The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-13
THE POSTAL SERVICE.

One of the first things the new Republican
administration should address itself to will be
the reformation and the restoration Of the
postal service. 1t is in very bad condition
now. and is likely to grow worse instead OF
better during the remainder of this admins
tration. There is no branch Of the govern
ment service that the people have been proud
er of, or had more reason to be proud of, than
the postal service. The present system was
practically created during Republican rule,
and in their hands it reached very high
state of efficiency. Now it is badly democrat
ICED, as the whole country knows. This has
been done by the sweeping removal Of trained
and experienced officials and the appointment
of unframed, incompetent and often dishonest
ones. We do not mean to say that all the
honest and competent men are Republicans;
but the postal business is like anything else,
it has to be learned, and inexperienced Demo
cratic officials could not be expected to do the
work as satisfactorily as the trained ones they
displaced In the course of time the Demo-
cratic party might, by wedding out dis
honest and incompetent men, have built
up fairly good class of office holders, but
their first appointments included many incom-
petent and unfit persons. The present condi-
ton of the service is much like that of deli
cate and complicated machine that has been
tinkered by bungling mechanic and run by
an incompetent engineer. The demoraliza-
ton of the postal service has become a matter
of general complaint and the people will ex
pect its restoration to its former efficiency to
be one of the first WORKS of the new admins
tration. This will involve the removal, as fast
as the facts can be ascertained, of all incom-
petent and unfit men and the appointment of
better ones. 1t will not necessarily involve
the removal of all Democrats from subordi-
nate positions, such as railway.mail clerks,
letter.carr'ers and postoffce clerks, be-
cause some of those now in may
be found worthy of retention and
ZIG oPiiAt, IL AOs VIC Aosloit Va tAo
law will forbid the sweeping removal of Dem
ocrats for political reasons. The retention of
fair proportion of Democrats in subordinate
places will be practical recognition of the
spirit of the civil-service law. In fact, these
places cannot be filled except in accordance
with the law, which requires applicants to
pass competitive examination. and conform
to other provisions. Incompetence and inefi-
cheney, however, should Immediately subject
anybody to suspension and removal.
The most important places in the railway
mail service should be immediately filled by
thoroughly competent men. These positions
include the General Superintendent. at Wash
ington, the division superintendent at Bos-
ton, New York, Cincinnati Chicago and st.
Louis, together with their principal assist
ants. Perhaps the very best thing that could
be done would be to reinstate the Republican
officials recently removed from theee positions.
They have all been tested by years of expert
ence, and would know just how to 60 to work
to reform the service. The object to oe kept
in view is the speedy restoration of its eff
cheney.