Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-30

Wnen inc ume comes the civil service com
mission will give the cases Of alleged viola
ton of the civil service law by the officers ant
members Of the Old Dominion league into tn.
hands Of the district attorney for prosecution
As the case appears on its face, according r
the commissioner, the law has been violated
in two Of its sections. Prosecutions can b.
brought, it is stated, under the eleventh ant
twelfth sections Of the law and the viola
ton Of the law is not confined K
those who are employees of the government
Persons employed by the government who at
tempt, directly or indirectly, to collect money
from government employees are subject Il
prosecution under the eleventh section, which
provides as follows:
Sec. II. That no Senator, or Representative
or territorial delegate Of the Congress, or Sen
ator, Representative, or delegate-elect, or AM
officer or employee of either Of said houses. ant
no executive, judicial, military or naval Officer
of the United States, and no clerk or employt
of any department, branch, or bureau Of the
executive, judicial, or military or naval service
of the United States, shall, directly or indi
rectly, solicit or receive, or be in any manner
concerned in soliciting or receiving, any as
sessment, subscription, or contribution for any
political purpose whatever, from any officer
clerk, or employe of the United States, or any
department, branch, or bureau thereof. Of
from any person receiving any salary or com
pensation from moneys derived from the
treasury of the United States.
Any person who attempts to collect money
for political purposes from government EN-
plOye at the government office is subject K
prosecution under section - of the civil service
law, which provides:
Sec. H. That no person shall, in any
room or building occupied in the discharge O.
official duties by any officer or employe of the
United States mentioned in this act, or in any
navy yard. fort, or arsenal, solicit in any man
ner whatever, or receive any contribution o.
money or any other thing of value for any
political purpose whatever.
Under this section the civil service commits
sioners propose to present to the district attor
ney for prosecution the cases alleged agains
members of the Old Dominion league not EN-
ployes of the government who have solicited
money for political purposes from clerks OF
other employees at the departments.
POSITION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
They hold that government employee can
not under any circumstances solicit or receive
money from another employe of the govern
ment for political purposes, and that no person
can solicit or receive money for political pur-
poses from an employe at his Office or other place
of employment for the government. A person
not connected with the government service in
any way may, under the law, 60 to a clerks
house or meet him anywhere. not govern.
ment Office or working place, and ask for and
receive money for political purposes; but if he
goes or sends in to the departments for such
contribution he violates section IL Of the civil
service law.
This is the law as it stands. If it is viola
ton of the Constitution that is matter to be
decided in the courts. The Commissioners
hold that it is merely their duty to take cog
nizance of the law as they find it, not to amend
or change it.
1t is proposed to prosecute Messrs. Elan
Goodwin and Verser, who are government en-
ployes, under section IL and the others under
section 10