The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-11-13
WILL NOT TOLERATE IT.

If the interests Of the Democratic
party alone were concerned. senator
Simmons would take no further action
with reference To the pernieious actlF-
ity OF Federal officials in the recent
campaign. The spectacle Of the post
master al Elizabeth city, Winston-Sa-
lem. Raleigh and Other big own leav-
ing their offices and going about the
State making political speeches, Of q
score OF Federal officials running for
Congress or for some local office, OF
revenue officers and rural delivery car
riers busying themselves To buy the
p~urchasablc, carry orders and CIR
cutting Republican literature, when
sharply called TO the attention of the
public. was 50 nauseating that their
activity aroused the resentment Of the
voters. and helped rather than injured
the Democratic party. But that Is not
10 be considered, for. though the &C
tivity of the present gang injuries the
party il tries TO help. the time may
come When these positions viii be filled
bv men who could exert q potent in
nuence. Indeed there are rural car
riers now who hold aIoof from politi-
cal work, who could 10 effective ser
vice to any candidate or party whose
cause they espoused.
The matter is one high above parti-
Sun advantage. The Federal office
holders hold their positions by appoint
ment. The people whom they serve
have no voice in their selection. The
civil service clerks. when the eXamina-
ton and appointment is fair, get their
positions because they pass Il certain
examination. Others are named be
cause the Republican state Chairman
picks him out and gives him the job.
Such appointees, being put upon the
people without consulting them, are in
a position where they may obtain un-
due influence. That has been recog-
nized from the time of Jefferson though
only a few presidents have enforced
the laws or rules against pernicious
partisan activity by Federal officials.
In most Northern states these civil
service rules are now observed in
the main. In Brooklyn, a ru-
raj carrier who desired to run for u
local office. resigned his position. 1t is
always customary in States in the
North for a postmaster who is Il candi-
date for an elective position, to resign
as postmaster. In North Carolina, on
the other hand, it seems that holding a
Federal office adds to the eligibility of
a Republican candidate for an cleo
tive office in the eyes Of the Republic
can bosses. though the voters never
take such candidacy seriously and the
! Federal official is never elected. He is
usually nominated because he thinks
he is an orator and wishes a chance to
make a reputation or because the
bosses wish no man to run whose can
didacy might give him a claim for con-
sideration by the Federal administra-
ton.
During the campaign Senator Sim
mons filed a number of charges against
Federal officials. in and out of the
civil service, for pernicious political
activity. but, of course, 10 action was
taken upon them. The Radical State
chairman and the Radical State organ
told the officials to pay no attention to
! the charges or criticisms of Senator
Simmons and to go ahead. They did
go ahead and trampled every civil
service law and department rule under
foot, carrying their officiousness to the
polls where they sought to buy votes
and to bulldoze voters by threats of
"ederal prosecutions. There were other
cases as fragrant as the following told
of by the AsheborO Courier:
zone prominent Republican tried to
pay money to a Democratic registrar
to ~corruptly influence him. \ revenue
officer. n j. NJ. Allen, went to one
township and not only attempted to
purchase votes but threatened prOSccu-
tons in the Federal Courts against one
or more individuals if they did not
vote to suit Mi. Allen, 50 we are in
formed from a reliable source"
That charge, together with others,
viii be lodged by Senator Simmons
With the authorities at Washington.
and the solid North Carolina delega-
ton in Congress viii demand thai
there be an investigation and the
shame of Federal interference in poll
tics in North Carolina shall come to an
end. If the authorities continue TO
turn a deaf ear to the demands for an
enforcement of the laws and rules.
there viii be an investigation that will
1T me NHott world see the fiaSTdns
and offensive use of the Federal gov
eminent for the purpose of trying to
dominate the politics Of the State.
The campaign is over. There can
be no partisan advantage in action
taken now. Indeed the activity of post
masters, revenue officers and other
Federal officials hurt those it was in
tended to help. Blu the spectacle Of
Federal offices being converted into the
headquarters of a political party is one
jhat ought not TO be permitted, and the
demand will be pressed until action IS
tahen TO end the political activity OF
Federal officialdom in this State