The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-06-12
THE ELECTION OF PoSTMAS-
TRRS BY THE FE0RLEa

~ 49, [L8 taAF9
Hon. Walter CLARK, LII. De f9zAlseppa for June.
The Constitution Off this union OF
States, adopted by our f~orefathers at
at Philadelphia in 1857 was avery re
markable instrument. many re-
spectsi it was the most admirable frame
work of government which, the ages
had produced. But likesaA human
productions it had its faults. The gen.
Grafton which made it added no less
than Twelve amendments. Three have
since been added. Anpther, providing
for the election of United States Sena-
tors by the people instead Of by the
legistures of the r~espectfveS States com
mands popular approval apd will no
doubt be adopted. The NECESSITY for
it has been fully demonstrated. 1t is,
besides, practically adopted in several
States already by the custom of the
State party conventions nominating a
candidate for the approaching vacancy
in the Senate and the members of the
legislature being elected upon an inn,
piled or express pledge to vote for their
respective party's candidate for Sena-
tor, in conformity to the custom which
REQUIRES electors to vote for Che presi
Dental candidate named in advance by
their party convention.
But there is another amendment
which time has also demonstrated to
be a necessity. Public sentiment has
c~rystalized in its favor wherever the
subject has been discussed. The well
fare of the republic requires it's adop-
ton. The provision which vests the
appointment of postmasters in the
President and heads of department,
according as Congress may direct the
classification, was doubtless a, suitable
and proper one when the Constitution
was adopted. The number. of post
masters was then a few hundred. 1t
was thought then that the; President or
the Postmaster General, in one of
whom all these appointments were
vested, according to the classification
by Congress, would make inquiry and
be informed as to the fitness of the ap,
~pointee-in short, they would really
be the appointing power. r.
Now that the numberiof postmasters
approximates rs, 900 this is entirely i'm,
practicable. Counting BOO working
days per year and six hours per day
given entirely and solely to appoint
ments, with an average of only fifteen
minutes consideration to, each case,
the four years of the Postmaster Gen.
eral would expire before 80, 0Oeappoint'
ments r made, or two ffths1 of the
postmasters; this, too, with a total
neglect of all the other and more i'm.
portant duties of that Office, unless out
side of official hours. The appointing
is in fact done by a power not recog.
njzed as possessing the right to appoint.
and on whom it would not have beer
conferred in 1887 if the suggestion had
then been made. Nor could such pro
vision be placed in the Constitution il
it were attempted to day.
We have thus in fact an army of rs,
900 men appointed to Office Illegally, in
a mode not provided by the Constitu
ton, and which could not be placed in
the Constitution to day by the peoples
will. The appointment of this army
of Office holders is as to the presiden
tial postmasters practically vested in
the Senators from the State, and of. the
lesser postmasters in the member Of
Congress for the district, when these
are of the same political party with the
President or influential with him
When these legislative officers are Of
the opposite political party or not per
sonally in favor with the President, the
appointment is virtually vested in loca.
party leaders who act without the re
sponsibility and publicity of Office.
Aside from the fact that such modes
Of appointment are unconstitutiona
and illegal, and that as matters stand
it is impossible for the mode to b.
changed, since neither President mol
Postmaster General can possibly be
come acquainted with the fitness anG
character Of such a host Of appointees
there are many other objections to the
system in force as to the appointment
of postmasters, among which may b.
named as the most potent the follow
ing: f'ss
1. 1t gives the executive an over
shadowing influence with the legisla
tive department.. This is always dan
gerous in a free government. AS it il
recognized that the Senator or Con
gresham, as the case may be, is tht
real appointing agency, subject to tn,