The evening times., 1900-05-12

respond may be amenable to the law. This
attempt at cireumvention is, however
clearly futile. and affords no protection
whatever to those OF eithe. class who may
be concerted in any resultant transaction.
The law declares in terms. that any
Senator or Representative. or other Federal
officer or employe who directly or indi-
rectly. sclicits or receives political as
sessmsnt, subscription. or contribution, Is
guilty of a misdemeanor and SL.tv. on con-
Victicn. be punished accordingly The claim
that Mr.. Dick is not indirectly concerned in
either the solicitation or recent Of the
moneys asked from Federal employees. for
the uses Of the State Executive Committee
OF which he is chairman. would. we re-
speettuily submit be at variance with the
most obvious .acts
"A copy CT the letter referred TO is an
nexed hereto. together with a full list OF
the members and officers of the Ohi) Re
publican State Executive Committee. and
or its subcommittee on finance The league
asks that these documents, together with
such other pertinent facts as ray come
within tn attention of your honorable
body, be submitted to the law officers OF
tie Government, with the request that
proper prosecution be instituted
1t is believed that such action would
be greatly in the interest of good admins
tration. not only for the reason that an ef-
fort has apparently been made 20 subvert
the law in a manner which, if 81 ccessful.
must prove demoralizing. but because each
employe who responds to the appeal with
subscription or contribution paid indi-
rectly TO Mr.. Dick, Federal officeholder.
is himself technically guilty and equally
liable TO prosecution.
We are informed that this circular has
been sent to many thousands of officers
and employees in the Federal service in
all parts Of the country, from pOstmasters
of every class down tC clerks and janj-
tors IN custom houses Ii is needless to
point out that if, through deliberately at
tempted evasion of the law, such practices
may continue without interruption, the
provisions in question, designed as they
have been 10 arrest an evil that AZ one
time threatened to corrupt the political
system. must in great degree be reduced
TO nullity.
I'VE also submit that the sending Of the
circular in question TO Federal officers and
employees at the public buildings in which
they are engaged in the discharge OF their
duties constitutes a violation on the part
OF each member Of the committee or CON-
mittees concerned. of the provision of sec
tiOn y of the Civil Service act"
A number OF other letters and papers
are submitted showing that the letters
h2d been sent and received
In the Kentucky case the charges are as
follows
"First-That one JOSEPH Potoning. an
employe in the Louisville and Nashville
coal offiee in Louisville. KY is soliciting
and receiving money for political purposes
from employees in the Internal Revenue
Service.
"SecoHd-That Potoning did in room
or building occupied in the discharge of
official duties by an officer or employe of
the United States. solicit money for pO-
htical purposes
'Third-That Leonard Parsons. the as
signment clerk in Collector Sapp's Office,
has, directly or Indirectly. solicited. or
been in some manner concerned in solic-
iting, subscriptions or contributions for po-
Eticai purposes from employees in the Fed
eral service
"Fourth-That Charles f. Sapp :hs col
lector,-is an accessory. being Indirectly
concerned in soliciting or receiving these
assessments. subscriptions, or contributions
for political purposes