The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-04-11
employees
OF THE CIVIL SERVICE CALLED
ON TO AID
In Landing Gov. Willis AS A Delegate.
at.Larso to the Republican
National Convention
From Cincinnati EnqulrerJ

ueuCe IUdJ SJdbe VihPi'yS9 tllDIdceu
in the classified list under the civil
service act are being mustered into an
active organization to aid Governor
Willis in his contest to be elected dele
gate-at-large to the Republican Ma
tional Convention and to be renomin-
ated, is alleged in statements made
pubic.
Copies of letters written by state
official asking such employees to or
ganize committees on behalf of the
Governors political ambitions have
been secured and are being exhibited
by his opponents.
In these communications is witness.
ed an attempt to reach behind the reg
ular party organizations in the various
counties. The feeling that many mem.
bers of the Republican State Central
Committee and of various county COM
mittees are either lukewarm or open
ly unfriendly to the Governor evident
ly has obtained lodgment.
Following the failure of the State
Central Committee to adopt resolu.
tions of appreciation last year. Mr..
1 Willis it is alleged, was advised to
construct his own organization.
The first step in this direction was
the selection of State Central Com
mitteeman George Stauffer Ottawa, as
| Secretary of the State Board of Agrl-
culture to succeed Renick w. Dunlap,
Kingston, who summary was re,
moved. Mr.. Stauffer was one of the
committeeman who stood ready to
adopt the resolutions and who led the
fight of the drys in the committee
against the rule laid down for the Sc
lection of delegates to the state con-
vention.
Since then the work has been grad
ually going forward. In many of the
| counties the committees have fallen
into line and are co-ordinating their
work with the states employees. The
recent drive made by three independ-
ent candidates for delegate-at-large
produced an acute situation, and it is
now charged that strictly separate
machine is being put up, the work be-
ing done by members and employees of
the various state commissions ap-
pointed by the Governor himself.
Chief activity is laid to the door of
George L. Stoughton, Westerville, Sec
retary of the Ohio Industrial Com
mission. 1t is alleged that he is oper'
ating through employees recently nam
| ed by the commission and approved,
as required by the law, by the Cover
nor.
These appointees are named from
| the classified list and under the Civil
| Service law are not permitted to take
part in political work. The direct at
tachment of these employees to the
new machine is evidenced by the fol
lowing letter, which was written by
Secretary Stoughton:
1 IL IllO hOlh VI tiiN
regular state Republican organiza
ton will you please make up and for
ward to me early next week list OF
| at least three good Republicans, who
are known Willis men, in each pre-
| cinct in your county? In the county
| precincts endeavor to see that they
are scattered through the different
parts of the precinct as far as it is
possible to do so.
please send also complete list o
! members of the County Executive ant
County Central Committees and alsC
name of each committeeman in the
county, names of delegates to the
State Convention; also, give names o
likely candidates or delegates.
please look after this matte
promptly, for it is important, ant
make report on each name as follows
Name, occupation, postoffice address
street number or R. F. d. number.
1T may be necessary for you to g
to your home to get this information
but it will not be necessary to tell an,
person why you are going. Very trr
ly yours,
GEO. Il. STOUGHTON."
In one instance, it is alleged, one o
these letters necessiated that the en-
ploye who received it travel half wa
across the state. The activity of thes
agents of the state government ha
. caused members of local committee
( to resent their presence as an imputf
tion that they are either disloyal o
inefficient. 1t is through this resen
ment. it is charged, that the work G
the state employees has been permit
} ted to get to the public.
1t also has come to the surface tina
| employes of the Industrial Commi!
/ sion. who are in the classified servic
f and in the department headed b
George L. Hamilton, State Inspecto
+ of Workshops and Factories and SCI
L