The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-07-23
THE WAY IT WORKS.
INDIANA CIVIL SERVICE REFORMERs
AFTER A POSTMASTER
Who Believes the Boys Should Have
Chance to Warm Their Toes-The
President Expected to
Raise Breeze.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, July % Something
Of a sensation was caused in political circles
Monday, when it became known that
an effort was making to secure the
removal of AquIlla Jones, the re.
cently-appointed postmaster at Indian
apolis for violating the civil service law.
Mr., Lucius B. Swift, chairman of the state
executive committee of the civil service
league, has returned from Washington, and
when questioned about his errand said 1--WE
have discovered in the indianapolis
postoffice what seems to have been
quiet but determined attempt
to nullify the civiI-service regulations
The campaign had been conducted with the
tacit understanding that mere clerks and
laborers should not be removed from office
whether they came under the civil service
law OF not Even Mr. Hendricks never
proposed 10 remove but one
half Of the government employees
But Postmaster Jones, when APP
pointed, turned out all persons not under
| the civil service requirements with q single
exception. He dismissed four women I'M
\ der circumstances that made it tie mean
est political outrage ever committed
in Indiana One Of them was the
| niece Of the late Gen Burnside lie dis
| missed every man from the classified SER
/ vice for no reason whatsoever except that
| they were Republicans ant he had
| promised their places to Democrats !
had this from Jones himself He also ex-
| pressed an intention 10 dismiss all but a
few Republicans in his employ in order to
| make places for Democrats. He declared
his intention not to appoint any Republican,
no matter how high an examination he may
| have passed
| Swift added: Il went to Washington and
laid before President Cleveland a petition
setting forth and asking for the re,
moval of Postmaster Jones or
the ground of offensive partisanship,
for reported violations of the civil
service law in spirit a.ld intent, and for an
express determination to continue in those
violations. The president gave me special
interview. He took my petition and went
| over it in detail, and in a judicial
spirit He heard with great patience
what had 10 say, and observed that tine
only question in this case is whether the al
| legations set up in the petition are true
We offer to prove them, and if we
do prove them it will be the president;
duty to remove Jones, and as he is 6
man who does MS duty it is my opinion
that Jones viii be removed As an instance
of the motives governing the president, was
representing to him that in any struggle &C.
curing between him and any set of persons
as to whether the spells system should be con
tinued or he broken down, there could be but
one result He interrupted me and said;
That has nothing to DO with it The only
way to do is to find out what is right, ther
do it without any regard for the result"
Postmaster Jones said he had heard
nothing Of the matter from Washington
and was giving himself no concern
about it. Il saw two Of the indie
pendents," said he, who called Oh
me one day to demonstrate against my man
! agement, and talked to them fairly, hut,
| doubt not, enthusiastically