The sun., 1902-10-19
POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS.
THE PRESIDENT PTBLISHES AZ
ENE(I'TIlE ORDER.
senators. Representatives and Delegates
and Officers and Employees Of the
90, ernment Are Prohibited b> law
From Receiving or soliciting Assess.
mcnts for Any Political Purpose.

mcnts for Any Political Purpose.
WASHINGTON. oct Is -Presitlen, Ronse-
ve't t3-day issued ~" following Executive
order covering political contributions by
ofiiceholiers
On request Of tie civil Service tommis-
sion, the Attorney .fiencral has submitted
10 mo III" following opinion
Your note of 'hs 18Th lustan, requests mo
TO advise YOU relat, - 10 'hn subject of polit-
ical contributions. a. shown bv the respective
correspondence which Nou incose between
m" tiNi Service Commission and Officers Of
the Republican state Committee Of Penn
sylvaHia and Ohio
Ia IN" pennsylvania cas-" II appears that
recently q circular letter Vas issued by the
Republican state Commission. signed VI y
Quay. Chairman. stating that financial as
sistanoa +, needed in the coming Congressional
and state elections, and that the committee
viii be greatly Obliged II the addressed will
aid 10 the extent Of his ability and incl nation
This circular letter bore in It's caption ~ we'll
III" ruincs oi Senator Quay as Cbairman and
OF W II. Andrews ,tlefk 10 the Senst" Con-
ntt"c or lminigratioul as secretary. and
was sent b. mail 20 various Fedora, officers
aTd employees at their home addresses
lpo1 advice from ~" commission that be-
cause oi their of'oial relations neither Sem
ntor Quay nor Mr. Andrews could properly
serve on a committee concerned in soliciting
and receiving political contributions from
Federal officials or permit their narleS TO be
held forth ia lrtters making such solicitation.
the circular letter. 40 far as addressed TO
Federal officials. was withdrawn lmme-
diatcy thereafter another circular letter was
Issued in idnntically the same form, except
mat 1t bore the signature OF tho treasurer OF
'h" committee. who IL not Federal offlCe-
holder. The commission pointed out the
illegall'y Of this circular. because it carried
on its heading the names of senator Quay
and Mr. Andrews. and directed It's recall and
this ruling Is now contested by Mr. Andrews
In the Ohio case a circular was issued
by the Republican state Executive Com
mttee bearing the names OF the Hor. Charles
Dick member Of Congress, aud oi various
Federal oficials, aud stating that any as
one Of thos" directly Interested in party
success in Ohio. will be gratefully acknowI-
to Se,a TsdcIa n", oes. sac ,Ss SsS conn sSn
mission demanded Us withdrawal. and that
the Executive Committee declines or neglects
to Hccede 20 this demand
The question presented IL covered by
section II OF the CNil Service act. which
provides
torIa Delegate Of the Congress. or senator, Rep
reSena'ive or delegate eled or any ofrcer or cin
judicial mN,sry or naval oiTcer OF me 'ni,ed
state, and no clerk or employee OF any department
u
or naval service Of the United States snail directly
o indirectly solicit or receive. or be In any manner
ment. subscription. or contribution for any polii
teal purposc Whatever. from any oifcet clerk or
branch or bureau thereof or fror, any person re.
ceNin2 an' >aiarl or conNenSa'ion from moneys
derived from ihe Treasury of the United states.
Whatever the particular form OF words
adopted III such circulars in order to show
a request rather than demand. and to give
70 Responses a auas-vol,lntary character
10 q \ ll9ut tr,ilG Gn.it nrdg nI
statut' forbdding those barred by their
public relations to solicit from Federal ON
Cials. directly or indirectly or to be in any
manner concerned in soliciting or receivin.
any assessment subscription or contribution
for any political purpose whatever ,un-
They should not be aent to Federal officials,
OF els" thcv should not bear the names OF the
publ" officers and employees designated in
IN Il OF. 300. Acknowledgement Harmon
sad. All who are III ia" GorernTant ser
vir" are thus protected against the possi-
h'NE Of n''ual coercion and from thai of
oo"rclou implied M Ia" relation oi the person
sohCtins or rec"lNinc 10 th" Goy'rumcnt or
imul"d in solicitation or recent in public
ohic" hut Con rrsss did not attempt to pro-
hh' sol, ttiion bI, OF payment tn. persons
than in Government Offices
1t is also pertinent 10 notice S c,ion /,
Of the 1f. VIZ.
T1a, no q Hcrr cicr' o. other rrrS0r in the
s,ryicc OF ne ncd s;,,rs Nail. directly ~ or ~ H.
directly, g.'c OF hand over To any Other olccr.
ClfF ~ ''FFNtN N TN >"r'trN ~ the United SairN
10 m, senator Or W'n.br " tNc HOUSE ~ Rcp-
rrScltatitcN. or Territorial Delegate. ans money
o' other valuable th1s aoconnt of ~ 10 he applied
10 tho promotion o. an, political object Whatever,
Our power "a direct. hy appropriate order.
urlcr the mandates Of these sections, all
t,'-one in he executive :, rvic' oi the United
states is lear.
hereby call the attention of all officers
ard employees in the Federal service 10 the
foregoing opinion. and warn them that the
provisions of law a. therein construed are
10 h" by them obeved and enforced
ANY official in the Federal service NAV,
withou, jeopardy TO hi~ Official standing
contribute" or not, eEac,ly a. ha pleases.
provided hn obcys the sections of the Civil
Service act above referred 10
THEODorE ROOSEVELT.
WHITE HOrSF. Oct Is 1902