, 1872-12-27

l
General Macarthur as Postmaster Of Chicago in
violation Of tho Civil Service rules, may be
summed up US follows:
l. The appointment was made in Difference to
the custom which has permitted every United
States Senator to control the Post Office Of his
own city.
2. Mr.. squires, the Assistant Postmaster,
made no application for the place.
8. Colonel Eastman is alleged to have stated
in private conversation that Nr. squires would
not accept the appointment, on account Of new
regulation Of the Department making Postmas-
ters responsible for moneys which pass through
their hands.
II there was any one abuse which the Civil
Service rules intended to root out more than all
others, it Tns that Of Congressional dictation Of
Executive appointments. Those who have been
Service have felt that this practice Was the
source Of the greatest of ell the evils growing
out Of the old system. It prostituted the Fed
era1 Offices to the purpose Of bribery, making
upon the amount Of patronage placed at his dis
posal. This is precisely what the Civil Service
rules we're intended to prevent If, then, these
rules are to be broken in those cases where the
supposed "rights" of Congressman interfere, it
is not easy to discover any good faith in the OBJ
seryapce Of the rules that vas proclaimed with
such flourish of tru1npets only d few weeks
ago. If tho Chicago Post Office was given to
an outsider because General Logan desired that
one of his friends or retainers should have it,
This departure from The rules is Of kind TINT
opens o precedent for universal violation. So |
far from being & rea9on IN explanation or an |
"tnlogy for the failure to promote Mr.. Squires
to co1onel Eastm-->'s place, the delegation of
the appointment to the o4- NJ States Senator is
simply confession that the Civll vice rn1ea
will be enforced or not, according to cl- -.u
st2ncea. i
The second md third explanations are no
better than tho first. The Civil Service rules do
not require the assistant to mako an application
for the place vacated by his superior.
Such provision would be alike super
auous e..i unjust. designations might
be hande;! in, and the appointments
made to fl, LIE vacant places, before the assist.
ants could find out that there wero to be any
changes. On this account the provision would
be absurd. It would be unjust, because the az
sstant would not, as rule, care to oppose other
applicants for the Office by pushing his own
claims he would be too much interested in re-
tanning his place as assistant to mako fight for
tho place cs chief. The assistant is generally
the practical man, whose knowledge is his only
capital, and who depends upon his salary. It is
not proper that any regulation should require
him to risk the dsfavor OF successor On the
contrary, Mr. 6quircs was entitled to additional
consideration because he did not rush to Wash
ington to the neglect Of his duties at home, and
bring upon the Administration such political
as he could command. Nor should q
private statement OF Colonel Eastman's, to the
effect TINT Mr. squires would not accept the ap-
pointment on account Of a new regulation OF the |
have boen permitted to exercise |
any influence. It turns out that no regulation |
imposing q new financial responsibility upon
postmasters has been made. But, in any case,
no private report that IN assistant does not de-
siro the promotion to which ho is entitled is
sufficient it is the duty Of the Department to
ascertain whether the assistant is properly quail
fed, and, after being satisfied thathe is, to ten
der him the position, leaving it to him to accept
or decline.