The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-20
THE INDIANAPOLIS POsTOFFICE.
The Leading Mugwump Organ Calls for
Postmaster Jones's Dismissal.

Postmaster Jones's Dismissal.
New York Evening Post
1t appears that the new postmaster at Indian
apos, Jones by name, has discovered a way to
circumvent the civiservice law. 1t should be
mentioned for his distinction, as we'll as that of
his fellow postmasters in Offices having more
than fifty employees. that he is the only one of
President Clevelands appointees who has made
the discovery or has shown any disposition or
desire to depart from the spirit of the act The
law leaves the power of removal undisturbed in
the hands of all officers who have any RESPONSE
bility for the performance of public du-
ties. 1t provides, however, that when any
body Of a specified grade, such as a clerk in
a postoffice, is removed, or when a vacancy
from any cause exists, it shall be filled after
competitive examination by selection from the
four applicants who stand highest in the list.
The postmaster Of indianapolis has perceived
that he can change the entire personnel of that
Office and make it as completely suDservient to
the spois system as though the Pendleton bill
had never been passed, provided one Democrat
out of every four applicants can be found to pass
the examinations with sufficient credit to meet
the requirements of the law and regulations
The necessary vacancies he can of course make
without violating the letter of the law. This
plan has been put in practice with exceeding vigor
by Postmaster Jones, who avows to all persons who
demonstrate against his proceedings his intention
to make clean sweep" and who has already
carried his intention into effect by discharging
all the janitors and scrub-women and other
employees not included in the provisions of the
act and filing their places with Democrats 1t
is stated that among the persons thus thrown
out OF service is niece of the late General Burn
side whom misfortune had reduced to the neces
sity of working for SO per week in sorne manual
employment in the indianapolis postofice build
ing
The effrontery of this newly fedged postmas
ter calls for the immediate attention of President
Cleveland, whose integrity is quite as much at
stake as that of the law which Mr. Jones has
undertaken to nuilify If vacancies il subordi
nate places covered by the civil-service Law are
to be created with the set purpose and avowed
intention of filling them upon political grounds
the law is dead, for what is done at Indianapolis
may be done everywhere. Rule 8 of the
civil-service commission, approved and pro
mulgated by the President declares that mo
question in any examination or proceeding by or
under the commission or examiners, shall call
for the expression or disclosure of any political
or religious opinion or affiliations and if such
opinion or utilization be known, no discrimination
shall be made by reason thereof by the examiners,
the commission or the appointing power" This
rule may be easily crcumvented if the postmas-
ter knows beforehand the political affiliations of
the applicants, but in the case of the Indanap-
Oils postmaster 1t appears that no coDcealment
is made of the motives which prompt him to use
his personal knowledge to select none but Demo
Gratis for the vacancies which he purposely
makes He stands squarely up to the doctrine
that to the victors belong the spoils. He docs
not understand what the election meant unless
it meant that the Democrats should have the
Offices"
We shall assume that President Cleveland will
perform his duty in the case of this CARING and
impudent defiance of the law when the facts
shall have been properly laid before him. His
responsibility in the premises is all the greater
since the civil service law, by singular omis
sion, provides 10 legal penalties for its violation
except as to the levying of political assessments
upon office holders. No penalty be visited
upon Mr.. Jones, except election from Office, which
is Of course the fittest one for him.