The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-13

THE WAYS OF THE OFFIcEsEEKER

| THE WAYS OF THE OFFICESEEkER.
w WASHINGToN, May Il. = Postmaster
Thompson, of indianapolis, discovered a
short time ago that charges had been flled
against him in the post Office department,
| alleging sundry offenses of which a post
| master should not be guilty. Among
| them was She charge of incompetence and
nlalfeasance. The postmaster induced
Lewis Swift, who publishes civil service
| newspaper in Indianapolis, to 60 to Wash
ington and look into the matter for him.
He selected Swift as best qualified, by
reason OF his dignity as editor OF "a news
paper devoted TO civil service reforms TO
attend to the matter. Swift came on here
and showed his order from Thompson
authorizing him to examine the charges.
The papers were turned over to him, and
| the first thing that the editor found was
collection OF clippings of editorials
written by himself for his own paper. In
these articles Swift had found fault with
the management of the indianapolis post
Office In spirit of exalted criticism, never
dreaming that they would serve the pur
pose OF designing politicians as II means of
cutting short Mr.. Thompson's official Ca
reer. Mr.. Swift had lon@ since forgotten
the matter, but the Democratic applicants
for the Office had carefully preserved them
and placed them on file where they would
be apt to q o the most good. Thomp-o on Is nll-
Ing an uneXplred term, succeeding General
Lew Wailace's brother, who died in the
Office. He has yet upward Of year 70
serve, counting four years from the time
he was appointed. Indiana Democrats de-
maiided the office at the close of the term
for which Mr.. Wallace was appointed, but
were Overruled by Mr.. BisselL The
Charges Were filed.
The interior depart has discovered
new way To dodge the civil service law,
which Is interesting. The Office of the ap
pointment clerk OF the pension bureau IS
not In the classified service, but the man
who wants to be appointed special pension
examiner in the field is required TO pass
rigid examination. About month ago
man named Anthony wa, appointed dp-
polntment clerk of the pension oiiice. IL
has been the custom to select men from
the pension Office to act as special eXamln-
ers, but these men all belong 10 the ciassl-
fed service Now comes the announce
ment that Mr. Anthony is 10 be sent into
the field. As stated, he has never passed
the civil service examination, and there Is
no evidence whatever that he possesses
the most ordinary requirements for the
place. lt Is understood that the order has
been made. Under this method there Is
nothing III the way of recruiting tie en-
tire field service through the doors of
ship.
Representative Beltzhoover OF Pennsyl-
vabla, went To see Assistant Secretary
Postmaster General Maxwell about Penn
s!yvanla appointments. lie urged I'M
mediate removals III his state, and COM
planned that Republican Office holders
were allowed to stay in while deserving
Democrats were kept out in the cold
Maxwell smilingly informed the Penn
sylvanian that the southwestern repre-
sentativeS were complaining that the east
was getting appointments much faster
than the southwest and he regretted that
he was compelled to hold back on Penn |
sylvania for little while until the south
west was put in better humor. When |
Betzhoover left, Representative Terry of
Arkansas, walked in TO urge removals and /
fresh appointments in his state. The |
argument Maxwell had used with BeltZ- !
hoover had served its purpose So well that |
he smilingly told Mr. Terry that the east |
was complaining that appointments were |
being made much faster in The southwest |
than in the east, for which reason he would !
be obliged to delay appointments ia Arkan-
sas until Pennsylvania and the other east !
ern states had been looked after Mr.. |
Terry also went away content in the con- !
sciouSneSs that If Arkansas aid not get |
fourth class postmasters fast enough it |
was through no fault Of his BeltZhoover !
and Terry happened to meet later III the |
day. They are old friends and Terry |
opened the conversation:
MAXWELL tells me you Pennsylvania fel. |
lows are kicking because we are getting !
all the appointments and we are put off /
for Heaven knows how long, until your |
constituents can be supplied with Offices /
Did Maxwell tell you thatf' shouted !
BetlZhoover
He told me that this afternoon
ha ,lx-.,, a l.
a dazed sort of expression for moment |
and then iammed his hands iuto his
pockets, ana walked away muttering:
Great Scott what liar!''