, 1890-01-30
EVASI0NS OF TKE LAW
Political Assessments at the
Port of New York.
CAREFULLY EXECUTED PLANS.
Report of Civil Service Commis
sioner Roosevelt on the Re-
suits Of His investigation.

WAIuSOToS, Jan. 20-Civil Service
/ Commissioner Roosevelt has submitted
to tho full committee his report OF tho
recent inycstiga ion into the alleged yio-
lntions of tho civil service law In tho
New York custOm-house Just prior 10
the last presidential election
Upon the subject Of the collection Of
political assessments during that cam.
paign, Mr.. Roosevelt says: ''The pres
ent law has put "A stop to tho open
spoliatlon of poor clerks, and makes II
exceedingly diillcultto mulct thorn even
secretly. Tho government employees
do not, rs rule, contribute simply from
desire to help tho political cause
In which they believe. In other
words, employees ara cocrccd into max
ing them fear that their positions will be
jeopnrdizcd II they fail TO do so. II Is
probably sain to say that % per cent. Of
the money collected for political pur.
poses from minor government employees
represents so much blackmail. Thosc
who agree In politics with the party In
control feel some assurance OF protection,
II they refuse to be cocrccd into parting
with their money, but the unioriunatos
of the opposite political faith feel that
they have no power behind the throne
ON which To rely, are neryously afraid Of
giving oiiensc, and yield help.
lessly when threatened. The
amount paid Is not absolutely
very great In individual cases, but to q
poor clerk just able to got along the loss
Of q per cent Of his salary may mean
Just the difference between having and
not having a winter oycrcoat for him.
self warm dress for his wife, or
Christmas tree for his children. An.
other fact To be romodiod Is that much
of the money 50 collected Is never
turned into the partys campaign chests
at all, being kept for their own private
uses by the Iackals who have collected
IL. Oncof the witnesses In the present
cases. a strong republican, who was mold.
ing office under the last administration,
testified that ho was advised 10 con-
tribute 10 the democratic campaign by
one ofhis friends, New York rcpub-
licnn district leader, as being the only
thing 10 do it ho wished to keep his
place.
'ln investigating the alleged violations
OF tho law against making political as
sessments, ! have made q moro or less
complete examination into the conduct
In this respect into the Offices Of the col
iector, surveyor ard naval officers Of tho
port OF New York during the presiden.
tial election OF lsss. In the naval Office.
under Mr.. Burt, my investigation goes
to show that the law was observed alb
sOlutcly, both la tho letter aud In tho
spirit. AS far as | can find out, there
were no collections made for political
purposes in any shape or form, aud
nothing like political coercion was
tolerated.
In the collectors Office under " zone,
there was apparently widespread. but
not universal, aud by no means ALWAYS
successful effort to eyade the law by
persunding or forcing the republican
clerks to contribute. Some of the last
Of these republican clerks must have
been kept because they were especially
singled out for more orloss indirect sole
itntion, either personally or by Circu-
lar, and there has been testimony on
tho witness stand that this solicitation
was undertaken by the express com
mand Of Magone's private secretary,
there being nothing To show, however,
that Magonc was aware OF his secrc-
tary's action. The effort 20 make them
contribute was made indirectly, and
usually so guardedly that 1t is suiii-
cient to say that tho law was actually
violated In It's letter.
''ln the surveyors office, under Beat.
tie, the contributions us far as Is shown
by the testimony of twenty eight wit.
ncsses examined, were universal. Tho
democrats generally gave their money Of
their own accord but the republican
clerks were practically forced against
their will to pay what were in rValily
political assessments Tor tho benefit OF
the opposite party.
"Ihis was accomplished by an ingen.
ious and widespread system Of yellod
threats and inlimidatiOns 50 well car
ricd out that it was completely success
ml. Every method was rtsorted to.
while at the same time avoid
ing tho actual demands OF
money. For instance, some of the wit
ncsscs We're forced to contribute by be-
ing made very uncomfortable in their
work until they did so. Thoy were
originally at work at stations near their
homes, and were suddenly shiiad TO
Others far distant and very inconypnisnt
for them to go to. Their Inquiries failod |
10 discover the reason for the change |
and they wcro kept at new stations ]
until thpy finally made up their minds /
To puy, when they wcro transferred to ]
their old places without u word being
said"