274         Political  Parties  and  Practical  Politics

other  Federal  premises.  Although  prohibited  and
practically  eradicated  in  the  case  of  Federal  office-
holders, the  practice  of  levying  political  assessments
upon  State  and  local  officials  prevails  in  practically
all  States  which  have  not  adopted  stringent  civil  ser-
vice acts,  and  is  probably  seen  at  its  worst  in  the
large  cities.  Even  in  cities  having  civil  service  acts
covering  municipal  offices,  the  acts  are  often  violated
or  evaded,  office-holders  being  virtually  subject  to
assessments  in  the  form  of  a  request  from  party  man-
agers for  a  "volimtary"  contribution  to  the  cam-
paign fimd.  Failure  thus  to  contribute  "volunta-
rily" is  usually  followed  by  failure  to  secure  a  re-
nomination  or  is  punished  in  some  other  way  equally
effective.^
EviU  of  Some  of  the  more  conspicuous  evils  connected  with
J^^,^  the  practice  of  assessing  office-holders  for  party  pur-
»«at»  poses  should  be  noted  in  this  connection.  Where  the
practice  prevails  there  is  a  tendency  to  cause  public
office  to  be  regarded  as  a  party  resource,  a  reward  for
party  services,  and  not  as  a  public  trust.  It  promotes
the  candidacy  of  the  venal  and  corrupt.  "The  cor-
rupt politician  who  submits  to  the  extortion  of  party
assessments  does  so  with  the  fixed  purpose  of  recover-
ing the  money  by  corrupt  means  or  using  his  place
for  corrupt  ends  after  he  is  elected.  This  is  a  part
of  the  calculation  of  the  corrupt  candidate.  There
will  be  city  jobbery,  connivance  with  criminals,  trea-
sury defalcations,  fraudulent  franchises,  for  in  some
way  the  heavy  assessments  must  be  recovered.  .  ..
*  See  Philadelphia  Public  Ledger ^  October  31,  191 1,  for  an  account
of  the  assessment  of  municipal  office-holders  in  Philadelphia.
