Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-26

consequence was. went outside for the
postmaster, and chose a man who had
not voted and took no part in the fight.
He moved into town and took the Office
(wortd not more than $3.50 per year, but
they would have torn the election nOmi-
nee to pieces if l he'd recommended him :.
l look upon these elections as q party
disaster.
Other members, as well as some of the
above, have expressed their opinion of
the patronage system in no favorable
terms. One says: ''This patronage bus
iness is great nuisance. Another: 81
gave two hours day to candidates for
office all last summer, throwing open q
room to them six days out of the week.
OF course it was an imposition, but do
not want to be put in the attitude of COM
planning of my constituents so long as
the system exists. - Another says that
he regards appointments by congressman
as injurious to the best performance of
their legislative duties; but while the
system exists it is not possible for mem
bers of congress to avoid the RESPONSE
bility, and their duty is to max g the best
possible use of the patronage which Gus.
tom imposes upon them.
Another objection to the patronage
system is the secrecy by which it is sur
rounded. Recommendations and petit
tons, which are signed upon solicitation
and which mean nothing; charges and
counter charges preferred in the dark:
political influence, which is often really
exerted in favor of one man while it ap-
pears TO be exeTted in favor of another;
intrigues and defamation of character
all these things are only incidents to q
aUafpm which nrO6nNaa and
them.
Another consequence of this system of
congressional patronage has been the
distribution of offices in many congress
sional districts by the defeated candidates
for congress belonging to the party in
power. This irresponsible and illegal
superintendent of patronage has led to
many scandals. In Missouri there are q
number of instances in which these dis
tributors of patronage have collected
considerable sums Of money from the
men seeking their recommendations.
These ''donations or free gifts,' Gas they
have been called by the recipients of
them) are ostensibly made to cover ''thc
expense attached to the proceedings of
recommending them, but it is evident
that transactions of this character are
essentially corrupt.
The object of your committee in laying
these facts before the public is rather to
expose the infirmities of the patronage
system than to criticise the action of in
d>vidual congressman or the party in
power. These evils have existed under
both political parties, and so long as the
present system exists, it is difficult for
any Individual congressman to refuse to
exercise that patronage which universal
custom has thrust upon him, often with
out his consent or desire. The remedy
lies in the adoption of general laws
which shall remove these Of
fees from congressional inter-
ference. In this connection We desire to
call to the attention Of tha league the
provisions of bill recently introduced
into the house of representatives by the
Hon. Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts,, in
respect to fourth-class postmasterships
Offices which at present constitute the
bulk of those subject to congressional
patronage. This bill provides that the
United States shall be divided by the
acknowledgement into postal districts
and that he shall designate for each DIS
trict postoffice inspector to act as ex-
aminer. Gas these inspectors are now
appointed in pursuance Of the civil
service law there is reason to
believe that they will not be
greatly subject to political infiuence)
The bill provides that whenever a fourth
class postmaster is to be appointed the
inspector for the district shall post no.
tees in conspicuous places in the vicin-
ity, stating the place where the postof-
fee is situated, the compensa-
ton, the amount of bond, the
place where application papers may be
obtained, and to which they must be re-
turned, and any other proper informa-
tieR. at least fourteen days time is to
be given for returning che application
papers. The inspector must furnish