Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-11-03

New YORK, Oct 31.-The report from
Warrington alleging that the civil service
commission had recommended the criminal
pr osecution of Gen. Tnomas treasurer Of
the republican state committee, was treated
lightly at republican headquarters today.
The civil service commissioners assert that
he sent letters to government clerks, solicit
ing political contributions.
Chairman Hackett said: az hardly cred
It the report. There is positively nothing
in the charges upon which IL is stated that
they have asked the attorney general to
prosecute Gen. Thomas The letters sont
by this committee to republicans asking for
To Legitimate Campaign tNponses
ere exactly such letters hs Tammnny AMI
the democrats at large are sending out.
There is no demand made for money and
the recipients OF the letters are not addressed
as oilicehoders IL onceholders under the
government receive such lctt3rs, they get
them at their homes, just as other reIuol-
caus do" There was no violation OF the
law law, as the requests FOE the c1ntriOu-
tions were not made in pubic building.
Mr. Eooscvelt's Opinion.
WASH1NGTON, Oct. 31--Mr. Roosevelt
to-day, in commenting the commission
ers' action in the Thomas case, said ut has
been reported in the press that similar cir
culars have been sent 10 the clerks and car
riers in the Brooklyn and New ork post
offices. ] presume that il an investigation
Is ordered an effort will be made to procure
samples of these also, but do not know
that this will be necessary in view OF there
being three samples already submitted.
This is the first time the civil service COM
mission has ever actively interfered to pre-
vent the collection OF political assessment ts
during a presiden tial campaign.
The commission has beeu obliged to sug-
gest the Indictment Of number OF chair
men and officers of republican State end
county committees, but | am de.is hted to
say that nothing in any way rejecting on
the republican national committee mas yet
been laid before us.
This is pleasing contrast to what was
done by the democratic national committee
four years ago, when they not only assessed
the postal clerks and letter carriers i'll tho
local offices, but when actually the chair
man,
Mir. Earnum, came down to Washington
mud took up his headquarters here with the
| nvowed purpose of seeing personally TO the
assessment OF the thousands OF government
employees in the department..
Attorney General Miller, when questioned
on the subject this afternoon, said he had
| just received the papers IN the case and had
not yet had time to examine them. h;
added that he would investigate this par
ticuier case himself but certainly wou!d
not act until Mr.. Thomas had boon GiVer
full opportunity to answer tho charge
nganst him. There is nothing unusual II
| tails course, as it is the practice in ell cases
of this kind.
View Of Secretary Foster.
Secretary Charles Forter in whose de-
partment ure tho clerks from whoul CON
trbutons were requested by Gen. Tnome',
| treasurer of the New York State republican
committee, listened attentively While a re
porter read the letter sent py the civil scr
vice com mission to the attorney general.
The secretary treated the matter very
lightly and was inclined to Think that th
construction put on the law was rather far
fetched and would not hold with reasoua bl
la