Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-21
POLITICAL BRIGANDAGE
The "Stand-and7D Policy Of
the Administration.
HEAVY ASSESSMENTS MADE
On the Department Clerks at Washington for Ohio
Campaign BxpsnSss-Ths Civil Services Com
misSiOnsrS Winking at the Bold Robbery.
Fighting for The Funds-Livsly
Times Ahead.

WASHINGTON, D. c., September 90
While Mr.. Theodore Roosevelt, Civil
Service Commissioner and professional
reformer, is enjoying himself at his
Dakota ranch, the Republican employees
of the departments here at Washington
are being bled by different harpies in
the interest Of campaign funds. The
Ohio clerks, from all accounts, are being
worked for all they are worth, and the
terror Of dismissal or degradation is
held up before them in mild kind of
way unless they put up their cash
promptly. 1t seems that an assess
ment against the Ohio clerks in Wash
ingtOn has been regularly made by the
Executive Committee Of the State and
collectors have been sent down here to
take il up. The affairs Of the commit
of Kent, o., who is now in Washington
on this business. The selection of Judge
Lowry is the cause of complaint on the
part of some of the Republicans, and it
promises to revive the Sherman-Fora-
ker feud among fhe OhioanS in this city.
Judge Lowry was elected Clerk of the
State Senate a few years ago by the
vote of the boiling Democrats. For five
or six years he was member of the
Republican State Committee. Subse-
quently he left Ohio and came to
Washington. Now he is calling upon
the Ohio employees in the different de-
p&rtments and holding them mp. The
amount Of his demand is per cent Of
the salary drawn. The clerks are pro-
testing energetically against this, and
claim that by the time they pay their
expenses home to vote their assessment
will be or Z per cent. Of their salaries,
and few of them are brave enough to
declare they will never pay it. Two
years ago, when Foraker was candi-
date against Campbell, some Of these
clerks say the most they were called on
20 contribute was ? per cent. of their
salaries.
There is one thing about this mat
ter that the Republicans who never
bolt and are always ready for duty can
not understand" said an ofice-holder
who occupies a s., 900 place in one II the
departments to your correspondent to-
day, land that is the change in front
of the men having charge of this busl-
ness. Last year when Foraker was
candidate these men did nothing, not
even going home to vote, while this
wear, when there is United States
Senator 10 elect and Sherman is in dan
ger, they are hustling like beavers and
trying to bleed everybody"
Captain Jacob Donaldson, one OF the
clerks of the Senate, also comes in for
some criticism. 1t is said of him that
two years ago he was too busy TO go
home to vote when Mckinley asked him
TO 90 to Ohio. This year he not only
finds time to go, but has been, It'll said,
in Columbus for the past two months
lounging about the headquarters of the
State Committee and keeping his eye on
the interests of Senator Sherman.
There is no doubt that there is q we'll
defined division in the ranks Of the Ohio
contingent in Washington.
The anti-Sherman men seem deter
mined not to pay money over to COM
mittee supposed by them to oe making
all ends serve the Sherman cause.
Many of them claim when the collector
calls upon them that they have for
warded their subscription, such as 1t is,
to the chairman of their home
county committee. This is, OF course,
a mere ruse in many cases, and many
Foraker men in the departments being
susDlcious that funds collected here
were to be used In the interest OF Sher-
man, have been sending their little
0uoto direct to Foraker or to the chair
man OF their local county committee II
he happens to be Foraker man. The
clerks and employees who are not under
the alleged protection of the Civil Ser
vice are protesting against the extent
OF their assessment as compared with
the contribution Of the men in the
classified service, who think they have
done their duty when they contribute
SO. The average amount expected
from the others is S25, and this differ
ence is what causes the kick.
The chances are that the matter will
come up for discussion at the next meet
ing of the Ohio Republican Association,
and il it does there will be lively times.
MANY of McKinley's friends here, and
some of Foraker's friends, also, are
throwing out deep hints that John
sherman will sell the State ticket in the
interest OF members of the Legislature
in his own interest. The Sherman men,
OF course, Indignantly deny this, but
that there is bad feeling between the
different factions there is no doubt, and
that it will come out forci6ly before the
campaign is over is equally certain. In
the meantime the Civil Service Commits
sion seems to have gone TO sleep.
Roosevelt, as before stated, IS taking
his vacation on his Western ranch, but
LYMAN and Thompson are still here.
why they do not exercise their author
ity and try to save the poor clerks from
the political brigands who are here to
bleed them is one of those things that
friends of civil service reform find it
difficult to explain.
Train wrecEer Confesses.