Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-07
ga CLEAN SWEEP. {.
Mr.. Rsosevslts Report On Whsaesale
Rsmevals In the DaltinOrs Peat Once


Removals In the Daltiners Pest Once.
The report Of the investigates made by Mr..
Theodore Roosevelt Of ~ civil service sonuis-
sien into the na,agsnsat Of Ne "a lsnsrs
Nd, post sfhss hes been submitted 70 the COM
mission. The investigates vas undertaken in
conseqsenss Of . report made By Examiner
Aolts Of the ssnnissisa, and alss in sonss-
qusnes Of two lsttsrs iron the Postmaster Gen
sral calling attention to certain alleged irregu-
larities in the once.
The report says: During the last four years
there have been two heads of the Baltimore
pest sfics, l. Parker veaxey, Who held ONCE
about year and was then allowed to resign,
Frank Brown. Mr.. veassy WAS one of those
Prod9cts Of the patronage system whose antics
would Pc comic we're IL not for their deeply
rasic eject upon the public service and upon
Aoness peincal life, and great allowance should
be made for Mr.. Brown because Of the condi-
hon in winch the Office Vas handed over 10 him
oy ms predsesssor for all the evidence tends
to show that Mr.. Vsazey's admin istration can
only be characterised as scandsloaa Ii seems
likely that he hsbitually aad grossly violated
He certainly, during his year Of sfhcs. turned
out four-Afths Of the cid employees and Alied
their places with men, many Of them OF such
evil character - 10 greatly denorallzs the SER
vice.
HLKvEN LEFT oyr or ST..
According 70 the report Of Chief Inspector
BIG. Rsthbone, in . total OF S67 carriers and
clerks, composing the classified service OF the
Baltimore post Office, there are now left but
eleven MIR. Brown says thIrteen) who were in
the public employ four years ago. About
hundred additional places have been created,
however, during this period on account OF the
growth OF business. Therefore Of the original
force OF the ONCE about s. per cent has been
changed during the last four yesrs This 30
Tar as the records show, 10 . greater proportion
than has even been changed in the public ser
vice, taken ~ . whole, during . similar period.
even In the worst days Of the pure patronage
system, and almost AZ near the ideal clean
sweep a. can ever be practically realized
MIR. Brown states that when be took Office be
found los Of the old employees still remaining
VI this number, therefore, which had survived
the ordeal Of Mr.. Veazey's rule Mr.. Brown
himself removed 80 per cent So demoralized
was the office that he was likewise forced 10
dismiss over half Of Mr.. yeazey's appointess.
Even more extraordinary is the fact that he
was Obliged 10 dismiss more than one-fifth of
his own.
CONTRIBUTING cAMPAroN noNTY
almost ali the clerks who we're questioned
admitted that they had voluntarily paid last
fall Tor campaign purposes sums varying from
z to per cent Of their salaries. IL this aver
age held good among ali the employees, some
thing like $1,000 must have been paid in all,
which would quite justify the remark made to
Postmaster Brown, by some Of the local CON-
mittemen Of his party, that his men had all
contributed well. The money was generally
paid in building about 20 steps distant from
the post office. MIR. Brown brought no pressure
70 bear on his clerks to make them contribute;
but, a. he very truthfully remarked, hssupposed
they paid with the hope OF getting some bens-
MT, as the average man is not par tieularly anx-
ious to get rid Of his money.
POLITICAL RExARKs.
'Mr. Brown states that all the removals be
had made were for cause, and in all cases to
promote the efficiency Of the service and de-
mics that be was influenced by political con-
siderations, and adds, significantly VI he has
removed quite number Of men be. c lie did
not think they were in full sympathy with his
Administrations that he would be especially apt
to feel this If the men differed from him fac
tonally or politically. and that was his natural
Inference, he being democrat, that repub-
licans did not have the welfare Of his admins
tration at heart"
In commenting upon the number Of dis
missals. Mr. Roosevelt says: "When the number
harm snsues; ia fact if the law 10 fairly well
obeyed there ceases to be any point in making
political removals because IL 10 impossible to
make political appointments. But Q gross
abuse OF the power of dismissal, such az 10 i'm
piled il the removal of 9e or IS per cent of the
whole force, a. in the Baltimore post ONCE. be-
comes in the end practical abuse of the power
OF appointment"
Mr.. RoosEvELr's RECOMMENDATION
He recommends a. proper course OF action
for the future in all such cases that .'if, in the
classified service, an appointing officer has
made clean sweep in an office, a. where 30
odd per cent Of the cid employees have been
dismissed, or If he has removed or IL remuy-
inS) . very large percentage Of the employees,
whether so per cent or less number, but at
any rate one SO large as TO raise the presump-
ton that the removals have been for political
reasons, and if he can give no adequate and
81 tisfactery reasons therefor, then he should
be deemed TO have violated the civil service
law, and should be himself dismissed or his
resignation requested"
This report has been forwarded to the Post
master General by the full commission, who
append their approval and suggest that the REQ
concentrations contained therein be adopted.