Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-03-29
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
THE CASE OF POSTMASTER JONES, OF IN
DIAyAP0LIS, INDIANA.
Why Hs Turned 0ui Republicans and Replaced Them
With Dsncersts-lt Nearly Broke His Heart
b Make Charges Against he Boys"
Some Cheerful Testimony.

WASHINGTON, March as.-In the lndi-
ana civil service case to-day, Postmaster
Jones said: ''On taking charge Of office
April 10, 1885, removed tho assistant
postmaster, cashier, stamp clerk, messen-
ger, and superintendent Of the Registry de-
partment and carriers, and 6lled their
places with Democrats. Those offices were
"snciassifed." In the ssck repair depart
ment, every man Nnd woman was within q
few weeks dismissed, including four women
who were working at repairing sacks and
who had Others dependent upon them for
support, and against whom no charges or
complaints were made. The janitors,
wstchmeu, engineer and elevator boy fol-
lowed, and Mr. Jones said that the rs-
movals were made because they were Re
publicans, and the men appointed in their
places were active political workers.
In the classified" service people were
removed for the purpose Of making room
for Democrats. A man who had passed n
civil service examination asked II there
was any chance OF his appointment. TO
which Mr.. Jones replied by asking who he
voted for at the last election. Another
asked IL any Republicans would be ap-
pointed and Mr.. Jones answered Do. MIR.
Jones told Mr.. Swift and Mr.. Holland,
of the Association, that he would
not appoint Republicans even II they pass
ed the examination, no matter how they
stood; that they would not appoint them
because they were Republicans. Mr.
Jones told an employe that there were no
charges against him; be had done Ma work
we'll, but his place wAs required for DEM
ocrat; that the party pressure wAs causing
removals aud that they were removing
some men whom he thought more OF thaa
the men who took their places.
Assistant Postmaster Dodd said n one
Of the employees, Mr.. McClelland: 1T IL
better for the boys 10 resign than to have
rs trump up charges against them. IL al
most breaks Mr.. Jones' heart 10 have 20
trump up charges against The boys"
James T. Bowling, Of the railway mail
service, was prominent politician and had
been appointed for that reason. II had been
shown that Bowling, about the time
of his appointment told three persons that
he had bribed certain members Of the
Council, paid them an amount Of money
for voting for the street railway entrrpriH"
in Indianapolis. These facts were en-
bodied in affidavits and sent to Post master
General Villas, with a request for Dowling's
removal.
MIR. Villas answered that he had inquired
into the matter and that Bowling did not
bribe the members Of the council; that
Bowling was an efficient officer, aud he,
Villas, had decided 70 retain him. The
printed reports Of the Association had been
sent TO the President and the Post
master General. Witness said he found
that the President knew of the facts con
cerning the removal of Presidential post
masters and appeared TO approve what had
been done. Ho (the President) said that
IL was not possible 10 make an investiga
ton or to let parties know what the
charges were against them;
that that would be 10 turn
each case into . judicial Investigation,
which they could not do. asked him
then why he required that any charges
should he made. He said that they were
trying TO do the best they could, ard he
said he regretted that we had mnde the in
vestigation. ! told him that most Of
the charges were made by persons who
were utterly irresponsible, sometimes by
those who did not pretend 10 know the
facts, and that sometimes the charges were
false, aud that il was not possible To pIo'
cure correct information at all until both
sides had chance TO he heard. He said
that the department had 10 get the infor-
nation the best way they could.
/ left with him lists which embodied the
results Of the Investigation. Witness stated
that there had not 10 his knowledge been
any change in the condition Of Affairs since
he laid these matters before the President.
He expressed a hope that the com mittee
would visit Indiana and that IL would al
low the Association 10 know sufficiently In
advance TO bsIprepared with the witnesses
and the facts. The things he had stated
with regard 10 the postoffice could be-
brought out In the form Of legal evidence.
The Chairman-"What Ii your view Of
the operation Of the civil service reform in
Indiana?"
well, we have not had any civil ser
reform in Indiana"
= The Sub Committee will probably 20 10
Philadelphia next week.