The Indianapolis journal., 1885-07-29
INVESTIGATING MR.. JONES.
The Civil-Service Officers Commence
the Inquiry into His Conduct.
President Cleveland Expresses Himself in
Positive Terms-Democratic Speculation
as to the Effect of the Investigation.
THE INQUIRY IN PROGRESS.
Postmaster Jones Directed To Make Written

sucn things There Is great political principle
involved in the investigation now in progress in
the little room adjoining the postmasters private
office, in which Mr.. Jones is concerned and the
public generally interested. 1t is expected
that it will demonstrate whether or not
CIVIL service reform is reform
or Democratic campaign deusion. 1t may re
suit, also, in proving that the President is a
bigger man than the Vce-presidept, and it may
be significant of many other things more or less
interesting to the public. The question Of the
day is 'what will be the result of the investiga
tion" But nobody is able to answer it at ali
satisfactorily, although nearly everybody is
speculating on it,
The announcement yesterday that the Presi-
dent had ordered an investigation of the charges
filed against Mr. Jones was very surprising
news to the public, and there was little else talked
about on the streets. The discussion Of the
matter drew out some very strong expressions
of opinion, which give an indication Of some of
the results that the course pursued by the Presi
dent in ordering the investigation may produce.
While the Presidents action was not openly de-
nounced, there were few Democrats who ex
pressed themselves approving it, and there were
against the ''civil service fraud" Many unkind
things were said by the same Democrats about
the ''mugwumps, "over whom they made so much
ado in the last campaign, and the local Democra-
cy generally geemed to be in an unhappy frame
Of mind
One OF the phases of the matter which com es
in for large share of consideration is the atti-
tude into which it will bring the President and
Vice-presdent towards each other. tits believed
that the President is taking some exceptional
qualification in ordering the investigation, be-
cause Of the discontinue it will give Mr. Hen
bricks, who figured conspicuously before the
country as the supporter of Mr. Jones, and that he
is getting even with the Vice -presidentn in the lat
ter's own peculiar way for the Dubuque letter
and some other little things that linger unpleas-
antly in his memory. That it will result in an
open breach between the two great Democratic
figure heads seems inevitable. Since the charges
against Mr.. Jones were filed with the President,
Mr. Hendricks has announced in an interview
that he will stand by his friend JONES'"
and as Mr.. Cleveland does not seem to be so
thoroughly devoted to the postmaster already
the President and Vice-president are arrayed in
opposition to each other. It is thought by some
that Mr.. Hendricks courts trouble with the
President, which would give him the advantage
OF appearing in the field as the leader of the
spoils faction of the Democratic party Ger
tainly Mr.. Hendricks will stand by his friend
Jones to the last, and if the latter should be
removed the President and Vce-presdent will
be openly at war with each other
The feature of the question which is most gen.
orally discussed is the doubtful sincerity of the
President in supporting civil service reform.
The Democrats of Indianapolis, more especially
the active politicians, are violently hostile to
the civil-service principle, and in nearly
ever group of men where it was
mentioned yesterday. they could have
been heard denouncing it as fraud.
The workers are all Democrats for the spoils, and
their sympathies are with Postmaster Jones,
whose case seems likely to be the entering wedge
of factional division in the party throughout
the country on the Andrew Jackson principle of
ito the vctors belong the spoils" and the prnci
pie of civil-service reform. Thus 1t is that
Postmaster Pa Jones becomes national issue.
THE INVESTIGATION UNDER WAY.
Commissioner Thoman and Chief Examiner
Lyman began their Investigations yesterday
morning. Before entering upon their work they
received number of callers, among whom were
ex-senator Mcdonald and the Independent Dem
ocrats who preferred the charges. They held
short consultation with Postmaster Jones and
Assistant Dodd, shortly after 10 o'clock,
tn on regard Of the sG affairs Of tHs oos '0qa but
the information elected was not considered in
tho nature of testimony The morning and
afternoon was occupied in making an examina-
ton of the records and the charges, particular
attention being given to the civil-service exam
ination papers Of applicants, in relation to
which it was charged there had been fraud for
the purpose of giving favored Democrats higher
averages than they merited. The examination Of
these papers was conducted by the commission
ers in private, a small room in the rear of the
postmaster's private Office being occupied. There
is little formality i'll their proceedings, but they
evnce determination to make the investiga-
ton as thorough as their powers will enable
them to- However, they must necessar-
lily rely chiefly on documentary evidence,
and all testimony that is embodied in the
port of their proceedings will be presented to
them in writing. Mr.. Jones was requested yes
terday to make written statement in answer
to certain interrogatores concerning the charges,
and this he is now engaged in preparing. 1t will
doubtless be presented this morning, but the
character of it will not be made public, as the
examiners will not permit it to be seen after it
passes into their hands, before submitting it to
the commission. Other testimony will be
taken from the persons who are concerned in
the changes but who these persons will be the
examiners prefer not to say, it is their desire
that the investigation should be conducted as
quietly and with as much secrecy as possible.
WHAT JUDGE THoMAN HAS TO SAY.
The examiners are not disposed to be very
communicative, as their mission is somewhat of
judicial character, but they show a willingness
to give any information that can properly come
from them. A Journal reported had brief
talk with Judge Thoman at the Denison last
evening.
'The investigation, Judge Thoman said, twill
cover as fully and as thoroughly as possible, the
charges which were referred to the commission
by the President These changes are, / suppose,
known to the public, as they have
been published l notice, in your pa
per The result Of our Investigations