Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-25
OFFENSIVE PARTISANSHIP
Not a Cause for Removal of Post
masters Before Their Terms Expire.
THE CHANGE MADE on REPRESENTATIVE PAYsoN s
RECOMMENDATION NOT PRECEDENT-so DE-
eide THE PRESIDENT AND THE POSTMASTER
GENERAL.

Republican Congressman are agitated over
the unexpected announcement by Postmaster
General Wanamaker that offensive partisanship
is not to be considered as valid charge to
secure the dismissal of postmasters before the
expiration of their commissions.
few days ago Representative Payson
succeeded in securing the removal of the
democratic postmaster at his home in Illinois
upon the grounds that he had been over-active
during the last election. The man was very
active during the campaign, and was one of the
proprietors of paper that was especially bit
ter in its partisanship. When Mr.
Payson asked for his removal some
reluctance was shown by both the
President and Postmaster General Wanamaker
to take any immediate action in the matter
Mr.. Payson was asked if there was not some
reason besides partisanship for the removal
but he refused to make any other charge. and.
as will be remembered, the removal was made
The action of the department in this case has
led to the filing of many charges of offensive
partisanship," and there was a very general ex-
ultation on the part of members who wanted to
'clear up matters" in their districts as
speedily as possible. They have been
pressing these cases upon the attention
Of the President and Mr.. Wanamaker,
and have been looking for q rapid clearing out
of old postmasters. On Saturday Mr.. Wanna
maker made the positive announcement to a
member who had a very offensive partisan Of
postmaster he was working to have removed
that the charge Of offensive partisanship would
not be regarded as sufficient cause for removals
Some other good reason would have to be given
and it did not matter whether or not that charge
was attached.
The member then called attention to the re-
moval made for Mr.. Payson. To this Mr.. Wanna
maker said that the President and himself had
talked the matter over since then and had de-
cided not to begin making discharges of post
masters on those grounds. He stated the case
very positively, leaving no hope that the parti-
sanship charge would be considered. Some
criticism was provoked in certain newspapers
by the Illinois case. and members think that 1t
is sensitiveness to this criticism that has caused
halt in such removals.
This policy applies, of course, to those off,
GERS who are commissioned for four years. 1t
is likely that removals of fourth-class post
masters will be speedy. 1t is expected that all
the division superintendents OF the railroad
mail service will be replaced within a few days.
SLIGHT FIRE AT THE WASHINGTON BAnRAcKs.-
Shortly before 2 o'clock this afternoon an alarm
of fire was turned in from box No. As at the
Washington barracks for fire in officers quar-
tiers. The fire occurred in the apartments occu-
pied by Capt. Louis Smith. The flooring
caught fire from one Of the heaters.
The sounding Of an alarm from inside the
yard attracted large crowd to the gate, who
were not permitted inside. Before the fire de-
partment responded the soldiers from the
barracks went to work with will and prevented
what threatened to be a serious confagation.
The flames were extinguished before much
damage was done.