerk against his own cOwardice and
against ali apprehensionS that his failure to make
his Offering to his SuperiorS Will be held in memory
against hum. 1t makes 1t unlawful and misde-
meanor for him to seek to please or placate men In
power by this corrupt giving. The law bids him to
stand up as man and respect both himself and his
paign committee should remember that he makes
1t unlawful for government clerk TO contribute TO
that committee When money passes between OFF,
Gals for political uses, the law in it possible
compulsion Or bribery, and denounces 1t as a mis-
demeanOr in both giver and receiver. 1t will not
tolerate that the money OF the people, paid to the
peoples servants, shall find its way through Official
hands to election funds to thwart the peoples WILL
3. The third prohibition, in logical order forblis
that any officer 'shall discharge or promote de-
grade, or in any manner change, the official rank
or compensation OF any other officer or employe,"
or even promise or threaten to do" for "giving
or Withholding" any contributions.
As the first two prohibitions forbade the giving
and receiving between officials, SO this aims to bar
as far as possible all rewards or revenges for giving
or not giving to outside and nOn-oficial collectors
OF campaign funds. 1t aims to give to the timid
and trembling all the assurance that an act OF
congress can give that they shall gain no official
advantage by contributing, and shall suffer no
official harm for not contributing their salaries to
the election expenses OF their party.
The fourth and final prohibition forhids all ac-
IN hni
any room or building occupied by any government
officer or empioye in the discharge OF official du-
ties to "Sollclt IN any manner whatever or to re-
celve" any contribution for political purposes
This protects the clerk while at his work, and de-
tends him from solicitation while under the men
acng or persuadng eyes OF his superiors and fellow
Clerks. 1t sternly inhbits the intrusion OF part-
sanship. with Its sordid demands, into public places
dedicated to the public work and under the direct
jurisdiction OF the government These places are as
tie temple courts OF the peoples liberties, and no
political buyers or sellers or money changers must
be allowed to pollute the holy precincts by their
partisan work.
In these four classes OF prohibitions, and in its
further forbdding the Use OF Official influence to
cOerce the political action OF any person or body,
Congress seems to have used and exhausted all its
legitimate power to protect the purity or elections
and to defend the subordinate officers and EN-
plOyeS OF the government from cOerced contrbu-
tons for political purposes. Beyond these covering
prohibitions, enforced as they all are by the law
with threatened hnes and Imprisonment, 1t is diff
cult to see what Congress could have done more,
without invading the sacred domains OF personal
freedom guaranteed by the Constitution. The
clerk, outside OF his cerkship, is still citizen, and
as a citizen has the common interest OF all good
citizens in the progress and welfare OF his country
the common right 10 vote and express his opinions
to form associations with those OF like opinions
and to use his money in all lawful ways, to propa-
gate his opinions. AS an officer or employee OF the
government he is strictly under the authority OF
Congress In all his official work and relation, and
must not violate any OF the tour prohibitions OF
the civil service act But away outside OF his OFF,
cia life and relations, beyond the realm OF his du-
ties the government and bpyOn1 his
with governmental people and places, he becomes
and rights OF his fellow citizens not in public en-
plOy.
The Interpretation OF the civil service law is easy
and the path OF duty required by 1t Is plain to all
who will honestly regard its two grand aims: First
the absolute defense OF the ballot box from all
rupu or cOrrupting official influence; second the
protection OF government officials from political
assessments These TWO great public demands OF
the law must and will be fully and Iairy enforced
JOHN NJ GREGORY.
Affairs in West Washington.
DYNAMITERs IN THE TUNNEI--Workmen are sink
ing an air shaft on FayeJte near Stn street. In
nect1On with the tunnel OF the water works exten-
sion. The shaft is to be about 130 feet deep, and
there will be an iron Six-tnch casing inside Of the
Shaft, which will take probably week to COM
plete There are six engines, each OF 100 horse
power, On these works They use weekly 100 tons
OF Cumberland coal When blasting the rocks in
the different headings fine tunnel SY-nch