Omaha daily bee., 1889-11-02
poLrrrcAL CONGRATULATIONS.


The civil service commissioners are
unanimous in their determination TO
prosecute the persons who have been
soliciting contributions for political
purposes from clerks in the depart
ments at Washington. 1t appears that
employees Of the government who are
citizens OF Virginia have recently
found on their desks circulars signed
by the president and secretary OF the
Old Dominion league calling their at
teution the pending Virginia campaign,
and inviting them to become membersot
the league and also to contribute to the
campaign as their means would permit.
Clerks In the departments from Ohio
have received o similar circular from
the Ohio republican association.
These circulars are regarded as in the
nature OF an assessment, and it has been
ascertained that some of the officers con-
nected with the associations sending
out the circulars are federal office
holders. The civil service law is
very plain and explicit in pro-
hibiting any one In the service
vi tuC lEOIb oo'iSiWbS VI
receiving contributions for political
purposes from any other employe OF the
government, and 1t Is upon this that
the commissioners will base proceed
ings against the officers OF the political
associations who are also in Official
capacities under the govern ment. LII
the commissioners carry out their de-
nj ,,.x1 I, Nf thr
cutions will be interesting as deter
mining the scope of the law and defin-
ing the nature of an assessment
under it, and also whether the fact
that a government official who is an
officer of political association which
solicits contributions from employees Of
the government for political purposes
is amonable to the law for such action.
There is room for a doubt whether In
this matter the commissioners can sus-
tain their case. 1t is certainly legiti-
mate for political organization to
seek to increase its membership,
and there is no law to prevent
the clerks and employees of the
government from becoming mem
bers of such an organization. On its
face the circular sent to the clerks in
the departments at Washington con-
veys nothing more than an invitation
to identify themselves with the associa-
tion sending it, the suggestion of
further aid to the campaign not being
at all In the nature Of an assessment,
since no Sum is specified as an expected
contribution. 1t is the privilege of Il
government employe to make vol
untary contributions to political
purposes, and the circulars in
question left those to whom they were
addressed entirely free to respond or
not, according to their pleasure or cou-
venience. The intention of the law, as
generally understood, is to protect en-
ployes of the government against en-
forced political contributions and the
intimidation incident thereto, and it is
strained construction to assume that
the law does not permit federal en-
ployes even to be reminded of an op-
portunity to aid the political
party of their af1iliation by
doing what they have an un-
questionable right to do as citizens.
And if federal Office holders may be
members of q political organization, u
privilege which it is presumed no one
will deny them. they must be bound by
the will of a majority of such orgaaiza-
ton, and cannot fairly be held RESPONSE
BILE for acts beyond their control. 1t is
more than probable that this is the
situation respecting the federal officers
involved in this case of the alleged
violation of the civil service law.
There has been developed a
great deal of dissatisfaction with the
operation Of the civil service law, and
there are strong indications that an
effort will be made in congress to
thoroughly revise the law. The issue
the commission is now making, upon
what has the appearance of a somewhat
thin technlcality, may serve to inten-
sify interest in the whole subject of
civil service reform as now provided for
and administered.