The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-08
POSTAL AFFAIRS.

| Did you notice in yesterdays dispatches
| what purported to be an interview or tain
| between Senator Martin and Frank Mapes.
postmaster at Kansas City, in which il is
represented that Mr.. Mapes stated that he
had received letter from the chief clerk
of the postoffice department, saying that
the recent order extending the classified
service to all free delivery Offices did not
go into effect in those offices until after
the examination had been held at the Of
flee, and that Mr.. Mapes had already re-
moved fifteen carriers to make room for
Democrats. and that he would soon re-
move five more presumably for the same, !"
! asked an EAGLE reporter of Postmaster
Jewett last evening, with the request that
he give his views as to the power of post
masters to remove carriers for political
reasons.
Yes | saw the purported talk, or inter
view. think it is likely that the reporter
| who gathered up the item, and nodded it
into press dispatch did most of the ralk-
ing himself l have no doubt, however
that Mr.. Mapes received the letter, for
that is but an expression of the same view
given out recently by the attorney general
in an opinion handed by him to the civil
service commission. | question very much
If Mr. Mapes made the further statement
that he had recently discharged fifteen
carriers to make room for Demo-
Gratis, and that he would remove
five more shortly, presumable for the
same purpose. 1 take it for granted that
he did not say this, for no postmaster now
nor for many years has had the power
either to appoint or remove a carrier. He
can recommend appointments to this
branch of the service, and also discharges,
but his recommendation seeking to have a
carrier discharged, must be accompanied
with the reasons and difference of political
faith between carrier and postmaster is
not one or the reasons provided for in the
discharge of a carrier. The law assigns
several reasons or causes, which if estab
lshed will operate to discharge the
carrier. but even the determination of the
postmaster or the department that these
causes or charges OF violating rules
are true is not final, for the United States
supreme court has recently decided that
the carrier can take the matter into the
federal courts and have the allegation of
the violation of the rule or law determin-
ed like any othet issue or fact.
| have now in my possession and so has
Mr.. Mapes, a letter from the honorable
postmaster general regarding the enforce
ment Of the eight hour rule governing the
time carriers stall work, wherein he
stated in parenthesis, which in general
orders of mandatory character always
means 'ths is emphasized THAT post
masters can not appoint or remove car
riers." This is but statement from
one in authority, who has given
evidence that he intends that the
The order of Mr Harrison of March the
fourth added all free delivery offices to the
service, and that only changed
the rules in force at those offices, so far as
fore an applicant of this service can be ap-
pointed by the postmaster general he must
have passed the civil service examination.
The power to remove is still vested in the
department, and can only be exercised
when the charges assigned by the law are
alleged and established 10 the satisfaction |
of the postmaster general.
The order OF Mr. Harrison does not 90 !
into effect SO far the cierica force OF |
posi- office is concerned until after All ex- !
animation has been held at that Office and /
a list of eligibles is made up from the ex- |
animation and until that occurs the post
master can remove and appoint post Office |
clerks, at least this is the general view /
taken of Mr. 0luey's opinion.