Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-05
VXT ASHINGTON, April 4.--The re-
wv port of the special committee OF
the National Civil Service Re-

w the National Civil Service Re-
form league on the political activity OF
federal office holders was submitted TO
the president yesterday and made pull
tic today.
The conclusions Of the committee.
briefly stated, are that charges made
by certain newspapers are sustained
to a great extent.
A notable exception is reported in
the allegations that Mr.. Roosevelt CO.
creed certain federal office holders into
the support of Mr.. Taft for the Re-
publican nomination.
The committee finds that evidence to
sustain the charges are wholly lack
ing.
On the contrary, Mr.. Roosevelt is
credited with advancing civil service
reform by SO amending the civil SER
vice rules as to prohibit employees In
the competitive service from taking
part in political campaigns.
On the broad question of office hold
ers' pernicious activity in politics, how
ever, the committee finds that most
undesirable situation exists.
or the more than 100000 general
Office holders. one-third are not amen
able to civil service classification.
These often exercise a powerful IN
fiuence In politics and constitute, In
the opinion of the committee, menace
to free institutions.
How to Remedy It
The remedy is to be found, the COM
mittee believes, In extending the class
ified competitive service and clearer
definition of the executive order gov
erning political activity In the unclass-
ified service.
Charges of undue political activity
on the part of federal office holders ap-
pearing in the press of the country
were gathered through the aid of a clip
ping bureau. These we're examined and
the persons mentioned were writes to
with requests for full information, cor
rection or denial. The replies were
carefully inspected and the most I'M
portant of these cases were followed up
by an investigation by an assistant ~
secretary of the league. Final drafts
of conclusions reached wehe submitted
to all office holders and political leaders
who were unfavorably involved.
Charges of coercion of office holders
by the president to secure the nominal
tion of particular candidate have been
inquired into. but evidence to sustain
those charges is wholly lacking. Presi-
dent Roosevelt's appointment lists for
considerable period were, with his
permission, examined.
From those lists 1t would appear that
presidential appointments prior to the
convention were made in the usual
manner on the recommendation of SEN
ators, 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 holders in politics by his order Of
June g. 1907. amending the civil service
rules by forbidding employees In the
competitive service from taking part
In political management or In political
90 o,,npoiona This order was enforced
In the last campaign.
Federal Blue Book
The official roll of delegates to the
Republican national convention at Chi
cago was compared with the latest gov
ernment blue book. 1t was found that
OF the delegates to the Chicago con-
vention federal office holders consti-
tuted one In ten and of the delegates
from the southern states nearly one IN
three, and of some southern states
more than half
These office holders were political,
that is, outside of the Jurisdiction of
the civil service act, and in most cases
their appointment was subject to confir-
nation by the United States senate.
The office holders in the south prac-
ticaliy control the Republican party or
ganization in their respective states
and frequently resort to unfair means
=
Their support is tremendous politi-
cal asset to any candidate for nominal
ton. AS the southern Democratic
states have as many votes In the Re-
publican national convention as the Re-
publican states of equal population,
under ordinary circumstances the
southern delegates would control the
balance Of power in the national con-
vcntion.
These organizations controlled by Of
flee holders are mainly interested in the
distribution of the patronage and the
naming of delegates to conventions. 1T
is not to the interest of these office
holding cliques to elect Republican con-
gressmen or to bring about party
growth and party success, which would
mean curtailment or loss of the control
of the patronage.
Many Outside of Rules
The active participation by persons
who have personal interest at stake
in caucuses, primaries, conventions and
elections seriously interferes with free
choice of candidates by the people, and
in some parts of the country actually
prevents 1t.
The conditions in regard to the ac-
tiyity of unclassified federal office hold
ers in politics are at their worst in the
south, hut throughout the country, in
accordance with established custom
they are expected to be active in pri-
maries and conventions in the interests
tContinued ON Fsgs Twol