The times., 1898-11-04


of the District government referred to not
only did send in the amount demanded OF
him. but he went out to the home of his
boyhood and on election day will drop a
Republican ballot In the ballot box
There will be no mistake about his ball
lot. IL will be given to him ready pre-
pared by Republican agents. and he Will
feel. despite the immunity and freedom
from coercion and espionage offered by
the Australian ballot system. that he is
being watched until the slip of paper
leaves his hand for good.
Coercion Felt by All.
81 cannot afford to go back West to
vote this year" the District employe said
TO Times reporter. but l really feel
that l am compelled TO. If l do not
shall jeopardize my position and may lose
it. ] cannot afford either. to contribute
to the campaign fund the amount which
is practically demanded In the circular,
but the risk of a refusal is too great.
Doesn't the club pay your expenses
he was asked
''It is supposed TO. but IL has paid and
will pay Just one-third. In. addition to
the amount II allows II will cost me $50
to go. home and vote. besides the $40
which L am compelled TO give to this
fund.
There's nothing on the surface of this
letter to Indicate that my refusal to go
home or to contribute to the. fund. which
is what the membership fee Is, would
work against me. But 1t is self-evident
to anyone who knows how this campaign
is being conducted that there Is threat
implied In the letter in case of refusal. 1t
might not be carried into execution In
In, .t,a of htIr rod
others, but / don't want to take the
chances. And every one else in the same
situation that | have talked to feels the
same way.
The Indiana Republican Club is not
an isolated case of campaign fraud. From
nearly every State in the Union these
circulars, especially designed to evade the
civil service law, but to accomplish the
very thing the law was made to prevent,
are being sent out. In Maryland the
Sound Money Club has begun its May
fly existence. being designed to live only
as long as 1t can accomplish the objects
for which II was created.
The secretary of this club. as told in
yesterdays Evening Times is c. d. Jud-
son, and its headquarters have been es-
tabiished in the Metzerott Building, in F
Street This aggregation of political ex-
tortionists are even more progressive than
their Western accomplices.
To Maryland Clerks.
The last letter sent out by them was
dated yesterday and followed one sent out
on October IS. The first one was ad-
dressed to all Republicans from the State
of Maryland holding office under the Fed
eral and District Governments. and in ef-
faf-t wa like that nf h.a circular mt
by the Indiana outfit. 1t sets forth the
things essential to support the President
in his present policy. makes a diplomat
ically worded appeal for aid and influence
and then springs the membership fee.
The superior enterprise of the Maryland
people is shown by the fact that in some
: cases where the first letter was not pro-
ductive of the desired results, a second
( briefer and rather more to the point, was
sent. This is the circular which was sent
out yesterday and which was printed in
yesterdays Evening Times.
II pointedly calls the attention of the
| recipient to the fact that his name has
! not been enrolled as a member of the
| Sound Money Club. because his mem
! bership fee has not been received ant
again announces the price. In the SECOND
! letter the directions as to the manner ii
which the money can be donated are ever
| more explicit than in the first
All of these letters and circulars, to.
gether with the alleged pernicious politi
cal activity of Fish Commissioner Bow.
! ers, whose franked letter to John B
Conaway, of the navy yard, was repro
| duced in yesterdays Morning Times, have
/ been called to the attention of the Civi
I Service Commission. So far, however. ne
! action has been taken by them.
The latter is regarded as fragrant
violation not only OF the civil service law
but of the postal regulations, as well, anC
it has been brought to the attention o.
the officials OF the Postoffice Department
Immediately after the expose of th,
Bowers letter in The Times yesterda,
morning, the Fish Commissioner wen
post haste to the White House and mad,
a personal denial to the President, de
nouncins the story as Democratic cam
paign lie. He declared that the letter re
ferred to had been stolen from lis desk
in all probability by Democratic clerks
and announced his determination to in
vestigate the matter.
This is regarded as another party sub
terfuge, Commissioner Bowers taking ad
vantage of the opportunity thus afforded
to discharge Democrats now in the en-
ploy of the commission, and fill thei
places with Republicans. 1t may be
however, that he will not be allowed t.
carry this design into execution, as III,
matter is being investigated by Demo
Gratis. 1t was stated yesterday that a
the time the franked letter was delivered
to Conaway, there were over twent,
others. SIMILAR in text, also unstamped ant
bearing the Government frank, delivered
10 other employees of the navy yard
Mr.. Proctor. president of the Civil Ser
vice Commission, was seen yeterday, anC
admitted that the circulars were practi
cally violations of the law. Inasmuch d:
the solicitations were indirectly and COW
ertly made, however 1t might more prop
eriy be construed an evasion of til,
law. There had been no decision reached
by the members of the commission in re
gard TO the matter, he said, and b,
cnIil1tl,f fcll .hnI ho