The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-10-09

maries- or in political campaigns.
'PerDieious political activity was
held up as one of the unpardon-
able transgressions against the
civil service laws and regulations.
"Any attempt on the part OF
one occupying high official station
to dictate course of action to be
pursued by the voters, either in
conversation or at the polls, is
hateful to all self-respecting Amer
lean freemen, even if such attempt
is covertly and adroitly made, but
when such attempt is made boldly
and audaciously as matter of
claimed right on the part of the
official, it is so offensive to the
spirit of our institutions as to be
regarded as intolerable by the
great American electorate.
''If President Arthur's genteel
and diplomatic dictation was SO
offensive as to receive such re
buke, what will be said of the
conduct of Mr.. Roosevelt in this
campaign? Gen. Arthur made no
pretensions as a civil service re-
/ former
LAW FLAGRANTLY VIOLATED.
Sin the preliminary campaign
for delegates to the Republican
( National Convention this year the
Civil Service law was apparently
suspended in operation, for it was
openly and hagrantly violated
and defied. Federal office holders
actively took the field for he Pres
idential candidate whose cause
their chief, the President, had
openly espOused-for the Chief
Executive of the nation had pro
claimed his desire that Mr.. Taft
should be his successor, and was
himself, in large measure. direct
ing the Taft campaign.
/ 1.-The zeal of the President was
communicated to the thousands of
his official servants dependent
upon him for their bread of official
life, and with force of arms (some-
times literally they invaded the
conventions which had been called
t r the selection of delegates, and,
whether in the majority or minor
ity carried their point.
In the political history of this
country 80 many unseemly scenes
in so many different places were
never witnessed in so short time
as occurred in the conventions
held this spring for the selection
of delegates to the Republican
national convention.
"Never before had Federal office
holders gone forth so inspired of
common purpose to carry out the
will of their chief, and so intense
became their enthusiasm and zeal
that in many instances that effec
lively welded sticks Of varying
sizes and in the name of civil ser
vice reform cracked the heads of
their opponents who ventured to
dispute their right to rule.
And why noti If the highest
office in the goverume II tt b e
highest dignitary in the world
J might without criticism descend
into the field of party politics,
espouse the cause of one of many
candidates, map out campaign
for his nomination and engage in
the scramble. why should not the
postmasters and mail agents and
revenue collectors, no less serv-
ants OF the people than the Presi.
dent, follow the illustrious exam
pie and without fear of molesta-
tion, crack heads in conventions
if such drastic methods should
become necessary in the accom-,
plishment of the designs and
wishes of the chief dispenser of
PuUiOudSC.
WORK OF LOWER POLITICIANS.
"Not satisfied with the conduct
of the campaign by the lawfully
designated authorities of his
party. the President has again
thrown himself into the breach,
thrust party leadership aside with
bigger stick than usual, is strik-
ing out in all directions. Columns
of vituperative fulmiuations are
coming from the White House al
most daily and the spectacle of the
President of great republic
the President of all the people
engaged in the work usually per
formed by the lower grades of
politicians on the behalf of a par.
ticular candida 70, is calculated to
cause the fair-minded, patriotic
citizen to pause and consider.
"By his own conduct as a pub.
lie servant, he invites all Office
holders again to disregard the
civil service laws and, following
his example. devote their time and
abilities to party success rather
than to the service of the public.
"Having dictated the nomina