The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-04-09
THE POLITICAL
ACTIVITY
OF FEDERAL OFFICE HOLDERS
is THE SUBJECT OF EXTEND
ED REPORT.
ISSUED BY THE SECRETARY OF
THE NATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE
REFORM LEAGUE.

ing report of the special committee
of the National Civil Service Re
form League on the political activi-
ty Of federal office holders was hade
public today by Elliot H. Goodwin,
secretary of the League.
Reports of undue political activ-
ity on the part Of fedral Office hold
ers appearing in the press Of the
country We're gathered together
through the aid of an efficient clip
ping bureau. These were examined
and the persons mentioned in them
We're written to with requests for
full information, correction or de-
NAL. The replies were carefully in
spected and the most important of
these cases were followed up by
an investigation by an assistant sec
rotary of the League, on the spot.
Final drafts of our conclusions were
submitted to all office holders and
political leaders who were unfavor-
ably involved.
Charges of coercion of Office hold
ers by the president to secure the
nomination of a particular candi-
date have been inquired into, but
evidence to sustain those charges is
wholly lacking. President Roose-
velts appointment lists for a con-
siderable period were, with his per-
mission, examined. From those
lists it would appear that president
ial appointments prior to the con-
vention were made in the usual man
ner on the recommendation of SEN
aotrs, congressman and others
claiming the patronage of the Office
involved.
President Roosevelt took a de-
cided step in advance toward check
ing the evils resulting from the &C
tivity of Office holders in politics
by his order June 3, 1907, amending
the civil service rules by forbiddine
employees in the competitive service
from taking part in political man
agement or in political campaigns
The official roll of delegates tC
the Republican National Convention
at Chicago was compared with the
latest government Blue Book 1t
was found that of the delegates tc
the Chicago convention federal Of
flee holders constituted one in ten
and Of the delegates from the South
ern states nearly one in three, and
of some Southern states, more than
half
These office holders we're politi.
cal, that is, outside Of the jurisdic.
ton Of the civil service act, and in
most cases their appointment was
subject to confirmation by the Unit.
ed States Senate.
The Office holders in the South
| practically control the republican,
party organization in their respec
tive states and frequently resort tc
unfair means in order to retain theil
power.
Their support is tremendous po
litical asset to any candidate fol
nomination. AS the Southern dem
ocratc states have as many vote!
in the republican national conyen
ton as the republican states Of equa
population, under ordinary circum
stances the Southern delegate!
would control the balance Of powe
in the national convention.
These organizations controlled b!
office holders are mainly interested
in the distribution of the patronag,
and the naming Of delegates to con
ventions. 1t is not to the interes
of these office holding cliques tt
elect republican congressman or t,
bring about party growth and part,
success, which would mean curtail
ment or loss of the control of tn,
patronage.
The conditions in regard to tn
activity of unclassified federal Offic
holders in politics are at their wors
in the South, but throughout tn
country, in accordance with estab
fish custom, they are expected t
be active in primaries and conven
tons in the interests of those t
whom they owe their appointment
and by whose favor they are con
tinued in Office. This leads to neg
lect of office duty and absenteeisr
on a large scale, and the government
is now paying large sums in salarie
to officials whose main interest an
activity is devoted to politics, Will
their offices are left in the contr(
of subordinates.
The active participation by PEI
sons who have a personal intere!
at stake in caucuses. primaries, col
ventons and elections seriously ii
terferes with free choice of cand
dates by the people, and in SON
, parts of the country actually pr
!, vents it. The federal Office holde
!, number over 100000, OF which nun
, Der one-third are still outside tt
civil service rules. These high,
officers, welding wide political Il
fiuence through their official pos
tons and subject to possible di
: tation from Washington will, as loI
t as they are permitted to take an a
s tive part in politics, constitute
: menace to free institutions.
As the most effective and II