The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-05-28
Villas coNFIDENr1AL LETTER.

Villas CONFIDENTIAL LETTER
On April 10Th, Postmaster Genera
Villas sent to every Democratic membe
of Congress from Ohio printed circu
lar. 1t was marked confidential anC
therefore, as a matter OF course, imme
diately appeared in print, since which
time al the Republican newspapers IL
the land have published it. making il
the basis upon which to found malicious
attacks upon Villas and the administers
ton. The.circalar relates to third and
fourth class postmasters, the PoStnas-
ter General expressing a desire to
assist our people in securing relief, to
which they are justly entitled, from par
tisan postmasters He says that,
from 15 to % per cent. of the
fourth class postmasters in Ohio
might be removed within the
next two months and great good ac-
complished, ,if onr people will adhere
TO a proposed plan" The plan sug-
gested is set out as follows:
To pick out-the most obnoxious and
offensive partisans in each county, to
the number of a sixth to quarter of
all, and choose first-class men to take
their places. l will require no more
proof of DartiSanship in these selec-
lions than the affirmation of know
edge on the part of Representative or
renator that the postmaster has been
an active editor or proprietor OF a Re-
publican newspaper. printing offensive
articles, easily shown by slips; or a
stump speaker, or member of a political
committee, or officer of a campaign
club, or organizer of political meetings,
or that his Office has been made the
headquarters of political work, or that
his clerks have been put into the per-
formance of political duties Possibly
other acts of equal force NAV be noted
IN some cases. If the Representative
does not know the fact, it should be
established by some affidavit of some
person whom he can affirm to be,of
unquestioned credibility. or by some
documentary evidence.
The Postmaster General goes
on TO ask the Representatives
te state the age, business,
business experience, character, habits
and standing in the community of the
applicant, as well as "file evidence show
ing that he will be satisfactory to the
community" Mr.. Villas suggests that
this will impose some trouble Oh the 4
Congressman. but thinks that the latter
should be willing to perform the task
in view of the fact that good post
masters are wanted, and that appoint
ments are being closely scrutinized by
the Republicans, who ase anxious to find
something upon which they can hang
an attack on the administration. One
of the concluding paragraphs is as fol-
lows:
In rendering this justice to our people.
which consists of the removal of oppon-
ents and substitution of our friends,
feel that 1t is very desirable to proceed
with extreme care, and that l am cor
rectly representing the Presidents
wishes and purposes in earnestly solicit
ing that every step may be taken &C.
cordingly. / NAV add that as the COM
mon good is infinitely beyond the well
iare OF any one person, however great
his place, SO appointments, to further a
mere personal end, should be absolutely
forbidden, and recommendation upon
that basis may well expect disfavor.
Mr.. Villas has been savageiy abused
for sending ont this circular. the cor
gans" regarding it as more than an in
dication that there is to be a Wholesale
removal Of postmasters. 1t doesn't
indicate this half as strongly as it
should. The only fault that can be
found with the letter is that II was
marked Confidential, when it should
have been given out through theAssociat-
ed Press, and no attempt made to keep
any of its passages from the public.
Above all, Republicans ought to have
copies Of it, to make them feel how
much more honest, manly and fair the
present administration proposes to be in
the matter of appointments to Office, than
itsspredecessors have been. There is no
occasion for keeping communications of
this character secret. Republican Post |
mssters-General, notably the one who
was succeeded by Col Villas, in select !
ing men for postmasters, chose those !
who would be most active for the party |
and whose influence would be strongest
for the administrative candidate fer
the succeeding presidential nomination.
Villas wants good men, who will be
satisfactory to the community" and |
not partisans who will manage their
offices in the interest OF party.