The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-03
4 snoilsmar,s Fine Talk.

= Spoilsmac'S Fine Talk
No fair man will deny that Postmaster
General Wenanake- is good business
man. II he were not he could nat have
built up the CREST business which he owns
in Philadelphia. nor could he conduct that
business SUCCESSFULLY When he became
Postmaster General he said that he INTENDED
to run the postoffisa department on business
principles. He has Lot kept tia; promise
because he has either turned out or per-
mitted to be turned out Of Office some Of the
most intelligent aad capable men who have
ever been connected with the postal service.
aud, that too, for no other reason than that
they were democrats.
Mr.. Wanamsker would not dischsrge
capable men employed in his great Phila-
delphia shop because they differed with
him in politics or religion. It is safe TO say
that he does not care what the
religion or politics Of his employees
is 50 long as they are well qualified for the
duties OF their positions AMI attend % them
conscientiously. Il is principle of his in
business TO keep a good man when be finds
one. Why should he no. act upon tbs same
principle in his management Of the business
of the government
He seems TO feel that he has not kept his
promise that he would conduct the post
Office department on business principles,
because in his annual report he says:
1.-THE postoffice is the visible form Of the
federal government TO every community
and to every citizen. The people, from
whom alone this all-pervading agency
springs into action, and by whose en-
enlargement alone it can supply their ieal-
Gus needs, simply want the system admins
tered with such efficiency and economy that
it shall offer them more and more accom-
modations and tax them less and less.
The only method / can suggest by
which all their desires may be gratifed, is
not merely TO talk about the application of
business principles to the department; it is
really to apply them. The Postmaster
General, in taking up the duties Of the post
Office department, generally finds, with his
own advent that other new officers also
enter the service. The whole organization
at the top is changed, and the work falls
into unframed hands. From a business
standpoint thus to unsettle the Service and
to be always educating new sets of men
cannot be beneficial TO any department
Create a new place and find the best edu-
Gated postal man in the service at the post
Office department, or In any of the $1,000
postofficss, and make him the general
manager. No great business establishment
can succeed that chsnges its principal officer
oncs in fifteen months. The postoffics de-
partment cannot do it any more than could
the Pennsyl Eania or the New York; Central
railroad. Who would comm end or gain
increasing confidence in such corporations
if they changed presidents about once a
years"
This is very sensible sort of talk and just
what might be expected from a successful
business man, but why is it that Mr.
Wanamaker has discharged trained men
and replaced them with new and untried
onesi He was not forced to do anything of
the kind, because the people who want good
mail service would have sustained him if
be had followed his judgment as a business
man, and he would have acted also in har-
mony with the civil service laws.
1t seems that he yielded 60 the demands
VI tAo sPOlAsiAou. III IHelI pTesenCe ne was
too weak TO do what he knew to be right
and for the public good. His promise that
he would conduct the postoffice department
on business principles was forgotten. appa-
rently, in his desire to find places for those
who had claims upon his party. In other
words, Mr.. Wanamaker, as soon as he got
into office, ceased to be q business man and
became politician anxious only to serve
his party friends
When he came to write his annual report,
however, he remembered his talk about BUSH
ness principles, and he says some things that
are true, and makes recommendations which,
if adopted, would doubtless improve the pos
tai service. What a pity it is that he doesn't
conduct the postofice department on bus
mess priuciplesi