The Washington times., 1912-11-02
1T SOUNDS LIKE INTIMIDATION.

The National ClVl Service Reform League has
interested itself in behalf of the Government en-
ployes Of Washington, apropos Of the effort Of the
Democratic organization here to extract contrbu-
tons. The Washington Times first gave publicity
to the remarkable circular letter that National Com
mitteeman Costello was sending out notifying civil
service people that every Democratic Congressman
would receive detailed statement after election Of
all those contributing having residence in his dis
trict" At that time this paper advised civil service
people not to pay any attention to any such implied
threats True, the Democrats have placed them
selves in position to terrorize Government workers.
by Of the effort, last session, to wreck the
whole civil service with the seven-year-tenure clause
But any Government employe who is innocent enough
to suspect that his meager contribution will help
stave off that purpose Of the Democratic machine
is too unsophistcated to deserve the privilege Of
spending his own money.
The attitude Of the Democrats toward civil SER
vice reform was made perfectly plain when the
House adopted the seven-year limitation OF civil
service positions 1t may be presumed that If the
next Administration is Democratic in all its branches
there will be a desperate effort to enact just such
legislation if not something worse. The civil service
reform idea never got far with Democratic
friends, and the situation might as well be looked
squarely in the face.
The Democrats have served notice that if they
get the chance they will rip the civil service to pieces.
The Progressves have their candidate-thc
only candidate who possesses chance to beat the
Democrats-the man who did more to place the civil
service its present decent, self-respectng, busi-
ness-like basis. Roosevelt, as President, extended
the civil service to many thousands Of positions. He
insisted on the merit rule and its observance in a
wider realm than had been delimited before
for it. He is the one man whom the civil service
.s,s 4 .oI E.,a
This one thing constitutes the best possible rea-
son why civil service people ought to support Roose-
vet Place over against Roosevelts record of re-
form in this direction, the insnuating letter of Com
mitteeman Costello and there be no doubt about
the duty of the Government workers They can't af-
ford to have their destinies in the hands OF man,
a party that sends word to them that Congress-
men will receive detailed statements Of all those
contributing" That is return to the worst vice OF
the old spoils system
Mr.. Costello may apologize and explain and in.
sist that he didn't mean to hold up scare anybody
Then what in Gods name did ne mean by putting in
that sentence?
The Democratic national committee has been
asked, by the Civil Service Reform League whether
it approves the Costello holdup letter 1t has declined
to answer will neither approve nor repudiate the
letter! Mr. Costello, it says, made committee
man by the people of the District and is his owr
boss.
However, nobody has heard Of the national com.
mttee sending back any money contributed because
Government employees were smirkngly assured thai
every Democratic Congressman will receive detail
ed statements of all contributing" There is only one
conclusion.
Don't send Mr.. Costello dollar, and don't senc
a dollar to any other campaign fund if you DON
want to. Don't be afraid to give to whomever yor
please. Don't be held up bulldozed intimidated Anc
when you to vote, just think over the question
of whether your interest is with Costello or Roose
vet the lifelong civil service reformer