The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-04-04
NANAMAKER TALKS
The Postmaster Generals Views
on Poztal Matters.
ABOUT POLITICS AND PoaToFEoEs.

The Question OF Party should Have
No weight In Making Anpoint-
nents-- Observance of tho Civil
Service Law ne Thinks The Po-
sitions should be Permanent.
pHuADFLPIiiA, April 1.-The Times,
In Washington letter written ~
George Alfred Townsend, gives an ex-
tended interview with Postmaster Gen
eral Wanamaker, In which that Official
tells Of his early struggles, his first bus
mess ventures. his attitude In the last
presidential campaign and HIS antici-
pations for the future. Referring to
the postal service. Mr.. wanamaker
said:
"The postoSice department can never
be regulated like mercantile establish
ment because politics Is in It. There
are LOG, 900 employees under me. and thel
are 90 900 postoffices. To take that de-
partnent and make It what | conceiveit
ought t. be would be the labor Of life
time. lido not believe II ought to be 3
cabinet position ut all 1.-THE true head Of
It ought TO be a comptroller. superin-
tendent or actuary, who should have
nothing 70 do with the political distribu-
ton Of the postofiices, or rather should
have everything to do with IL.
should be Divorced from Politics.
"His subordinates should be relieved
from politics. Al great proportion Of
the cases that come there ought to be
settled at the desk instantly without
passing through any red tape or delay.
"A man over that vast department ought
TO be iuge Of the whole law and life Of
II, and not be called aside to spend an
hour or two to hear q delegation on the
subject Of who should be postmaster Of
. third rate postotice. Yet that Is the
main function OF the postmaster general,
The congressman must some time or
other be set aside as givers Of postmas-
terships.
II would have the country divided
into postofiice districts. over each Of
which would be p0stOfiice supervisor.
whose business It should be to inform
himself upon the efficiency Of pOstrnas--
tiers and upon changes ia the postoiiices..
At present, rs Won know, congressman
make new nominations at every change
Of administration to every grade Of post
Office. In large proportion Of cases
there Is no reason for moving postofiice
ont Of the principal store Of the town,
where, perhaps, Il has been for years, to
locate Il In some tin shop or saddler'a
shop. merely that the asserting or the.
letters may be d job In politics. Per-
haps that congressman who comes and
represents that Mr.. Smith has always
been a Republican and suitable to bes
postmaster has himself been indebted Ii,
Mr.. Smith for getting him four or fiv0
votes IN his contest.
Regarding Civil Service Reform.
.sThe hope or civil service reform was
to increase the efficiency and character
Of the service. Instaad 81 that It has
degenerated into q spy system to find
something to complain OF In the depart
meIt. After became postmaster general
Mr.. Garrison was opposed to civil service
reform, said something or other about
postOfiice removals and the number Of
them he had made, whereupon was at
tackled and have had occasion to see how
indifferent some of these men who have
high professions are to the improvement
OF the service II they can make an issue
or a sensation,
Now, AZ to fourth class postmaster
ships, the little village Offices ia the ham
lets and at the cross roads places. the
president is not bound To apply the civil
service rules there. Nor Is it necessary.
The postmaster at such places Is too
much OF q man to want to keep the
postofiice and have his store made the
meeting place for his political opponents
70 express themselves upon his grasping
what is not his own. innearly all cases,
at the change of administration, the re-
wards Of the postofiice being small in
these little places, there is desire to
throw it up. But in the department it,
self. in the railway trains, we have OBJ
served the law strictly. We have ex-
tender the railway post0ffices and made
steamship postofiices 30 that the mail Is
assorted as 1t Is going along BY land or
sea.
should HaveNo other Responsibility
Mr.. Wanamaker was asked: Would
you undertake in exchange for your
business to become director general Of
the postoffice, like Roland Hill, If the
place were q permanent oneg" He re-
piled:
II think not. Such place should be
given one undisturbed BY other response
bilities or ambitions. a good salary,
not less than 81 900 month, should a.
tach TO the permanent comptroller NJ
the postoffice. A change such as / have
described would at once remove from
politics the vast body Of the patronage
and be worth more than all the civil
service reform hitherto attempted. !"
The postmaster general commented
upon the rapid coming and going Of his
predecessors In office, and said: 1s.How
can amy man, IN his brief term, develop
. general policy over such an institu-
tion rs the postofice? Il ought to be q
non-political place, governed by per
manent and experienced mind, who nm
derstands il, like . gigantic piece Of
Mrs. Hnschins vVuI Not sufYer