The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-29
C1v1L-sERvroE REFORM.

ATr. Foullxe Tells How the Indianapolis Post
office Is Rum" by Grandpa Jones'
Special o the indianapolis journal
WASHINGTON, March 2S.-Senator Hale's
special committee, which will conduct inves-
tsgation into abuses of the civil-service reform
law had it's first sitting to-day, and the outrages
ic Indiana we're laid bare by Hon. William Dud-
ley Foulke, of Richmond, president of the Indi-
ana Civii-ssrvice Reform Association. Mr..
Foulke gave the committee splendid ground to
operate on and furnished what will doubtless be
the text for an important investigation which
will cover outrages civil-servce reform
throughout the country. The committee
greatly surprised at the sweeping removals of
competent men who protected by the civil
service Law, and tho appointment of grossly in
competent men on purely political grounds. He
was permitted to make his statement almost
without interruption. because every one felt the
keensst interest in his remarks and did not want
to lose word AS he proceeded to detail the
wholesale removals from the indianapolis post
Office, the decapitation of old and efficient en-
ployes, who were never considered offensive in
any way, and the appointment of men
who could not read the addresses on the
mail; the slaughter of railway mail clerks, the
subsequent appointment of incompetent sue
cessors, and the swift changes in country post
Offices, whereby the railway and local mail
services were wrecked, Mr.. Foulks's hearers
we're almost dum-founded. People in Washing
ton public life have been kept pretty well ad
vised of the Democratic way Of running Offices
in Indiana, and were prepared to learn of gen.
eral state of Generalization. bur the declarations
made by Mr.. Foulke were more than they were
prepared for.
AS he took up, seriatim, the negligence and
blunders of Postmaster Jones, at Indianapolis,
the foods of blunders of the railway mai,
service in his State. and the Generalization of
the carrier service at the capital city of the
Hoosier State, the surprise of the committee be-
came intensified. Then, when Mr.. Foulke
showed that Postmaster Jones, after removing
old employees about his Office and running the
railway mail service, directed his attention to
the room where the repairing of mail
sacks, etc, is dons, dismissing
pioyes summarily. even though they
have families to support and gave the highest
satisfaction. and then turning out janitors,
watchmen, engineer, and even elevator boy. and
informing them coolly that they were Republic
ans and compelled to go, simply because Demo-
crats were to be put in their places-a state OF
affairs in HoosIer Democratic life was revealed
that anticipated. It was not expected
that Mr.. Foulke would show to the committee
that all this was going on, not only within the
knowledge Of President Cleveland, but at his
sanction, but such the fact. Mr. Foulke
stated that when there ruinaton of mail
service in Indiana he came to Washington and
called upon the President to see if something
could not be done to check the outrages upon
the people IN his State. The President informed
him that the condition OF affairs described had
been reported to him, and had been investigated
as best the Postofhce Department could. but
he knew OF nothing which could change matters,
and he hoped the people in Indiana would sigo
slow" Mr.. Foulke denounced President Cleve-
lands alleged civilservice principles, and said
that after his attention had been repeatedly
called to the grossest outraees civi-service
reform in Indiana. not finger had been raised
by the chief executive to remedy this condition
of affairs; that the President on the other hand
had winked at it.
When Chairman Hale asked Mr. Fouike what
he thought of the general operation of civil
service reform in Indiana, the latter replied:
'sWs have had no civil-service reform in Indi-
ana"
At the conclusion of his hearing, Mr.. Foulke
invited the committee to visit his State aud
make an investigation of violatons.of the civil
service law. assuring it there was splendid
field for operations in Indiana. The Chairman
had intimared that the invitation would be ac-
cepted, and there is doubt that il will be.
Mr.. Foulke says that besides the democratiza-
ton of the postal-service in Indiana. it can be
shown that government employees in all branches
take most active part in politics; they attend
conventions bribe delegates, and run politics
with high hand, the same as IL they were in
private life.