The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-10-11
THEY ARE ALARMED.
Mark Hanna ReyiVes the Infamous
Jay Hubbell System.
OHIO REPUBLICANS SCARED.
A General Assessment fora Cam.
paign in Single State is
Without Precedent.

A special dispatch from Washington
to the News and Courier says so desper-
ate has the Republican situation in
Ohio become that Senator Mark Hanna
has revived the Jay Hubbell system Of
levying campaign assessments upon the
Federal Office holders in Washington,
regardless of the States to which they
are accredited. Within the past few
days most every employee in the Gov.
ernment service at Washington has re-
ceived long letter from W. E. Bur
dell, treasurer of the finance committee
of the Ohio Republican State execu-
tive committee, calling for contribu
tions to the Republican campaign fund
in the Buckeye State.
The letter goes on to state that a
Democratic victory in Ohio this fall
would carry with it almost full control
of the political machinery Of the State;
thus enabling the oppositionto to entrench
itself for the Presidential campaign of
1900.
"a special session Of the Legislature
called by Democratic Governor would
redistrict the State for Congressional
purposes under the apporhonment Of
1900, thereby reducing the Republican
rerepsentation from this State in the
lower house OF Congress, and perhaps
endangering our majority in that body.
These facts, it seems to US, will forcibly
appeal to every Republican.
I'VE hope you will be willing to con.
tribute to the legitimate expenses OF
the State committee in its efforts to
maintain Republican supremacy.
So earnest is the appeal that it is ac'
companied by printed extracts from the
Act regulating the civil service relative
to the collection of political assessments
from employees in the public service.
In addition Treasurer Burdell states
that to avoid any violation Of the law
on the subject the committee in charge
of the financial branch of the campaign
is made up Of persons in no wise con-
nected with the Federal service. He
adds: In sending us a contribution
you will in no way violate any provis-
ion Of the civil service law. We are
asking for voluntary contributions to
assist in detraying the proper and law
full expenses of the campaign, and we
will be responsible for the proper dis
tribution Of any funds which may be
entrusted to US.
As final appeal Treasurer Burdell
says: ''O1 account of the important
bearing the result in Obi, this year
will have upon the greater contest OF
1900, and because Of the fact the de-
feat Of his party in the Presidents
home State would be heralded by the
opposition as rebuke to his admins
tration, we hope You will aid us in this
contest by sending US as liberal con-
tribution as you can afford.
These circular letters are marked
confidential, and sent to the resident
address of the various employees. A
well known Ohio Republican WAC re-
ceived one Of these letters, confded to
your correspondent. the information,
which he said he had received as COM
ing from Senator Hanna, to the effect
that Johnny Mclean is putting up an
unexpectedly strong fight in all the big
cities in the State, and it will require
every dollar the Republican committee
can raise to secure Republican VIC
tory"
Many Of the recipients Of these let
ters are terrorized by the fear that they
will lose their places if they fail to con-
tribute, although they do not under
stand why they should be assessed to
help out in Ohio, when they have de-
mands from other States made upon
them at regular intervals. 1t is said
that black list will be made up
showing all who fail to respond to the
Hanna call for funds, and the victims
will be dealt with accordingly. The
practice of soliciting campaign centri-
buttons from Government employees
during Presidential contest has never
been entirely abandoned, although the
collections we're made in quiet, inof
fensive.way. It's, however, unusual
and without precedent to levy-a gen.
eral assessment for campaign in
single State, and especially as that
State happens to be the home State
.of tho prnei1ent of the TTn,ted States.