Arizona republican., 1909-04-05
NOT As BAD As PAINTED
Was the Political Activity of
the Federal Office Holders
Was Conclusion Reached
by Committee After an Ex-
haustive Investigation.

New YORK, April 4--The report OF
the special committee appointed by
the National Civil Service Reform
league to investigate political activity
on the part of officeholders was made
public today. The conclusions are
that the charges made by newspa-
pers are sustained to a great extent
A notable exception is I'm regard to
the allegations that President Roose-
welt coerced certain federal officials
into the support OF Mr.. Taft The
committee finds that evidence in sup
port of this contention Is lacking.
The members of the committee were
Samuel II. Ordway. Richard II. Dana,
Robert d. jerks, Lucius B. Swift. Ell
liot II. Goodwin. The following is
summary of the committees findings:
Reports of undue political activity
on the part of federal office holders
appearing in the press of the coun-
try were gathered together through
the aid OF an efficient clipping bu-
reau. These were examined and the
persons mentioned in them were writ
ten to with requests for full infor-
nation. correction or denial The re-
plies were carefully inspected and the
most important OF these cases were
followed fup by an investigation by
an assistant secretary of the league,
on the spot Final drafts OF our
conclusions were submitted to all Of
flee holders and political leaders who
were unfavorably involved.
Charges Of coercion of office hold
ers by the president To secure the
nomination of a particular candidate
have been inquired into. but evidence
to sustain those charges is wholly
lacking. President Roosevelts ap-
pofntment lists for a considerable pc
riod were, with his permission. ex-
amined. From those lists it would
appear that presidential appointments
prior to the convention were made in
the usual manner on the recommen-
dation of senators. congressman and
others claiming the patronage of the
offices involved.
President Roosevelt took a decided
step in advance toward checking the
evils resulting from the activity OF
office holder in politics by his order
of June 3. 1907, amending the civil
service rules by forbidding employees
in the competitive service from tax
ing, part in political management or
in political campaigns. This order
was enforced in the last campaign.
The official roll of delegates to the
republican national convention at
Chicago was compared with the latest
government Blue Book. Ii was found
that of the delegates to the Chicago
convention federal office holders con-
.stituted one in ten and of the dele
cations from the southern states
nearly one in three. and of some
southern states, more than half.
These office holders We're political,
that is. outside of the Jurisdiction of
the civil service act. and in most
cases their appointment was subject
to confirmation by the United States
senate.
The office holders in the south
practically control the republican par
ty organization in their respective
states and frequently resort TO unfair
means in order to retain their power
Their support is a tremendous po-
Utica! asset to any candidate for NOM
ination. As the southern democratic
states have as many votes in the re-
publican national convention as the
republican states of equal population.
under ordinary circumstances the
southern delegates would control the
balance of power in the national con-
vention.
These organizations controlled by
office holders are mainly interested in
the distribution Of the patronage and
the naming Of delegates 20 cORven-
;jols. IL is rot to the interest ot
these office ho'dLg cliques 10 eic";
reIyutlican congressman oT to brini;
about party growth and party sue
cess. which would mean curt9ilment
or loss of the control Of the patron
age.
The conditions in regart, to the
activity of unclassified federal office
holders in politics are at their worst
in the south, but throughout the
country, i'm accordance with estab-
lished custom, they are expected to be
active in primaries and conventions in
the interests of those to whoIh they
owe their appointment and by whose
favor thy are continued in office.
This leads to neglect of official duty
and absenteeism on a large scale, and
the government is now paying large
sums in salaries to officials whose
main interest and activity is devoted
to politics, while their offices are left
in the control of subordinates.
The active participation by persons
who have a personal interest at stake
Ill.,