The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-29

The reduction of wages by the street.
railroad company is much to be regretted,
and yet one can easily understand that it
may be necessary. The hard times have
affected every branch of trade and busi-
ness. and it cannot be doubted that the
street-railroad business has felt the de-
preston in common with all others. No
doubt every railroad in the United States,
steam. animal power, cable and electric,
has suffered more or less of shrinkage in
its receipts compared with prosperous
times. The president of the Citizens COM
Pany says its aggregate receipts have fallen
of about 20 per cent. and that for some time
past nearly half the lines have not been
paying even the wages Of the men who
operate the cars on them, not TO speak Of
other operating expenses, interest on cap
ital, etc. If this is even approximately
true, and we are not at liberty to doubt the
presidents word, it shows a state of things
that calls for heroic measures. 1t appears
from the presidents statement that the
present reduction was postponed as long
as possible, and that the most rigid re-
trenchment introduced in every de-
partment Of the business before resorting
to this but finding it inevitable 1t is finally
ordered. 1t is hard on those affected by
it, but reasonable men they must recog-
nize the situation. The president says the
reduction is only temporary. and that wages
will be restored to the old scale as soon as
business shall improve sufficiently to justify
it The Journal cOngratulates the employees
that, Notwithstanding the reduction, they
are not, like so many less fortunate work.
men in this and other Cities out of a job.
The Springfield Cdass) Republican has
sized up the movement against Postmaster
Thompson correctly. In an editorial on the
subject it says:
Postmaster Thompson's removal would be
haunting mockery Of the idea that public
once is a public trust; This official has
been in the Indianapolis pCstoffice since
1850, except for a brief period during the
lncumbency Of the late Aquilla Jones'
Democrat. and the Civii-service, Commits
sion has recently pronounced that under
MI. Th0mpSons administration 1.-The In
dianapolis postofice is remarkable for the
efficiency with which the public business is
conducted therein The commission has
also said that this office is one in which
the civl.service law lis being observed
most rigidy in letter and spirit" Yet
voorhees,, Turpie and Bynum have united
In an assault on this faithful and expert
official, and President Cleveland is being
lmportuHed to remove him before the ex-
piratiOn of his term of office. The PreS-
dent need not be told that to yield to this
gang Of Hoosier conspirators against civil
service reform would be to wantonly dis
TO that cause Of which he is the author.
Every word OF this is true. The move
ment against Postmaster Thompson is a
spoils movement, pure and simple. No per-
son pretends that he is not thoroughly
competent Official and everybody here
knows that the charges against him of of
fensive craftsmanship" are without any foun-
dalton. Mr. Thompson is Republican, but
since he has been postmaster he has not
been active in politics. He is, above all
ambition to run the office on strictly civil
service principles. The public was never
better served than it has been during his
administration of the office, and nobody
desires q change except Democratic spoils-
men. If he is removed Mr.. Cleveland
should never open his mouth again in favor
of civil-service reform