The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-05
RECORD OF THE REFORMERS.
The Gross and Deliberate Violation of
President CleyeIand's Promises.
How the Civil-SerVice Law Has Been Eyaded
and -Disgraceful Appointments
and Ineticiency of the Public Service.


public yesterday, the results of investigation
begun in last April by the Indiana C3vilservice
Reform Association are disclosed. The report
was prepared by Lucius B. Swift, and
is devoted entirely to the admnistra-
| TONS failure to carry out the promises,
repeatedly made, that the civiI-service law
should be enforced. The information, of which
there is vast amount was obtained from Re-
publican Democratic and independent sources,
and all statements were carefully verified, 80 the
report presents truthful, general review. The
promises of Mr.. Cleveland are set forth as
| necessary to determine what, under the circum
stances is reasonably expected. In his first an
nual message he declared that '.tenure Of Office or
employment should be based upon fitness or
efficiency" and in letter to Mr. Swift in De-
| cember 1854, the President wrote II regard
| myself pledged to this fair and honest enforce
ment of the Pendleton act, because my concep-
ton of true Democratic faith and public duty
| requires that this should be- in good faith and
without evasion, enforced, and because in many
utterances made prior to my election as Presi
dent, approved by the party to which [ belong,
and which have disposition to disclaim. /
have in effect, promised the people that this
should be dones
charges that have heretofore been made against
Postmaster Jones' of this city, are repeated, with
the additional statement that ''he appointed as
assistant postmaster, John W. Dodd, an obscure
and reduced politician. From reform stand
point q worse selection could not have been
made and it startled even the politicians He
appointed as cashier his son, Ben Jones. 1t
Will be observed that Dodd and Ben Jones
were appointed in place of one man.
The other places. except the money Or
der department. were filled by untried
men. The superintendent of carriers had been
paper hanger and politician. The superin-
tendent of the registry department was nine
teen years old, nephew Thy marriagel of Mr..
Hendricks. and had been clerk in a drug store.
The stamp clerk had been a minister, and his
personal performance of his duties for long
time now appears like practical joke on the
public; but it was at the time serious incon-
veuience He has improved, but In the conduct
Of the business ha is decidedly inferior to his
predecessor" The work which was performed
under Republican administration by one man, at
salary OF 81 00O year, ls now done by two mon.
Dodd and Ben Jones, who receive So 500. II am
free to charge" Mr.. Swift says chat Mr.. Jones
has never intended to honestly enforce the law,
but he has bent every energy toward working
Republican incumbents out of their places and
putting his partisans into the vacancies, and
that he has grossly and deliberately violated the
Pendletou act In referring to the appointment
OF Captain Dodd at the head of the local civil
service examining board the statement is
Mike Mcdonald. of Chicago and Mike Dady, of
New York. to fill like positions in their respect
i've postoiices would have been analogous ap-
pointments. OF the Republicans who were
forced out of employment by Postmaster Jones
three had served about seventeen years; two, six
teen years; two, thirteen years; one. twelve
years: two eleven years; two ten years, and
two nine years. Ten of these were soldiers.
The effect of this has been that the efficiency
Of the service has been seriously impaired y!
In August, 1884, 504 letters re ADVERTISE. and
this was the largest number in any one month
CT tnat year of Wiidmans man..gsment; In Au-
gust, 1885 Jones in chargea oG2 letters were ad-
vertised, and in Angus 1886, $50 letters For
Septem Der Tor the three years the numbers were
respectively, 247, 59S and $50
There are Sixteen second class postoffces in
the State, and In fifteen the former postmasters
hare been succeeded by Democrats. Sixty
eight OF the seventy six third class postmasters
have been succeeded by Democrats There
800 fourth class Offices, aud in these about
l,200 changes have been made.
In the changes that have been made in the
railway mail service. the spois system has been
| followed and the places not peing peculiar to
congressional districts, there appears to have
been something in the nature of free all
race by Congressuen, each getting as many as he
| could Congressman Matson boasts that all but
| two IN bis share have been put out. This In
vestigation covers only that part of the service
| running in or through Indianapolis. There
sHo heavy mail lines running through this CITY
| to Indianapolis, with ffty-fve men,
and the Vandalia line, its continuation to
st. Louis, with forty nine men, form one; the
other is the Kankakee line from Cincinnati to
Chicago, with hirty-six men. There are nine
smaller lines, with total Of forty six men. OF
| these only about forty of the former incumbents
| remain. The service here has been thrown into
| disorder. Bankers, business men and manu-
| facturers are almost infalllble in this matter
and they have for months complained steadily.
| irrespective of party. Large quantities
of unworked mail, before rarely seen have been
q daily sight. For instance, on the
| Vandalia line. from forty to one
hundred and sixty sacks of mail have been
| going into st. Lous four days in the week I'M
I worked. And, what is without precedent, the
! Illinois mail from the east has reached Indian
apolis with as high twenty-three sacks I'M
worked. This mail should be worked, and for
merry was worked, before reaching Indianapolis
| Mail that formerly went into Peoria worked
ready to be forwarded different roads, now
goes In heap to the Peoria postofice; the delay
| is evident In leaving Indianapolis the men are
| not nimble enough to separate the mail for the
| first stations, but comparatively large quanti-
! ties are now carried past, to be returned some
| hours later Mail plainly directed constantly
| travels hundreds of miles unnecessarily because
tho new clerks have not learned their schemes
| or cannot read writing readily.
The railway mail service was possessed Of
| fine body of trained men, and the service
| justly pride to them and satisfaction to the
| public. Its high state of efficiency had been
reached in spite of the spoils system and under
an extended suspension of its rules The re-
| quirements had become rigid. the examinations
| were thorough, and the officers and men worked
! with growing reliance upon the public wish that
| their tenure of place should depend upon fitness
| and faithfulness alone. The collapse has been
complete. These men have here been largely
| displaced by politicians, who were given their
| positions reward for past Or future services
| to Congressman. They can not do the work.
| first, because they are without expert
| of them are inferior men. Formerly
| permanent appointment in this division was
obtained upon an average Of nine-fiva per cent
| in six examinations during the six months of
| probation. Now men are appointed permanent
| g after only two examinations, averaging less
| than 80 per cent The negro politician, James
at hasa RnfI hnr,