Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-05-18


| intendent of this district, with head
quarters ut Chicago. but now at
| Washington. by reason of promotion
| in the service. Capt. White is a re-
publican. went into the service under
republicans and has remained under
a democratic admins Yet
he passes upon the applications of
democrats as well as republicans
seeking employment under the rail
way mail service under the regula-
tons of civil service.
The following facts relative to the
| Railway Mail Service. taken from the
| bulletins of general orders, will be of
general interest apropos of what has
| been said:
In 80 DAYS after the Inauguration
| OF President Harrison, on March +.
1889. every division superintendent
of the Railway Mail service in the
United States was Il republican. viz:
superintendent OF the First. Sec
ond. Third. Fourth and Ninth diyi-
sions were appointed March IS, 1889;
superintendent OF the seventh.
Tenth and Eleventh divisions were
appointed March %. 1899, and the
superintendent OF inc ElIli CIV i>lbH
was appointed April ,, 1889.
In the remaining divisions, the
Sixth and Eighth. MessrS. White and
Wilder were not removed during the
whole of ClcyeIand's administration
hence were already OF the required
stripe. As to the chief clerks in the
seventh division. notice of the APP
pointment Of Blackwell and Cadwal-
ladcr at St. Louis was given under
general order OF March 6. 1889: Bow
man At Kansas City and Putucy at
Denver under general order OF April
10. 1899; Pierce At st. Joseph under
general order Of May ID, 1899. This
last chief clerkship was established
on purpose to afford Pierce a place.
The apPointees a chief clerks
above named were all republicans
and were selected and appointed a
such, and for that reason. The re
officers of that class in the
division were already republicans.
As to the chief clerks OF the Sixth di-
vision the following is verbatim
quotation OF section ;. general order
No. 514. of April s, 1899;
..Sec. 3. The following changes in
chief clerks in this division have been
made. to take effect at once: W. IL.
Penn. Des MOincs. Ia. vice J. q. Me
Masters; F. Il. Durham. Burlington.
Ia. vice G.. l.. Palmer; G.. Il. Henson.
Quincy. Ill. vice Il. NJ. HoNSey; j.
+. Cramer. Omaha. Ncb.. vice I. I.
Murphy; p. NJ. Coates. Chicago. Ill.
vice W. +. BrufTey. The chief clerks
named have already entered upon the
duties OF their respective Offices and
will be obcyed and respected accord
ingIy."
The men appointed in the above
list were republicans and the men re-
moved were democrats. and. a. in
the Seventh division. this list made
the delegation solid for Harrison and
civil service reform (?.
The superintendent of the Sixth
division at that time Captain Whitc).
who recommended the changes just
quoted. held his Office the whole OF
Clevcland'S former administration
by democratic favor, and now rs
general superintendent nj Washing
ton. ID. c.. he has his pins set for a
like continuance in power.
At this date. Nav ,, 1898, under a
democratic administration. let us
tendent and all division Superintend-
ents. with one exception 81. :. Wea-
yer. of the Eleventh. who resigned
of his own volition). remain rcpubli-
cans. All chief clerks of the Sixth
and seventh divisions are republic
cans, except notable exception in
the Sixth and a recent appointee in
the seventh.
When is it to he supposed that
democratic railway postal clerks now
in the service will get juStice-cspec-
iallv those who have been reduced in
grade within the last four wears to
make room for republican clerks in
ferior in every qualification. except,
perhaps. in length of service? Also
those who have been kept back when
their records and efficiency were such
as to warrant the promotion above
republicans who were promoted, say
inc nothing of the two thousand and
more democratic clerks removed be-
tween March i and April SO. 1889.
almost invariably for partisan rea-
sons.
1t will not be while their merits are
passed upon by the set of partisans
who control the Railway Mail service
of today. and who have begun to feel
secure and to boast of the retention
in his present position of Captain
White. their patron saint.
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