The evening times., 1895-12-19

The highest court to which workers
under the civil service rules can appeal
for decision or a technical opinion is the
Civil Service Commission.
There may be Individuals whose interest
in the cause OF reform is So great, or whose
political position gives them some influence.
whose opinion would be worth seeking.
But the great official boa rd is, OF course,
the commission itself.
President Proctor, OF the Civil Service
Commission, was asked to give The Times
a technical definition OF the term ''offen-
sive partisanship," as used in The rules
regarding the tenure of employees under
the civil service provisions.
1T would not be easy to give such
definition in a few words" said Mr.. Proc
ter. AN easier way is TO enter broad
discussion OF tie whole subject. When the
discussion is thus finished, there ought
to be no difficulty on the part OF any clerk
or oificehoider in defining what would
be compliance or Noncompliance with the
rule
Does The rule mean that employees are
TO let politics entirely alone?"
SOME PRIVILEGES ALLOWED. -
Indeed, it does not There seems 10 be
an Impression prevailing to some extent
that an employe, under the civil service
rules must DO nothing TO show his interest
in politics more than TO merely cast his
ballot on election day.
That Is n Misrepresentation. Neither
the spirit nor the letter OF the law makes
any such dictation. The employe may not
only vote, bat he may express his party
affiiation, il he doesn't act Extensively"
What are some OF the things he mustn't I
do?"
well, he mustn't contribute to cam
paign funds. That, think, could be rea-
sonably placed under the category of acts
OF offensive partIsInship. 1t would be an
act taking him out OF the rank and file
OF the everyday citizen. That. suppose,
needs no discussion
Then lie should certainly not engage
actively in anybody's canvass for Domiua-
ton or election to office. He may most
assurediy attend the caucusses and pri-
maries with perfect propriety; in ract, it is
his duty to do so, as much as it is the
duty of any citizen. But he ought not to
engage as a leader of a caucus or primary,
and he should not urge the nomination or
election OF any particular individual.
$50 far as participation in any such
meeting is concerned, / think it should con-
sist in merely the casting of his Vote
Mr.. Proctor said that SO far as he had
expressed opinions on this subject, he had
confined himself TO the well-know wn views of
President Cleveland. In fact, those views
had been embodied to a.large extent in a
letter written by the President to the COM
mission some time ago.
In concluding his definition or the mean
ing the rule regarding offensive parti-
sanship,'' Mr.. Proctor said that he Thought
no one who would carefully discuss the
subject in his own mind. in the light of all
that has thus far been 50 id on the question,
tt
what his course should be. Mr.. Frocter
called attention to Il circular recently is
sued on the subject by the commission.
AN OFFICIAL OPINION.
The circular was shown TO the reporter
In typewritten form, and reads as follows:
The Civil Service Commission has been
asked by certain letter carriers 10 decide
what part they were allowed under the
civil service law to take in politics, fur
ther than merely casting their votes
"The commission decided that any spe-
cific questions should properly be submitted
to the Post-officc Department. but called
attention to the executive instructions of
the President on July / A, 1885, which, it
said were yet in force. and had been made
part OF the postal rules and regulations by
the succeeding administration, and promul-
gated by The Postmaster General May %,
1894, for the information ard guidance
or all officers ana employees in the posta
service In this declaration the Presi-
dent warns cfficehoidef- against the use
OF their official positions in attempts to
control political movements in their To-
-caliti.s.
'Office-holders should scrupulously
avoid in their political action, as well as in
the discharge of their official Duties Of
Tending, by display of obtrusivc partisan-
ship, their ncigbbors who have relations
with them as public officials. The in
fluence OF Federal office-holders should
not be felt in the manipulation OF political
primary meetings and nominating conven-
tions. Individual interest and activity in
political affairs are by no means condemn
ed. Otfice-holders are neither disfran-
chised nor forbidden the exercise of po-
Iticai privileges, but these privileges are
not enlarged, nor is their duty to pa rty in
creased TO pcrnieious activity by office
holding"
MR.. WILSON QUOTED.
The commission further said:
''The Postmaster General, in an address
delivered before the convention of letter
carriers at Philadelphia, September 9, used
the following significant language:
'..No one rejoices more than do, both
on principle and on the lower plane OF selfish
convenience. that every free-deltvery post.
office OF the country is now under civil serv-
ice rules; that the gateway to employment
therein Is no longer influence, political or
other pulls" but the free, open road of
personal merit, and that the tenure OF that
employment no longer depends on anything
less than individual merit and Individual IL
delity.'
"Those who enter the classified civil serv-
ice upon the ground OF ascertained merit as
established by the civil service rules and are
protected therein should he uutck To recop-
nize the reciprocal obligation thereby inn