Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-05-29

The following is the confidential
letter OF Postmaster General Villas,
which has been tho subject of 80
much comment:
PosToFrIcE DEBAHTNrNr,
OFFICE OF POSTMASTER GrsKnAL,
WASHINGTON. April ~, 1886
Dear Sir: The continued illness
of Mr. Hay will delay his coming
for some time yet TO tho Department
and / think it desirable that some
action should DO taken in the way
of removals. and am impatient 10 ~.
sist our people in securing relief 10
which they are justly entitled from
partisan postmasters. l have had q
conference with the Virginia delegs.
ton, and they will soon bring in
their cases and shall hope TO make
the earliest removals In that State a.
soon as they shall bo ready, and I
hope within n week. l desire 20 up
point from three 10 ten ia o county
in Virginia, amounting 10
SEVERAL HUNDRED ALroarrHrn.
had intended 10 invite yourself
and the Democratic delegation from
Ohio to meet mo this week aud con.
slider the plan upon which we should
proceed in making removals In Ohio,
but l understand IL will be incon
venient for some 10 travel now, aud
it has occurred TO mo that perhaps
the same end might be accomplished
by writing. / shall beg you. there
fore, to consider the suggestions 1
make AZ 10 tho methods Of proceed.
ure, and il you adopt them and get
some cases ready within the neat two
or three weeks, l think within the
month Of May. can give substan-
tial relief that will take away the i'm.
portunity aud discomfort. This IL.
in short. TO pick out tho most obnox.
ious and offensive partisans in each
county, to the number Of q sixth 90
quarter OF all. and choose hrst.
class men TO take their places. I
will require no more proof Of par,i.
sanship in these selections than the
affirmation OF knowledge on tho par,
Of Representative or Senator that
the postmaster has been M active
editor or proprietor OF q Republican
newspaper printing offensive arti
cles, easily shown by slips. or
STUMP spraKkn,
Or a member OF n political com.
mittee, or officer Of campaign club.
OF 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 performance Of political duties
Possibly other acts OF equal force
may he noted in some cases. II the
Representative does not know the
fact it should be established by some
affidavit Of some person whom he can
affirm to be OF unquest,oned chsrac
ter or by some documentary evi.
dence. In recommending for ap.
pointmont / beg the Representative
will state age, business. aud what
kind Of business experience. and Q
description OF the business character
OF the applicant. aud also Of his hab-
its and standing IN the community.
1t would bo we'll 10 file evidence
showing that he will bs satisfactory
to the community. and where there
are various candidates l shall lie
Obliged by any explanation which
the Repi eseptative can give. This
necessarily imposes q little trouble.
and yet not very great. but Il seems
to me reasonable TO require
VERY EXTRAORDINARY cARK
And trouble enough 10 bs taken 10
represent surely the facts. The ear.
liest removals and appointments OF
this kind will challenge the ksencst
scrutiny. The former must I've jus,i
fable and the latter beyond ciitioism.
Some mistakes have perhaps oc-
Cured, and our adversaries are keen.
ly interested TO make the most Of
every fault, because they have PET
ceived o strong current of general
appreciation Of the purpose Of the
Administration. In rendering this
Justice to our people, which consists
Of the removal OF and Substitution Of
our friends, / feel that II is very do.
sirable to proceed with extreme
care, and that l am correctly repre-.
senting the Presidents wishes and
purposes in earnestly soliciting that
every step may be taken according
ly. / may add that ~ the common
good 10 infinitely beyond the welfare