The Washington times., 1908-10-08
Civn service Officials Assure
Government Clerks They
May Cast Ballots.
ACT NOT REGARDED
AS PREREQUISITES
announcement Comes as Relief to
Federal Employees inundated by
Recently Announced Rulings.

There is no foundation for the re-
ports that the Civil Service Commits
sioners regard voting by employees in
The classified service as partisan, and In
violation OF the civil service rules and
regulations and Executive orders, said
the Commissioners today. They say il
is the privilege Of any clerk in the
CLASSIFIED service who Is entitled to a
vote to go home and cast his ballot on
election day
The statement was made by the Com
missiOners that il was never contem-
plated by Executive order nor by the
civil service rules that Federal en-
ployes in the classified service should
forfeit their right to vote when they
entered the Government service
Accepting employment in the execu-
tive departments, the Commissioners
said, does not mean that the voter must
lose his interest in the Government. or
that he must have no opinion on party
politics. The civil service rules and the
Executive orders that have been issued
from time to time, years before any
civil service law was placed on the
statute books, are for the protection Of
the employees political rights and the
rules are in the interest of the empIove
IN restoring TO him real liberty Of
opinion and action and IN preventing his
coercion in the interest Of any party
or faction.
Is Made Clear.
This is made clear, said the Commits
sioncrs, by the enforcement OF the rules
and Executive orders prohibiting PERM
cIOus political activity on the part OF
employees. And u justice 10 ali, it is
necessary to draw the line so that, the
Commissioners said, there can be no
ground for just criticism. 1t is not es-
sential, it was said for the Federal
employees to gather at political headquar-
tiers Of either party TO manifest their
interest in tie Government, nor is il
just the thing for them to take part
prominently in political meetings and
make speeches. The Commissioners say
that political activity means that clerks
must neglect their work. and the ne
Siecting of work causes the Govern
nents business 10 suffer.
Treasury officials especially were
much pleased with the statement given
out by the Civil Service Commissioners.
The fact that the. Commissioners say
that il is the privilege Of the employee
In the classified service to go home
and vote will have a wholesome effect,
say the Treasury officials, on those
clerks who are timld and who have
been frightened by the stories pub
Hsned that they would be marked for
discipline II they awaited themselves Of
the franchise.
Same Conditions
The same condition is found in me
other executive departments. In fact,
some Of the higher officials have passed
the word around that it is a patriotic
duty 10 vote. More voters, perhaps, will
go from the Government Printing Of
fee than any other department, for
as a rule the employees in Uncle Sans
big print shop take a Hvelier interest
IN electors than do the employees in
the other departments.
Quite number of clerks in the In
terror Department who live In the
Western States have written to personal
friends Of opposite political faith TO pair
off with them so that they may save
car fare. Not a few in the depart-
Inents who are Republicans and Demo-
Gratis have paired on the Presidential
ticket. These pairs. Il is said, are
among the clerks who reside in States
regarded as doubtful.