The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-11-01
His Construction Of the Law is Con-
sidered to be Far Fetched.
THE PROSPECT IN MINNESOTA.
The Department Reports VIII Not be
PubIish shed Before Election - Wayne
Macveagh at New Haven Some Stories
About Campaign Bets-The Outlook In
Kansas-The Great "Thunderer" opens
Its Walls OF vitriol Upon the Ameri-
can Election--Poiitical Notes.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-The following is
the civil service comm iss !on's letter con-
cerning the case OF Gen. Thomas:

the civil service comm miss lon's letter con-
cerning the case OF Gen. Thomas:
wAsnrsoroS, Oct. 2e 1892
To the Hon. Attorney General.
rir:-The commission forwa DIS herewith .
copy OF testimony taken by II in reference to
an alleged effort by Samuel Thomas, treasur-
er Of the Republican state committee of New
York, 10 assess employees IN the treasury de-
original letters envelopes and enclosures
sent 10 three OF the employees, marked exhib.
its A 1. ?. g. B Ia and Cl,2,
Itappears that IA. A Dobson, Luther w.
Covili and Andrew II. Stamp are clerks in the
sixth auditors Office; that on or about the
2lst OF October, as shown by the postmsrk OF
the Washin gton postoffce on the letters In
question. Messrs. Dobson, Covil and stamp
rtSeived each q letter from the Republican
sia.e committee OF New York. This letter
was printed the signature. Samuel Tnoma'.
treasurer, being also in print and Il had at
is head the names OF the chairman OF the
executive committee, the treasurer, the sec
retary and the chief clerk OF the committee.
IL contained a request for contribution to
defray the Legitimate and necessary expenses
Of the campaign in New York. No amount
was specified for contribution. the reques
might choose TO give. Inclosed was a stamped
envelope, with on 1t. In printing the address
samuel Thomas, Fifth Avenue Hotel, New
York"
The headline for the address in the printed
letter was flied in in writing in one case with
the name "Andrew H. STAMP another with
with that OF III. A. Dobson." The envelopes
were addressed to "a. n. stamp = ashington,
d. -. Treasury Department" Luther w
Covill, Washington, ID. g.. Treasury Depart
ment," and "H. A. Dohsou, Washington. ID.
c.. Treasury Department"
1t thus appears that the New York state
Republican committee has sent letters signed
in print with the name OF Samuel Thomas,
treasurer OF the committee, 10 certain New
York clerks in the departments at Washing
ton, these letters being addressed to them at
the Treasury department. which Is OF course,
government building and containing
stamped and addressed envelopes in which
their contributions could be sent back TO
samuel Thomas AZ New York.
Clearly, therefore, the New York state COM
mittee. through samue Thomas and through
whoever had been concerned in addressing
the letters, has been soliciting by letter, gov
ernment employees in q building occupied in
the discharge Of official duties. The commits
sion has always held that the prohibition TO
solicit lin anv manner whatever" in a gov
ernment building, includes soliciting by let
ter IL is, therefore at tAe-opinion- -that-the
otense committed by Samuel Thomas, and
perhaps other members Of the Republican
state committee OF New York. comes under
section ~ OF the civil service act and has the
honor to forward the papers to you for su eh
action as you may deem best.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) THRopoRE ROOSEVELT,
Acting President.
Those parts of Treasurer Thomas let
ters, which are held by the commission
ing solicitations, read as follows: "The
Republican state COMMITTEES respectfully
rlvites from you such contribution as
you may be willing to make towards de-
fraying the Legitimate and necessary ex-
pense of the important campaign now in
progress in this state. =. Checks
may be drawn to order OF the treasurer
and transmitted in the enclosed envel-
ope."
Mr.. Roosevelt, In commenting on the
commissioners action in the Thomas
case, said: at has been reported, in the
press, that similar circulars have been
sent to the clerks and carriers in the
BROOKLYN and New York post offices. l
presume that IL an investigation Is or
dered, an effort will be made to procure
samples OF these also, but | do not know
that this will s-pecessary In view OF
there being three samples already sub.
mitted. This ia the first time the civil
service commission has ever actively in
terfered to prevent the collection OF po-
litical assessments during presidential
campaign"
Attorney General Miller, when ques-
toned on the subject, said he had just
received the papers in the case and hnd
not yet had time to examine them. tie
added that he would investigate this
particular case himself, but certainly
would not act until Mr.. Thomas had
been given full opportunity TO answer
the charges against him. There is moth
ing unusual in this course, as IL is the
practice in all cases OF this kind.