The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-15
THE CIVIL SERVICE LAWS
Convictions for Violations Few and
Far Between.

Seldom Thai Government Official
Loses HIS Place, Notwithstanding
the Frequency of Charses-ScveraI
Gases That Have Fallen Through.
Every now and then a statement is
printed in the newspapers that the Civil
Service Commissioners have caught some
Government official red-handed. so TO
speak, violating the Civil Service law"
said a WeII-knOWn Department clerk this
morning, but you seldom. if ever, read
in the newspapers where the alleged Of
Tending official has been convicted by the
courts or removed from Office.
I am led TO make this observation on
account of tire latest case that has come
under my notice. 1t is the case of Cap
tain Nose Dillon, the Collector Of Customs
at FL Pasu. Tex. He was charged with
abstracting Civil Service questions and
answers and forwarding them to certain
applicants who took the Civil Service ex-
animation for entrance into the Custom
Service, and also with soliciting and re-
ceivinE money from Government employees
for campaign purposes.
The Civil Service Commission, it was
said, had the dead wood on Dillon In
fact it was claimed that the case against
the FL PasO collector was so clear and
pronounced that there was no escape and
that he would have to be tried. The Com
mission recommended DTIIon's removal.
We'll, like all the eases of violations
of the Civil Service law which have been
brought to the attention of the Civil Ser
vice Commission within the past ten or
more years, the charges. when presented
to the proper legal authorities. were
thrown out And Collector Dillon is still
doing duty at the old stand
Another case that I Will call attention
TO is the Ohio circular case which was
recently ignored by the grand jury in Gin
cinnati. It was several years go that Ger
tain Federal employees received from the
Republican State Committee of Ohio a cir
cular letter requesting them to contribute
to the campaign fund. Among the names
of officers printed IN the circular. 1t is al
legged, was that Of Representative Dick Of
Ohio who, 1 think, was the treasurer The
matter was brought to the attention Of
the Civil Service Commissioners, who i'm
mediately started an investigation. to
gather evidence to be used in prosecuting
the ALLEGED offenders The Commission
also brought the matter to the notice of
the Postmaster General. who caused to be
Eosied in all the postofficcs in the country
a warning against soliciting political con-
tributions. After nearly two years a case
was apparently made out against Repre-
sentative Dick and several others, but
when presented Ia the grand jury in Gin
cinnati that body. after hearing the evil
dence, threw the case out Of court II
was claimed that the word request was
not in violation Of che act prohibiting po-
Htical assessments.
There are numerous eases just like the
ore l have cited It cost considerable
money to make these Investigations. and
can't recall one from which the Commits
sionerS ever scored point. So far as
remember. no official has been removed by
this Administration for a. violation OF the
Civil Service law. and yet quite a few
have been recommended by the Commits
sion for removal There is one good thing
the Commission has done and that is that
in several instances they have brought
about the reinstatement OF several clerks
holding minor positions, who were re-
moved without Just cause But cases of
this kind. however are rare
Since the extension Of the classified
service the clerks feel more secure in their
positions. and when they receive cam
paign circulars asking for Il contribution
they pass them up. knowing that they
are protected against political assess
ments- OF course. the party man or wOnl-
an IL the department viii always cOntri-
butte something TO the State campaign
fund and it is this knowledge that causes
the State campaign managers to send
their circulars "a the clerks in the de-
partrnents here, in violation of the spirit
if not the letter or the Civil Service law