The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-04-06
FEDERAL OFFICE AND POLITICS,


A special committee of the National
Civil Service Reform league has just
made a report on the political activities
OF federal officeholders which is partic-
uIarly apropos here in Utah. 1t investi-
gated the proportion OF federal officials
in the Chicago convention and found
from officials records that One-tenth of
the whole convention was in the federal
service; and Of the delegates from the
south some states sent one oflceholder
IN three delegates, while others sent
delegations of which more than half
were federal employees.
This past of the report only confirms
the charge made by the opponents of
Taft that the administrations ap-
pointees were lined up for Taft and
we're The deciding factor in Mr.. Hitch
cocks success as a convention man
ager.
The part Of the report pertinent to
Utah refers to the political work of the
officials not in the classified service.
They are expected says the com
mittee. Ito be active i'm primaries and
conventions in the interests of those
TO whom they owe their appointments.
This leads TO neglect of official duty and
absenteeism or. a large scale. and the
government is now paying large sums
in salaries TO officials whose main in
terest and activity is devoted to poll
tics, while their Offices are left in the
control Of subordinates
The active participation by persons
who have a personal interest at stake
In caUcuscs, primaries. conventions and
elections seriously interferes with a
free choice of candidates by the peo-
PIE, and in some parts of the country
actually prevents it, These high
or officers, welding wide political iudu-
en-c through their official positions and
subject To possible diatltion from
Washington WEI. as long as they are
permitted To take an active part in
politics. constitute d menace to free in
sjitutions"
II the committee had had Utah cOndi-
tons ion mind when il wrote the report,
# could not nave made the description
At more perfectly. The federal Office
holders here have neglected government
duty 20 control primaries. and conven-
lions in behalf OF the men who gave
them office. they have prevented a free
choice of candidates in state and local
elections; they have been and are now a
,,,ovo,o o. f-a, fvc45frtf,r.- N-c,,,i,,,1r,.
in the service OF all the people, they
have used political power TO thwart the
will of the people.
OF all the federal officials who have
been active in machine politics here.
not one could De elected To public posi-
ton. yet they have dictated nominal
tons, ostracized party men who op-
posed them. directed legislation and rid
den roughshod over popular demands
as though the people who do the voting
We're their slaves to be humored or de-
nied as the spirit moved the autocrats
Of the machine.
The Civil Service leagues committee
recommends the extension Of the cIassi-
fed list TO include officers whose APP
poiutment is subject 10 confirmation by
the senate: and it advises a clearer def
milton of the executive order guverning
political activity in classified service.
II such a thing could be done. it would
work cruel hardship on the federal Of
ficehoiGers here. because in that event
an appointee would have 10 show some
rule there would be vacancies i'm most
Of the government jobs i'm Utah just as
soon as the rule went into effect.