Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-21
POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS.
Eaton Advises Clerks to Use Their own
Judgement in Answering Circulars.

Eaton Advises Clerks to Use Their own
Judgement in Answering Circulars.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 20.-Dorman B.
Eaton, of the United States Civil Service
Commission, has written for publication
a letter in reply to various communica-
tions received by him from government
employees, asking for advice as to the pay
ment by them of assessments for political
purposes. In this letter he says:
There could be no more decisive evidence
than these letters Those received by him1
present. not only of the despotic and Oppres-
sive traction, but of the debasing cOnsequen-
ces of political assessments as they have long
been enforced by both parties under the old
spOils system.
He then points to the civil service law
OF 1883, enacted, he says, by the co-Opera-
tiOn of both parties, and which, he saws,
was intended to secure, and if enforced,
as he says he believes it Will be, will Sc
cure as absolute freedom and safety to
every person in the public service in con-
tributing or in not contributing for pol1ti-
cal purposes as attaches to any private
citizen. Continuing, be says:
The party in power by the President truly
interpreting both the spirit and letteH-of that
law, after a conference with the heads of the
departments, have declared informal rules
w
removed or otherwise prejudiced for refusing
to contribute to any political fund, and he
asks why 1t Is that clerks and employees in the
solemn pledges that they have that their
salaries wall be paid according to law and the
rules of the departments.
A ALAIN ANSWER.
The answer to this question: is plain
and, this want of faith arises because
political assessments have been long enforced
against the humble servants of the nation
and states in tlagrant violation of the spirit
OF our institutions and laws, through meFci-
less and dishonest prostitution Of official au-
thOrity by great officers and politicians.
He adds that it was inevitable that such
practice should destroy all sense of
safety, and all confidence in parties and
the government. He says further:
The situation at present lends no light sane
tlon to the theory of some that assessments
can never be suppressed short of law which,
like the one passed by the New York Legis-
lature, shall forbid all public officers paying
them.
He gives specific answers to several
questions asked him by persons who have
written him, as follows:
First. That no person, because he has en-
tered the public service, is relieved of the
mere obligation resting on all citizens to make
reasonable sacrifices in aid of sound principles
and good administration, although the oblIga-
ton is neither to pay as much as the mana
gers choose to demand, nor contribute any
thing TO funds TO be used to buy votes, to bride
journals, to control demagogues and factions
or for any corrupt or unworthy object what
ever.
AN INDEFENSTBLE THEORY.
Second, That the theory that person should
make a contribution because he has got an
Oi1ce IS utterly lndefensble, except in the
theory of the spokesman and corruptiOnist
Third, The theory that a poor clerk should
pay assessments because his salary may be so
NaH hot hn nuf1 u. Il 10. IL, FrN-s,
| have no hesitation in declaring the opinion
that any form of request for contributions
bv whatever party ofoficers made which is adj
dressed to public servants as a class. W hich as
sumes that they are under greater obligations
to pay than other citizens Of the same means
which is accompanied by any form of menac-
ing suggestion, or which is not in such Ian
guage as W0uld be addressed to a private
citizen, should not only be rejected but should
be treated as an affront and promptly ex-
posed. Those in the public service must
themselves AID in suppressing that
robber spirit and piratical practice which
turn to the weakest among them for money
because they are supposed to be most easily
inundated, and tnat class which yields with
out manly protest and without resistance, if
need be, to demands which are both an insult
and violation of the law and common right
and has no just claim to public respect.
| cannot undertake to say whether the dan
gers of removal will be greater from one
party for paying or from the other for not
paying. 1t is both safe and wise, and
a duty as well. to stand for justice law
and your own self-respect Paw or
refuse to pay, as you would feel il a duty
if you were private citizen with the same
means and needs. Resist and expose any at
tempt to induce you to pay because you hold
office, or to pay under the least menace or
hint of removal.
You owe that much to your country as well
as to your class and to yourselves. Be sure
there is a public sentiment, which will both
approve your conduct and overcome any
officer, politician or party which may be Will
ing to make you the object Of its vengeance.
If | am not greatly mistaken, the days of
such barbarism as making removals for re-
sisting robbery in this country are passed. 1t
BELTS only such countries as Turkey aud
Mexico.