The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-29
Senator yOOrhess's Democratic Postmaster
Dismissed the Letter Carriers and Other
Employees for Purely Political Reasons.
Mr.. Donham's Charges of lnsubordina-
ton Ridiculed as Sheer Nonsense.
Sew Employees We're Sworn In Hours Before
the Alleged Insubordinate Acts Occurred
The President Ask ed to IssueaNew Rula
REPORT ON THE DOMAIN CASE.

Civil Service Commissioner Roosevetts Find
iDgs and Recommendations.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
WAsHINGToS. May 2a-The Civil-service
Commission yesterday transmitted to POST
mister general Bissell the report of Com
missioner Roosevelt upon what is called by
the commission the Terre Hauts postotfice
scandal. Mr. Donhsm, q Democrat. was
appointed by President Cleveland post
master &C rerre Haute on recommendation
Of Senator Voorhees. in place of Mr.. Greiner,
= Republican.
Under President Harrison's order. issued
Just before his retirement from Office. plac-
ing the free delivery postoffioes of the
country under the classified rules OF
the civil service, Commissioners Ly-
man and Roosevelt arrived at the
conclusion that any changes made in
the force OF clerks. etc.. In the Terre
Hsute Office must be made only after
examinations had been made by the local
board of civil-service examiners. and that
all appointments. except to the exempted
places. must be made from the list of certi-
fed eligibles May 6 last was the date fixed
for the holding of these examinations but
IN consequence of q protest from Senator
Voorhees,. who stated that the local board
was composed of three intense partisan Re-
publican workers. aud that so for as he
knew no Democrat contemplated going be-
fore It for examination, feeling that Justice
would not he obtained. the examlnstion
was deferred until the 18th OF May. pending
inquiry into this charge of Senator Voor:
hees Mr.. Roosevelt subsequently arrived
at the conclusion that Senator VoOrheess
"A 4
= FoK POLITICAL REASONS.
In the meantime, on the 18th of May. Mr..
Donham. as the report says claiming that
he was in full possession and had the
righs TO make all the appointments. pro-
ceeded to make nearly clean sweep of the
postoffice force. for avowediy political
reasons sending notices of dismissal to all
Of the old members of the force save three.
and appointing their successors. the sue
cessors being men upon W hose appointments
he bad settled before receiving his COM
mission" He was encouraged. as the oom-
missioner asserts. TO make this violent ef-
fort to obtain possession OF the office by the
opinion of Attorney general Oiney, rem
dered May 5. that the Presidents order in
Guiding the free delivery offices IN the
classified service did not become effective
until after the examinations had been held
by the local boards. The Terre Haute ex-
animation. under the circumstances
already narrated. had been postponed until
May IL. The report proceeds:
The examination having been thus de-
ferred advantage was taken of it TO try to
make q clean sweep OF the office. removing
all the Republican sppointees and putting
Democrats In their places. The Republic
ans IN office were men appointed under the
old sDoils sy stem by the Republican post
master. Mr.. Greiner. who. on taking office
four years ago. made clean sweep of the
IL L.
licans IN their places; and the reason that
Mr.. Greiner strove SO hard 10 keep posses
sion of the office was. without doubt. be-
cause he desired to keep the Republican
employees in until after the examination
had been held. when they would have been
covered 10y the provisions of the civil
service law. The object of Mr.. Donham
was TO make clean sweep III his turn. pre-
eisely as Mr.. Greiner. the Republican post
master, had done in 1889. aud as Mr.. Grein-
Ter, had done in 1885.
SHEER NONSENSE"
The claim that Mr. Douhsm dismissed
the Repu blican employees because of in
subordination is sheer nonsense. He testi-
fed that he spent three months previous to
his appointment in canvassing the different
applications before him and had In his
own mind carefully chosen all the posi-.
tions when he came into the office on the
J2th, and that on the afternoon of the 18th
be turned out the Republican force
and put In the Democrats whom he
had been selecting for the three
montbs preceding. He appointed the
new men at o'clock in the afternoon.
swearing them In at that time and lnsertiDg
IN the blanks as cause for the removal of
the old employees for the good OF the serv-
ice.' The alleged characterization took
place. according to his own statement.
after O'CLOCK. and so. subsequent To $50
o'clock he inserted In addition to the cause
for the good OF the service D general
Charge of insub0rsiination' against each
employee. In other words. the SUCCESSORS
20 the old iDcnmbeDts were appointed
several hours before the alleged ihsub-
ordination. because of which it is now
stated that these incumbents were re-
moved, took place."
Mr.. Roosevelt further says: Mr.. Dom
ham failed In his efforts as regards the car
IIers. The carriers are appointed by the
Postm aster-general. He could not him sci {
appoint them. The men whom he had
chosen as carriers. therefore. were not APP
pointed prior TO the holding of the exami-
nation. and under the Attorney general
decision, they cannot be appointed save
regularly through examination. IN no
event will II be- possible for the carriers
nominated Tor appointments By Mr.. Dor
ham on May u TO enter the service in Terre
Haute. save as they may subsequently pass
our examination anu comply Win our
rules. The clerks he may have had the
power 10 appoint. But the appointments
should certainly not be permitted TO stand"
Mir. Roosevelt concludes his report by
recomme nGing that ''the commission sug-
Gests TO the President the adyIsaoility of
forthwith issuing rule that whenever.
hereafter, any portion OF the public serv-
Ice or any officer in the public service Is
CLASSIFIED such classification shall be held
10 take eftrct at once. the rules forbiddin z
removal tor political reasons being held 20
apply from the beginning 40 as 10 prevent
any improper advantage beiag taken of
anJ necessary delay In providing exsmina-
lions"
Commissioners ~ man concnrs in this re-
port. Commissioners Johnston dIsseuts
from the conclusions arrived al. Init agrees
tina he report ami the testimony shall be
sent to- the Postmaster-generalw without
comment
An Republicans TIA B" ..Fired."
Special 10 the indianapolis, Journa
BLOOMINGTON. Ill. May 2S-Postmaster
John Eddy received a telegram from Wash
ingron. last night. advising him that his
list of appointees for the positions as clerks
carriers and substitutes in his office which
be recently forwarded to the department.
had been approved. and that he might &C
once proceed 10 fiji all the positions IN his
office with Democrats. This Is thought TO
settle the question of civil service In "A
great many pOstoffit rs throughout the