New Britain herald., 1916-08-12
BRYAN CHALLENGES
 CANDIDATE HUGHES
Asks Him Ii He Ever Appointed
 Deserving Republicans"

] Kansas City, Mo-, Aug. 12-William l J. Bryan in reply to criticism of his l attitude toward civil service made by l Charles E. Hughes, said he had len ! forced the civil service law to the let ] ter,' and he challenged the republican 1 nominee to say whether he had given l appointments to "deserving republi- 1 cans While governor of New York ] The statement was made in answer 1 to recent speeches of Mr. Hughes l which quoted a letter MT. Bryan had 1 written to Receiver of Customs Wick l in Santo Domingo inquiring as to
 what places could be obtained to "re- ward deserving democrats" MT Bryan admitted the letter as it had been quoted
 T am not ashamed of it," the state
 nent read. "The letter was written to
 an appointive officer whose office was
 not under the civil service, and the in
 ouiry was made in regard to offices
 which were not made under the civil
 service.''
 The statement, after declaring MT.
 Hughes to have shown himself quite
 prompt in discharging obligations"
 declares: "As an official I enforced
 the civil service law to the letter and
 upon my resignation received from
 the employees in the state department
 more than 90 per cent of whom were
 under the civil service, watch which
 l prize as a priceless treasure. But
 while l observed the civil service law
 wherever 1t was in force, I felt my self free to aid in rewarding deserving democrats wherever it could be done without detriment to the service.
 ''The deserving democrat is not to be despised-he is as much entitled to recognition as a deserving repub- Ican'
 ''When he was a candidate for gov ernor MT. Hughes received the sup port of the railroads of New York, and he generously repaid the debt by vetoing the two-cent passenger rate Dill. He does not describe that as shameful. When a candidate for gov ernor he received the support Of New York city tax dodgers, the owners of swollen fortunes,' and he paid his debt by sending a, message to the leg tslature protesting against the income tax amendment to the federal consti- 1 tuition. He does not describe that as ! shameful.
 He is now being supported by the 1 railroads of the United States, and he to pay them back by aiding tbem to escape state legislation and ! ind a haven of security in exclusive federal control over the railroads; he s being supported by the shipping rust, and expects to pay them back oy helping them to prevent govern nent competition. He is supported Oy the trust magnates, and expects to pay them back by shielding them from for the eXtOrtion which they desire to practice; he is support ed by Wall street, and expects to pay them back by spending American blood and squandering money raised by taxation in order to guarantee profits on speculative investments And yet, with the record which he has made in paying his political obliga- tions at the expense of the public and with the pledges his speeches contain to those who are now aiding his am bi- tions, he has the impotence to hold up for criticism a legitimate effort to reward competent men for the serv- ice which they have rendered to the 1 cause of reform.'