National Republican., 1888-03-29
THE SHAM REFORM.
Indiana Oniccs Given out rs Rewards
for Party Services.


for Party Services.
President William Dudley Foullie, of the
Indiana Civil Service Reform Association,
yesterday addressed Senator lIale's commit
tee on the workings Of the civil service law
in that state. Mr.. Foulkc opened by an
nouncing that he did not vote for either
candidate In the last presidential election.
The association investigated the condition
Of things in the Indianapolis postOilicc after
the appointment of Postmaster Jones, AMI
Mr. Ltcus Swift came to Washington 10
confer with President Cleveland regarding
number Of abuses In the office, but moth
ing was done to remedy them. Mr.. Swift
then submitted long report to the asso2il-
tiOn regarding the abuses which was fOun
to he correct after comparison with all
davits submitted. lie submitted copy Of
the report, and stated some of its leading
points. ON taking charge, April 10, 1885.
Postmaster Jones removed the assistant
postmaster, cashier, stamp clerk, messen-
ger, superintendent of the registry depart
mcnt, and carriers, and filled their places
with Democrats. Those offices were tn-
classified. Within a few weeks every per-
-On, including four women who ha Others
dependent on them for support and against
whom no charges were made, was removed
from the sack repair department. Then
]
hoy, and innitOrs The postmaster said
they were removed because they were Re
publcOns. Active political workers sup
planted them. Removals We're made In the
classified service to make room for Dem)-
Gratis. The postmaster asked q per-
son who had passed the civil service
examination and who had applied for
position what ticket he voted. lie also
said no Republicans would he appointed 1t
| was rcputed Jones was attached to n gam
| bling house prior to his appointment A new
examination was ordered, although there
were many cligibles on the list, and the
| postmaster said no Republicans had passed
Wilmington were removed to make room
for some others The postmaster told mem
| Eers of the association that no Republicans
would be appointed. no matter bow they
| passed the examination.
| To Employc Tousy the postmaster said
he had no charges against him, aud 20 ait
| other remarked "lOu ere all going any
! bow" Others were told they had done
their work well, but their places were
wanted for Democrats. lie admitted he
thought more of some of them than those
who took their places.
Assistant Postmaster DOdd told q Mr..
Mcclellan II was better for the boys to r.
sign than have charges trumped up against
them.
10 question by Senator Hale, witness
said there had been many complaints after
the changes. In one instance 1t took three
weeks TO deliver drop letter One carrier
was unable To read the superscriptions on
letters. \ collector failed so badly that
mail for u week had accumulated in the
loNCs. Mail which was formerly delivered
in the morning was now delivered in the
afternoon. y car was recently sent to La
iaycttc without messenger and all the
mail was returned. The superintendent,
James 7. Dowling was appointed for his
political activity. He had confessed to
bribing members of the city council. These
facts, sworn to, were sent to Postmaster
General Villas with request for Dowling's
removal Mr.. Villas replied that he had in
vesiigatcd and was satisfied the statements
were made as boasts, and he decided TO re-
tain him. The reports of the association
had been sent to the President and Postmas-
Ter General.
lie related the results of his personal in
vcstigations. In los Indiana and thirty-tive
other cases where postnasterS had been
suspended no notice had been given of
charges against the officials. The first
nciicc. In majority of eases, came from the
, new spapciS.
lie came TO Washington and laid the
acts before the President. lie seemed to
Know of, and approve the course, saying IL
was impossible TO let the parties know Of
the charges, AS that course would turn all
the eases into a judicial investigation.
lie asked the President then why he re.
quirCd that any charges should be made
lie said That they were trying To do the
hest they could, and he said he regretted
that we had made the investigation. ] told
| him that most of the charges were made by
| persons who were utterly irresponsible
sometimes 10y those who did not pretend to
know The facts. aud that sometimes the
charges We're false, and that IL was not
possible to procure correct information at
all until both sides had chance 10 he
h,Hrd. lie said that the department had to
gct the information the hest way II could,
and that he hoped we would go slow. He
hcd great difficulty in bringing some Of his
party mp 10 his ideas of civil service reform,
ind that Indiana was paricu-
larly bad state. told him
knew this and appreciated the situation. ]
left with him Isis which embodied the re
suits Of the investigation. Witness stated
that there had not, to his knowledge, been
any change in the condition of affairs since
lie laid these matters before the President.
lie expressed u hope that the committee
would visit Indiana and that il would allow
The association to know sufficiently in adj
vance to be prepared with the witnesses aud
the facts, The things he had stated with re-
gald 10 the pOstoillce could be brought ont
IN the form of legal evidence,
The chairman. ''What is your view of the
operation Of the civil service reform IN indi-
aua!'
Witness ''Well, we have not hal any
civil service reform in Indiana
The subcommittee will probably go to
Philadelphia next week.