Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-01
THOMAS CALLED DOWN
The Civil Service Commission De-
mands the Prosecution of
A STATE COMMITTEE TREASURER.
Mr.. Roosevelt says 1t Isn't the First Case
of the Kind, but
THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE ISN'T IN IT

WASHINGTON, Oct H.-The Civil Ser
vice Commission has reported to the At
tornev General, for criminal prosecution
under the Law against soliciting politica
contributions, the case of Samuel Thomas,
Treasurer of the Republican State Commit
tee of New York. Three separate offensei
are charged, CONSISTING of sending letters Of
solicitation to Government clerks in this
city. The documents in each case are for
warded with the report.
The letters call for no specified sum, but
request the contribution of such an amount
as the recipient may choose to give toward
the necessary and legitimate expenses Of
the campaign.
Mr. Roosevelt, to-day, inco mmenting on
the commissions action in the Thomas case,
said:
This is the first time the Civil Service
Commission has ever O ctivey interfered, to
prevent tho collection OF political assess
ments during Presidential campaign. The
commission has been obliged to suggest the
Indictment of q number of chairmen and Of
deers OF Republican State and county com
mitteee, but am delighted to say that MOTH
ing in any way rejecting on the Republican
National Committee has yet been laid before
US. So far, 1t seems beyond doubt true,
that the Republican National Committee
has been carefully respecting the law. 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 in the local
offices, but when actually the Chairman, MIR.
Barnum, came down to Washington and
took up his quarters here with the avowed
purpose of seeing personally to the assess
ment of tho thousands of government en-
ployes in the departments.
Attorney General Miller, when ques-
toned on the subject this afternoon, said
he had just received the papers in the case,
and had not yet had time to examine them.
He added that he would investigate this par
ticular case himself, but certainly would
not act until Mr. Thomas had been given
full opportunity to answer the charges
against him. There is nothing unusual in
this course, as it is the practice in all cases
of this kind.
A telegram from New York says: The
report from Washington alleging that the
Civil Service Commission had recommended
the criminal prosecution of General Thomas
was treated lightly at Republican State
headquarters this afternoon. Chairman
Hackett was seen on the subject. He
smiled when told of the report, and said:
1 hardly credit the report. However,
the charges upon which it is stated that
they have asked the Attorney General to
prosecute General Thomas. The letters sent
by this committee to Republicans asking
Tor contributions to legitimate campaign
expenses are exactly such letters as Tam
many and the Democrats at large are send
ing out. There is no demand made for
money, and the recipients OF the letters are
not addressed as off1ce-holders. If office
holders under the Government receive such
letters they get them at their homes, just as
other Republicans do. There is nothing in
it, you may be certain.