Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-10-23
WARNING GIVEN
BY PRESIDENT
Attention Called to the Strict
Provisions of the Civil
Service Law.
TWO CASES CITED BY HIM
Attorney General Holds the Law Was
Violated In Pennsylvanis and Ohio
Quay and Dick Were the Onenders-
President Giyes Advice.

osNec Sutioe.
Washington, Oct president
Roosevelt ISSUED an executive order
having regard to the matter of polit-
ical contributions by federal emf. !, es.
II seems that the civil service COM
mission had complained of certain
soliciting letters sent out by the re-
publican state committees of Ohio and
Pennsylvania. The president ask
ed the attorney general for an Official
opinion
In the Pennsylvania case it appears
that recently a circular letter was is
sued by the republican state commit
tee signed m. S. Quay, chairman, stat.
Ing that financial assistance is needed
In the coming congressional and
state election and that the committee
will be greatly obliged il the addressee
will aid to the extent of his ability
and inclination. This circular letter
bore In its caption besides the name Of
Senator Quay as chairman that of
w. r. Andrews CLERK to the senate
committee on immigration) as Sec
rotary, and was sent by mail to va
rious federal officers and their en-
ployes at their home addresses. Up
on advice from the commission that
because Of their official relations mel.
ther Senator Quay nor Mr.. Andrews
could properly serve upon a commit
tee concerned in soliciting and re-
ceiving political contributions from
federal officers or permit their names
to be used In letters making such
solicitation. the circular letter, SO far
as addressed to federal officials, was
withdrawn. Immediately thereafter
another circular letter was issued in
fdentically the same form except that
II bore the signature OF the treasurer
OF the committee who is not q federal
officeholder. The commission point
ed out the illegality of this circular
because 1t carried on its heading the
names Of Senator Quay and Mr.. An
drews, and directed its recall, and
this ruling is now contested by Mr..
Andrews.
In the Ohio case circular was is
sued by the republican state execu-
tive committee. bearing the names Of
Hon. Chas. Dick tmem5er of congress)
and Of various federal officials. The
commission demanded its withdraw
al, but the Ohio committee, in the
words of the commission, declines
va ht6iC,tc W dNtCcu 10 tufs utuhuu.
The attorney general in his opinionB
says the question presented IL cover
ed by section IL of the civil service
act, which ~ yides:
That no senator, or representative,
or territorial delegate OF the congress,
or senator. representative or delegate
elect. or any officer or employee OF
either OF said houses, and no execu-
tive judicial, military or naval OIL
Ger of the United States and no clerk
or employe OF any department, branch
or bureau of the executive, judfciEl,
or military or naval service Of the
United States, shall. directly or indi-
rectly. solicit or receive. or be in any
manner concerned in soliciting or re-
ceiving any assessment, subscription
or contribution for any political pur-
pose whatever, from any officer, clerk
or employe OF the United States. or
any department, branch or bureau
thereof, or from any person receiv-
ing any salary or compensation from
moneys derived from the treasury Of
the United States"
The attorney general. after quoting
other points of the act. says:
Whatever the particular form OF
words adopted in such circulars in
order to show a request rather than a
demand and to give to responses a
quasi-voluntary character, the expli.
cit and comprehensive words of the
statute, forbidding those barred by
their public relations to solicit, from
federal officials, directly or indirectly,
or to be in any manner concerned in
soliciting or receiving contribution,
Tor any political purposes whatever
unquestionably condemn all such cir.
culars. They should not be sent to
federal officials, or else they should
not bear the names of the public off,
GERS end employees designated in the
act"
There is also quoted an opinion by
former Attorney General Harmon on
similar case, who said in summing
up:
"All who are in the government SER
vice are thus protected against the
possibility Of actual coercion and from
that of the coercion implied in the
election of the person soliciting or re-
ceiving TO the government or implied
in solicitation or receipt in a public
Office: but congress did not attempt
to prohibit solicitation by or payment
to persons not in the government
service otherwise than in government
Offices"
President Roosevelt's order contin-
ues:
Il hereby call the attention OF all
officers and employees in the federal
service TO the foregoing opinion, and
warn them that the provisions of the
law as therin construed are to be by
them obeyed and enforced.
ANY Official in the federal service
may without jeopardy to his official
standing contribute or not, exactly as
he pleases. provided he obeys the sec
tons of the civil service act above re-
ferred tn