Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-13
"sTAND AND DELIVER"

We noticed the other day that the FL
nance Committee of the Ohio State Re-
publican Executive Committee had sent
out TO postmasters in leading cities North
and West a he-devil-around-the-
oivil-seryice-stump circular, asking ''vop-
untary" contributions TO the Ohio cam
paign fund We said at the time that this
performance was an evidence that the
outlook OF the party was desperate, both
in its bearing on the result In the state
next month, and the result in the next
presidential campaign. Indeed, the circu-
lar opened with an admission that "a
Democratic victory in Ohio this fall would
carry with Il almost full control Of the
political machinery of the State. thus en-
Aiding the opposition 10 entrench itself
for the presidential campaign of 1900"
And in closing il made this appeal, which
accentuates the trepidaton that prevails
in the Republican camp: ION account.
therefore, of the important bearing the
result in Ohio this year will have upon
tho greater contest of 1900. and because
Of the fact that the defeat of his party in
the Presidents home State would be her
aided by the opposition as a rebuke to his
administration, we hope you will aid us
in this contest by sending AS liberal
contribution as you can afford"
But it noav appears that the situation is
more desperate than We had first thought.
1t is clear that the party needs every
cent il can rake and scrape" into its
persuasion" barrel. If it is to carry the
State election and secure the moral eff
feet" that victory would have on the cleo
ton OF 1900
And in their desperation the leaders are
not bit proud. They will be thankful
for small favors. 1t turns out that the
invitation to make voluntary contribu-
tions has been sent not only to the class
Of postmasters who are in position TO
suggest" to various subordinates the
'advisability' of being patriotic" and
liberal, but to the small fry class as
well. Postmasters all over the country
the South included-whose pay does not
amount TO enough annually to keep them
In firewood, are being h0nored with copies
OF the circular. SO far as Virginia is con
oerned. We have pretty good proof that
even the X-Roads postmasters have not
been sighted in this little Matchmaking
scheme.
As 10 boss postmasters and other boss
Federal officials, these are expected TO
~. IL in,
squeezing those under them, and the cir
cular gives plans and specifications for
accomplishing that end by violating the
spirit of the civil-service laws, without
infringing upon their letter. AS TO post
masters and government employees who
run the whole business OF their offices
themselves, the committee apply the
squeezing process directly This Is not
very dignihed Performance for the
financial managers of a great party or
ganization. but in desperate conditions
there is no time to stand on ceremony
and dignity.
a more outrageous travesty upon the
ciyil-service idea than the blackmail-
ing scheme of the Ohio committee was
never perpetrated. unless II be Mr.. Nc
Kinley's recent modification of the civil
service rules-a modification which, by
the way. is the inspiration of the COM
mittee's hope that voluntary" contribu-
items will come in literally. 1lr. Nc
Kinley unblushingly opened the way for
the ousting OF thousands Of government
employees who held office under civil SER
vice, and tho putting into their places of
reliable henchmen OF his own. In forum
lating a plan TO relieve the necessities OF
the situation the Ohio committee ind
not forget that the average ofiice-hOlder.
who has hitherto considered himself Sc
cure. would hardly lose sight OF this pre-
oedent. p Their circular Is. therefore, a
con .mand 10 all oftice-holders 10 stand
and deliver under threat OF soon not
having anything TO deliver II is an at
tempt at robbery from the person with
violence, and the administration. by rea-
son or its interest In the robbery. and
its violation we have just cited OF the
civil-service laws. is an accessory before
the fact.
However, as we have said before, the
grsater Republican desperation in ohio,