Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-29
CLERKS ARE THANKFUL
FOR PRESIDENTS ORDER AS TO
CAMPAIGN SOLICITATIONS.
Much Annoyance to Which They Were
Formerly Subjected is Now
Removed.

1.-THE recent order of the President re-
Earding the solicitation of campaign funds
from government employees has a direct
bearing upon the force in Washington, and
the order and the causes which led to its
PRONUNCIATION has been the subject Of
much Interesting talk upon our part" said
an old government clerk this morning.
I'VE are all glad that the President issued
the order, as 1t puts a stop to the receipt by
government clerks in Washington of solic-
iting circular letters from outside state or
ganIzations for financial aid in the cam
paign of a state in whose political status
the recipients of the letters took no interest
For instance. I hail from the city Of
New York. where 1 maintain voting resi-
dence. l am a regularly enrolled member
of the ward organization Of the dominant
party and as such enrolled member have
the privilege under the law of voting for
candidates at the primaries. In New York
II is only the voters who enroll themselves
who may thus vote now. and the old scenes
of knock down-and-drag-o by assaults
by heeleIs from other election precincts are
happily passed. My affiliations are, conse-
Quently, with my own party in my own
congressional district and in my own state,
and II l have any voluntary contributions
to make to a campaign fund they ought by
rolled member my ward leader would give
me the cold shoulder If he knew that l
was making outside contributions.
The political campaign Of the congress
slonal delegation, or Of the state officers of
a western state, or. for that matter. any
state but my own, Is of no consequence to
me, and that Is the way every government
clerk in Washington feels as regards his
own state. l have often thought that the
members of one or two state central COM
mittees who have deluged Washington with
circulars asking for voluntary contributions
upon the ground that the elections IN the
rats in aSrf nf StDph
Importance that office holders here ought to
respond with money contributions exceeded
their prerogatives and exhibited an assur-
ance which was decidedly annoying to the
recipients OF the letters, who were power
less to protect themselves therefrom until
the President happily acted and gave them
immunity.
How the Clerks Received the Letters.
Every clerk in the executive departments
for the past few congressional campaigns
has received a letter containing these i'm
portuning circulars. II my recollection
serves me, these circulars were sent to US
during one two campaigns second time,
a sort Of second request, more urgent than
the first. These letters were delivered
sealed through the mails. the names OF the
employees having been taken from the blue
book, and upon their receipt called forth
all sorts of comment from anger and in
dignation to amusement or contempt uous
disregard.
''You see. If the central committee Of two
states chose to solicit funds. voluntary con-
tributions' strongly worded, OF US, there Is
no logical reason why the state central
committee of every state In the Union
could not do the same. 4 great majority Of
the clerks threw the circulars unread at
once upon receipt into the waste paper bas-
ket Others would read them through. and
the almost universal remark on the part Of
the voting contingent of the clerks in
Washington was We'll, IL give any money
for tha oieyrN m IN tn
Spouse to solicitation from an outside
state The non-voters gave the circulars
scant courtesy.
can amusing phase of the matter was the
receipt OF the circulars by the women
clerks. In my room nearly all OF the ladies
were favored with the men with the circulars.
and the varied remarks of the other sex
were very funny, as they could not seem to
comprehend why they should have been In
cluded with the men. They were facetiously
told that IL they could not give their votes
they could give their money, but 1t is safe
to say that none did SO.
All Glad the Practice is Stopped
THE clerks who came from the states
from whence the circulars emanated were
placed in different position from their fell
low clerks. It cannot be doubted that a
great many Of these clerks. whether voters
or not, responded and received a receipt in
return which they may have considered of
state organization.
AT any rate. the clerks are glad that the
abuse was fortunately stopped In time, and
the Presidently Is silently and openly
thanked for the stand he has taken. The
practice began with the central committee
in a western state was followed by the CEN
tral committee in eastern state, and
there Is no estimating when and where II
would have ended There Is no more reason
why government clerk In Washington
should be dunnal by state political organ
ization In the n1tnner In question than any
business man on Pennsylvania avenue. He