The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-18
THE POSTAL SERVICE.

There is not business man in any part OF
the country who is not harmed by the ineff-
cheney of the civil service as conducted by
the employees forced upon the people by this
administration in order to make places for
those who have to be rewarded. Complaints
are coming from all parts Of the country, and
not from Republicans only but from men and
papers of every shade of political belief. The
protests are swelling into volume that can
not be much longer ignored. Ii all the large
Offices where the Democratic idea Of sweep"
has been put into practice the service has
been crippled almost to worthlessness. Last
week there was growl about the way things
were not done in the indianapolis postoffice.
Then came a protest from Democratic paper
in the city of Savannah, and now the Phila-
delphia Record strict Democratic paper,
can keep still no longer while the postal
service is being rendered worthless 1t says
of its own postofice and its ''reform" ap-
pointee, who succeed General Huidekoper
Immediately ne plan of rewards and pun
ishments for political opinions was Inaugural
ted One of the first official acts of the new
postmaster was to appoint three men, known
respectively as deputy postmaster, cashier,
and assistant cashier, to do the work which
one person had previously done. Experienced
clerks who were willing to do their full share
of work were superseded by Democratic ward
politicians who were not willing to toll, but
who relied on political influence to retain
them in their positions. AS these spoilsmen
increased in number so the service decreased
in efficiency and to-day with half the places
filled by green hands, the Philadelphia post
Office is the object of complaints so general and
so deep that appeals to Washington for relief
have been made by many business men. The
fact that the postmaster has been forced by the
necessities of the case to ask all of the en-
ployes to work several additional hours each
day serves to show to what extent the stand
ard of the Philadelphia Office has fallen.
Clerks who are competent must do extra labor
because Mr.. Harrity has filled the place with
apprentices. But the postmaster seeks to ex-
cuse himself by saying that the new men are
learning rapidly. Are the business men of
Philadelphia to pay the penalty for the en-
ployment of Mr.. Harrity's raw recruits? Is
the public convenience to be sacrificed to add
to the pleasures Of Mr. Harrity's political fell
lowship? Must the mails be delayed while
400 new men acquire knowledge of bust
ness that demands intelligence and peculiar
aptitude7 Every explanation that Mr.. Har-
rity offers tends to make his course more dis
creditable. There is only one proper course
open to him, and that was pointed out by the
Public Ledger on Saturday last, when it ad
vsed him to track back The postal bust
ness of this city, which is the center of vast
trade interests should not be left as the
mercy of blunderers."
This is a fair sample Of the chorus of objur-
cation that is swelling all over the country.
1t has not paid to "turn the rascals out, for
the very good reason that there were no ras-
Gals to turn out; but good men have been
recklessly hustled out to make places for men
whose only fitness for places of responsibility
and trust is their ability as ward-fxers. The
Democratic party dare not go faster, for the
reason that it knows that the people would re-
pudiate that party by an overwhelming ma
jority in the next election if it did.