Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-23
VOTE OF THE CLERKS.
Few Government Employees Going
Home This Year.


''There Is one point about the congress
sional elections affecting the District in one
sense which has escaped attention" said
department clerk this morning, land that Is
that not in years have so few government
employees gone home. or who intend to go
home to vote, as this year.
Usually there Is a large exodus of gov
ernment employees for home, no matter what
may be the complexion of the party in
power. This year there will be scarcely
corporal's guard to leave town.
AT the last presidential election thou
sands went home; in fact, SO many left
town that 1t was a matter of comment. 1t
s conceded that the congressional elections
will be close, so 1t would under ordinary
circumstances behoove the democratic. as
well as the republican, clerk to get next,
If possible, to his congressman.
LAS politics are politics the cause Of the
general pathy among the clerks to vote
may be at once inquired into, and the
cause, briefly stated, Is the order of the
President issued during the summer as re-
CARDS the government clerk and his con-
gresham entertaining too close relations.
which might be used to advance the former.
That order, and it's construction by the
civil service commission, practically dis
rupted all Of the state associations of
clerks IN town as regards their very con-
siderable political strength. The members
became fearful that their efforts might be
But the great cause Is that the clerks feel
that they have nothing to gain personally
or officially by going home to vote, and
they are not going.
IDENTIFY feel that they are wasting their
time and money to go home and attempt to
elect men who can be OF no, or of but slight
service to them here. The republicans,
from what they say to me, declare that
they cannot spend their money and take
their time to help the administration II the
administration Is unwilling to let the con-
gressmen assist the clerk. Their positions
are secure in any event, and II congress
men are to have no influence in their behalf
the clerks say that they can do without
their votes.
However. aside from the political aspect
OF the question its local application is in
terestng. Five thousand government clerks
who voters. and who refrain from exer
cising their privilege, might affect several
congressman in close districts, and If the
House be close, the loss of their votes
might affect its control by one party or the
other.
I'm any event. it is worthy Of note that
the voters among the government employees
seem to be stricken with the dumb political
ague. In my division there are over dozen
voters who usually go home who do not in
tend to leave Washington this fall, and the
same holds true throughout the different
departments. Ordinarily during the cam
paigns there is much political discussion
among the clerks; this year one seldom
nearS pOlltlCS discussed, tnOuSn eFeryDOOy
realizes that the next House may be in
doubt.
1T would, indeed. be interesting if the
government clerk who has the right TO vote
should In time be completely eliminated
from political consideration. I am told by
some Of the clerks that many of their con-
gressmen feel very sore. and the reply that
the clerks make that the representative is
not in his former position to help them does
not make the representative feel any more
tender toward the clerks