Morning journal and courier., 1892-11-01
THE THOMAS CASE.

Action of the Civil Service Commits
sfOn-Mr. Roosevelps Comments
The Case Will Receive Attorney
General Miller,s Personal Atten-
tfon-How the Matter is Regarded
by the Campaign Managers.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.-Mr. Roosevelt
commenting on the commissions action in
the Thomas case said: 1t has been re-
ported in the press that similar circulars
have been sent to the clerks and carriers
in the Brooklyn and New York postofices.
presume that If an investigation is or
dered an effort will be made to procure
samples of these also, but 1 do not know
that this will be necessary in view of
there being three samples already sub
mitted. This is the first time the civil
service commission has ever actively inter
fered to prevent the collection of political
assessments during political campaign.
The commission has been obliged to sug
gest the indictment of number of chair
men and officers of republican state and
county committees. but I am delighted to
say that nothing in any way rejecting on
the republican national committee has yet
been laid before us. So far 1t seems be-
yond a doubt true that the republican
national committee has been carefully
respecting the law. This is q pleasing con-
trast to what was done by the democratic
national committee four years ago, when
they not only assessed the postal clerks
and letter carriers in the local Offices, but
when actually the chairman, Mr.. Barnum,
came down to Washington and took up his
quarters here with the svowed purpose of
attending personally to the assessment of
the thousands of government employees in
the departments"
Attorney General Miller, when ques-
toned on the subject, said he had just re-
ceived the papers in the case and had not
yet time to examine them. He added that
he would investigate this particular case
case himself, but certainly would not act
until Mr.. Thomas had be given full oppor-
tunity to answer the charges against him.
There is nothing unusual in this course, as
1t is the practice in all cases of this kind.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.-Secretsry
Charles Foster, in whose department are
the clerks from whom contributions were
requested by General Thomas. treasurer of
the New York State Republican committee,
listened attentively while the reporter read
the letter sent by the civil service com
mission to the attorney general. The
secretary treated the matter lightly, and
was inclined to think the construction of
the law was rather far fetched and would
not hold with reasonable people. He held
that there was no violation of the law as
the request for the contributions were not
made in q public building.
Those parts of Treasurer Thomas let
ters which are held by the commission to
bring them within the law prohibiting
solicitations read as follows:
"The republican state committee respect
fully invites from You such contribution as
you may be willing to make toward defrsy-
Ing the legitimate and necessary expenses
Of tn. the important campaign now in progress.
Checks may be drawn to order of The
Treasurer and transmitted In the inclosed
| envelope"
NEW YORK, Oct 81.-The report from
Washington alleging that the civil service
| commission had recommended the criminal
prosecution of General Thomas, treasurer
of the republican state committee, was
treated lightly at republican state head
| quarters to-day. The civil service commits
sioners assert that he sent letters to gov
eminent clerks soliciting political contri-
| buttons. Chairman Haokett said:
81 hardly credit the report. There 10
| positively nothing In the charges The
letters sent by this committee asking for
contributions to legitimate campaign ex-
penses are exactly such letters as Tammany
and the democrats ct large are sending
out There Ii no demand made for money
and the recipients of the letters are not ad-
dressed as oficeholders. II oficeholders
under the government receive such letters
they get them at their homes, Just as other
republicans do"