The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-19
PRESIDENT SENDS
 OUT 4 WARNING
Says 0ficehoIders Must be Careful About Receiving Funds
REFERS THEM TO THE LAW
In Jeopardy of Jobs If They Receive Campaign Funds Or Issue Calls to Other Employes of the
 Federal Government.

Washington, October IS. - President Roosevelt today issued the following executive order:
 "On request of the civil service com mission the attorney general has sub mitted to me the following opinion:
 Your note of the 10th instant request ing me to advise you relative to the question of political contributions as shown by the respective correspondence which you enclose between the civil ser vice commission and officials of the re- publican state committee of Pennsylvania and Ohio.
 Tn the Pennsylvania case 1t appears that recently a circular letter was issued by the republican state committee sign ed M. s. Quay. chairman, stating that financial assistance is needed in the com ing congressional and state election and that the committee will be greatly obliged if the addressee will aio to the extent of his ability and inclination. This circu- lar letter bore in its caption as well as the name of Senator Quay as chairman and of W R. Andrews (clerk to the senate committee on immigration) as secretary, and was sent by mail to vari- ous federal officers and their employees at their home addresses Upon advice from the commission that because of their official relations neither Senator Quay nor MT. Andrews could properly serve upon committee concerned in soliciting and receiving political contributions from federal officers or permit their names to be held for the letters making such solic- itation, the circular letter so far as ad- dressed to federal officials was with drawn. Immediately thereafter another circular letter was Issued in identically the same form except that it bore the signature of the treasurer of the com mittee who is not a federal office holder.
 Circular Illegal.
 The commission pointed out the illegal ity of this circular because 1t carried on it's heading the names of Senator Quay and MT. Andrews and directed It's recall, and this ruling Is now contested by MT. Andrews
 ''In the Ohio case a circular was issued by the republican state executive com mittee, bearing the names of Charles Dick member of congress, and of various federal officials and stating that any as sistance which the addressee can give as one of those directly interested in party success in Ohio will be gratefully acknowledged.
 ''It seems that this circular was sent to certain federal officials that the com mission demanded it's withdrawal and that the executive committee declined | or neglected to accede to this demand. "The question presented Is covered by | Section Il, of the civil service act which prohibits members of congress or terri torial delegate of the congress or mem bers of congress or delegates elect, or any officer or employe of congress, or any executive, judicial. military or naval officer of the United States or any clerk or employe of any department, branch or bureau of the United States government from directly or indirectly soliciting or receiving any assessment subscription or contribution from any political purpose whatever from any officer, clerk or em- ploye of the United States or any depart ment branch or bureau thereof, or from any person receiving any salary or com pensation from moneys derived from the service of the United States.
 ''Whatever the particular form of words adopted in such circulars In order to show a request rather than demand and to give responses a quasi-voluntary charac- ter. the explicit and comprehensive words of the foreign statute unquestion- ably condemn all such circulars. They should not be sent to Federal official. or else they should not bear the names of public officers and employees designated in the act Attorney General Harmon said:
 Attorney Generals Opinion.
 "All who are in the government service are thus protected against the possibility of actual coercion and from that Of the