The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-29
CHANGE IN mint SERVICE
Appointments Will Bc Taken Out OF
State Politics.
RADICAL REFORMS PROPOSED
Hereafter Qualifications for office VIII
Have Some Weight in the Appoint.
Shortages and Thefts
Aid In Bringing Change.

Washington, April 2S,-The reported
selection of Herman KretI, the present
appointed clerk of the treasury depart
ment as superintendent of the United
States mint at Philadelphia, vice
Townsend, removed or resigned, and of
w. Il. Morgan. now examiner In the
mint bureau here, as cOiner of the Phil-
adelphia mint, vice Steel, transferred,
are stated to be the entering wedges OF
an entirely new departure In the matter
of the administration of United states
mints and essay officers. Both gentle
men are Democrats and citizens OF
Pennsylvania-Mr Kretz being from
Reading. and Mr. Morgan from Phila-
delphia-but neither was urged for APP
pointment by either of the contending
factions of local politicians.
The purpose is to take the mint ser
vice out of state politics. not only In
Pennsylvania, but in other states where
United States mints and assays officers
are located.
Under the rule that formerly obtaipsd
and which has been tenaciously adj
hered to by local politicians of both
parties, the superintendent of the mint
has been largely controlled in the selec-
tion OF his office force by the views
of the senator or other state politician,
to whose recommendation he owend his
appointment.
This pressure, 1t is said, will now be
lessened, If not entirely obliterated, by
the new policy of selecting mint super
intendents from national and not a
Of VII
some natural or acquired qualifications
for such places will be preferred to
those who only command local political
influence.
There are United States mints at New
Orleans, San Francisco and Denver.
and United States assay officers at New
York, Carson City, Nevada; Charlotte,
n. c., and other points. This same
policy, it is said, will be extended to
each of these alike. should occasion
arise, although all the principal offices
in both the mints and the assay offices
are now held by appointes of the pres,
ent administration.
Advantages of the Departure.
The principal advantage expected to
be derived from this new departure is
that the mint service throughout the
country will be less dominated by local
influence and brought closer under the
supervision and direction of the direc-
tor of the mint, in the treasury at
Washington. Each mint is now more
or less Independent of each other and
of the Washington authorities, but un-
der the new plan all will be directly
under control of Washington. The
Philadelphia mint is the largest and
most important.
AS far back as last December the
president became dissatisfied with the
conduct Of the Philadelphia mint and
decided that change was necessary
for good of the service. United Press
dispatches announced the fact then
Several times since the matter was on
the point Of being brought to a head
at one time and of a personal nature at
another interviewed to cause delay on
April 10 the president and Secretary
Carlisle held a conference, when the
whole subject of taking the mint SER
vice out of state politics was discussed
and the present policy lnaugurated.
Shortages, defalcations and absolute
thefts at Carson City. New Orleans
Philadelphia, and other points have
largely aided in bringing the president
and Secretary Carlisle tC the concll.
sion which they have now adopted.