The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-14
In Violation Of Law the Republican
Bosses Put Them on the
Gridle.
Effort to Fry Fat From Employees
Working on Very Lean
Salaries.
ROOseveit Thinks That Civil Service Has
Minimtzed Republican Piracy
Clerks Will Bo Protected.


men in this town to-day quite SO i'll at ease
lioan association. It had been published
that they were engaged in scheme to
svade the civil service law and wrest money
from government clerks for republican
campaign pur poses, and the exposure scared
them exceedingly. Major s. g. B ock,
chief of the bareau of statistics of the
| treasury. who is president of the Missouri
State Republican association. declared to
a correspondent that he knew nothing of
the circular asking for "snggessions."
which Financial Clerk James Z. Hunter
had sent to Nilsson i republican employees
of the government. 1t had been distributed
without his permission. he said. Personally
he WAS opposed to the idea Of political al
sesGments.
II will admit" he said, that this circular
is apt to give rise to the suspicion that
money instead of suggestions is desired
by the committee. When read ii l sent
for Mr.. Hunter and asked him why he had
used my name in connection with such
document. He replied that as no intrac-
tion of the civil service law was intended,
| he had not seen any impropriety la attach
ing my name and that OF Secretary Jones.
He assured me that his aim was to secure
all tho names Of Missouri republicans in
Washington, SO that an effort might be
| made to get as many of them as possible to
| 90 home and vote this fall. In view of the
criticism that the circular has aroused. l
will say oandidly that it would have been
better had MIR. Hunter consulted the other
| officers.''
Mayor Brock was visibly disturbed. and
one did not need to be q mind reader 70 dis
cover that he would have given handsome
slice of hts salary if Mr.. Hunter had not
| called for ''suggestions' SO openly.
| Secretary Jones voiced the assertion Of
Mayor Brock that he knew nothing u bout
the circular until il was published.
| Financial Secretary Hunter was found at
his Office, 463 & street. to-day. He is a PEN
sion attorney. and desires it TO be under
stood that the civil service commission has
no jul isdiction over him. He had taken the
alarm through the extended notice given
his roundabout apl cal for cash. and refused
to admit that the circular WAS designed TO
bring forth anything but 'suggestions." Z"
He denied that any employe of the govern
ment had been told that he ought to con-
| tribute at least five per cent OF his yearly
salary to the republican campaign fund.
Money was needed, he admitted, to run the
would have to be given.
| II have not asked, nor shall ask per-
| son to contribute a cent hs said.
How about the funds for the national re-
publican committeer' he was asked.
"If any one should give me money de-
mittee, l would see that it reached its des-
tination. of course. But am not asking
for any," was the crafty reply.
Civil Service Commissioner Theodore
Roosevelt was very much exercised when he
read of tho methods resorted to to raise
funds by the republicans. At the game
| time he recognized the indirect compliment
paid the commission by the cash hunters.
| Once it would not have been necessary to
take such n roundabout way of tapping the
pockets of government clerks. Mr.. Koose-
velt exp essed his opinion in these words:
with the information now before the
commission. consisting only of copy of
the Hunter circular. handed to me to-day.
| it will be impossible to take any action at
present The circular is q request from
James Il. Hunter signing himself financial
secretary, purportinG to have been sent to
! TO call on him to consult upon political
matters for the advantage of the republican
party. II. when making that call. they
were solicited in any way, directly or indi-
rectly, for funds l am at present inclined
to believe that Mr.. Hunter would be liable
| TO DrOSeCublOu uuueF tHe ClNll bOlNlC6 law
that is, if the original letter WAS sent. as l
understand it WAS, to the clerks in gov
ernment building
"Ihs law says that no person shall solicit
| in any manner whatever in government
building. This, of course, includes solicit
ing by letter, and letter requiring a
| man to call at place where, as u matter of
fact hs ia solicited comes perilously near
the line of solicitation, if it does not pass
over il.
"In any event, if i could get information
| that would such to be the case, l should
promptly lay the matter before the attor-
| ney general for such action as he might
deem proper The commission has already y
publicly announced that not a clerk in
Washington need contribute a cent unless
| he or she wishes to, and as a matter of fact
| think am safe in saying that not clerk
will not be molested in any way for refus-
| ing to contribute.
~ am sorry to see the names of Mr..
Brock and Mr.. Jones. government en-
| ployes, attached to the circular. They owe
it to themselves to take prompt action dis
| avowing any connection with it, for the
! law regarding solicitation of funds is very
broad, it being q misdemeanor punishable
| by fine or imprisonment to be in any man
ner, even indirectly, concerned in soliciting
from o fellow employe any contribution
| for political purposes. In my judgment,
knowingly to allow ones name to appear
on paper soliciting contributions or re-
| curing a man to call where hs will be so
Ioited is to be at least indirectly concerned
| in such solicitation.
II think we have been very successful
thus far in minimizing the effort to make
political assessments. from all that can
| learn there is a great and favorable con.
| trast to what took place four years ago. !
| have doubt, however, that here and
| there an effort will be made to get around
| the law. I he committee will welcome any
| information about such cases and will take
prompt action in relation thereto"
| LINCOLN AGAINST GRESHAM.