Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-06-19
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Narrowing 70 HuBbeIIisr,.

] A8EXoWIR& 70 HuB0elHSms
It appears from Republican source
of good repute, be it said, that thei
Ipartys Congressional Committee is cor
| fronted with vexatious dilemma, an
much anxiety is expressed as to whic
4 horn:i it will employ TO reach dry ground
i When that unselfsh and exemplary Sc
Of statesmen gathered at Washington
the other day. one of their number read
i for the ediication of his fellows, the fol
lowing extract from the Civil-seryic
law, it being Section No. IL of that act
/ Ii provides that mo Senator or Repre-
sentative or Territorial Delegate O
Congress, or any officer or emplove o
either house, and no executive, judicial
military or naval officer of the Unitet
/ States, and no clerk or employee of AMI
department of the, Government of tn.
United.:States, shall, directly or, indi
/ rectly, solicit or receive, or in any man
/ ner be concerned in soliciting and re
!, ceiving any assessment, subscription o.
| contribution for any political purpost
| whatever, from any officer, clerk or EN-
| ploye Of the United States, or from any
1 person receiving compensation from any
| money derived from the Treasury of the
United States - Izf.
Then, to emphasize this, the reader
F followed with section IA Of the same
law. 1t is. in substance. identical with
the above, but applies to Congressmen,
who are prohibited from receiving
| money or any valuable thing from any
officer or employee of the Government.
The Committee received these disclos-
ures with establishment, but the climax
was reached when the next clause was
made known. This section Is, -
makes the penalty for the violation Oh
these sections five thousand dollars fine
and imprisonment in the penitentiary
for five years.
Profound gloom followed these preg-
nant revelations. The Committee was
not ignorant that such a measure had
occupied public attention for some lit
tie time, but few had the positive
knowledge that it had become law,
with the usual provisions appended.
The disposition to trif1e with the meas
ure was extinguished by the portentous
section 10, and the committeeman I'M
consciously put their clenched hands
deep down into their pockets, at the
same time indulging in little mental
arithmetic as to how many days, hours
and minutes were contained in the
space of five years. sis
The elimination of the law, for the
benefit of tho Committee, was per-
formed, very properly, by its secretary,
Mr.. Edward MCPHERSON, and as that
body is composed entirely of Senators,
Congressman and Federal officials, its
sweeping effect will at once be APP
preciated. One of the Committee is
reported as tersely remarking that the
full significance of the Civil Service law
did not appear to have been entirely re-
allied by his party, when the measure
passed Congress. According to the
strict letter OF the act, therefore, an
official who demands money to abet
his party, can safely be housed in
penitentiary. This fate may be in
store for the members of the Republican
Congressional Committee unless they
return to first principles.
j The province of the Democratic Com
mittee has been confined to the collec-
ton and distribution of Congressional
documents, while their opponents have
been devoting their time, exclusively,
to the collection and distribution Of
that persuasive little joker which Presi-
dent Arthur has dubbed ''soap."
The case of General Curtis, the first
Republican victim of the rigors of civil
service. is at once warning and men
ace. Ii the measure be carried into
force, the Republican National. as well
as the Congressional, Committee will
have to be turned out, and in their
places private citizens will be ensconced,
and if this is done what will become of
the coming campaign if these important
duties are entrusted to unIlitiased in1ir
viduals? But Senator's ard Congr
cerned, for the law also applies ~ Ea&1
eral officials. who. are nnemberssof SITE,
county or township political eows tdW1-f
ship political organizationss-A Ibouy
4rUsES ~ ssF sss41ssss4sg es.za1ae A&sNe-s8 4