The morning times., 1895-11-25
ENDORSES CIVIL SERVICE
Postmaster General Wilson
Wants 1t in High Places.
URGES IT IE HIS REPORT
Not Only Should All Subordfnafex he
So Classed. But He Suggests the
Application OF fhe Law to the As
sistaut Posi- master GeneraI-Second
Glass Mail Matter.

Postmaster General Wilson, 10 his annual
report OF the operation of the Postoffioe
Department made public last ngii,t. remarks
that the financial and industrial depression
which has seriously affected the revenues OF
the postal service for the last two years
aud disappointed the estimates of his pre-
deeessors extended far enough into the
fiscal year 1895 10 make a u unusually wide
gap between revenues and expenditures
1t is gratifying, however, to report that
a large part of tits deficiency occurred In
the first quarter OF the year, and that since
then the revenues OF the department have
reflected the general returning prosperity
OF the country.
Heascribes thegross abuse of secoud-class
rates Of postage as the chief cause OF the
yearly deficiency in postal revenues He
repeats aud indorses the recommendation
of his predecessors Bissei aud Wanamaker
for an embodiment or the law in regard TO
che transportation of second-class matter
CARRIERS AND CIVIL SERVICE.
Speaking OF the extension of civil service
rules to letter carriers, he says:
'4an iIu.elss.u SANE Jasis Oh good service
has been laid By rlacing the carrier force
under the -ciyp service system, and 10 eff
tort should be spared by the Department
to insure a hlgn morale in this furce aud
to familiariZe the idea among individual
carriers as they enGar the service by the
merit system aleBe su likewise they remain
in Ii by No tenure but that AZ fGiehful and
cfficieDt discharge of duty, which Demands
self-respcct and honorable Dvm."
III lis inevitable that a few INDIVIDUALS
mere and tiiere should interpret the stability
of employment as a permanent privilege.
encouraging slovenly service and insub-
ordination 10 superior Officers, rather than
a reform basis on considerations of o
better public service; and such instances
have occurred and VIII doubtless continue
to occur, even after the full meaning Of
the civil service system is understood and
accepted.
INTO HIGH PLACES.
The Postmaster General desires civil
service methods 10 be carried still further
and higher in the POstoffice Department
He says:
Two Of my assistants are charges, each,
with the expenditures OF over SAo, 000,-
eco annually, together with the manage
ment and discipline OF teEs of thousands
of employees. Tie Guiies OF ;tr other two
are not less onerous and multip.e1. II
such officials are lo he 'he real beads of
their bureaus, intimately acquainted with
all the machinery and working of them,
competent To direct and able to infuse
ti:cir own Intelligence and zeal among
their sUSorGInates, they should have
iesGIIe at ICast asSurCd from ti:e mutations
and clanccs OF political contest as those
subordinatcs.
The continuity Of the department should
be preserved in changes OF administration,
moi only along TIE line of Its subo uinate
and. separate service, but In That llrSer
grasp OF iis history. its daily woi K, and
its healthful progress, which is found
alone with these who direct and control
it's cliief bureaus
as TO THE ASSISTANTS.
II concur. therefore, in the judgment
of one OF my recent predecessors. that
at least three o; the assistant pOstmasters
general shoDld bold their offices by a
OWL service or merit tenure, and not by
u political teunEe. j refrain from Offer
ing like opinion as to the Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General, because funrth-class
postIuasters. whuse appointment is primarily
allotted to him, are yet outside OF that
tenure.
The question uf extending civil service
methods tu the selection OF fourth-class
postmasters has naturally received my at
teiiiiun since have been at the head OF this
depsrtneut II is beset with difficulties,
which my experience as a Representative in
Congress ur q large conntry district, dur
ing three changes OF administration, brought
home to me moro clearly than they might
appear to a theoretical reformer, or to the
Representative of a city constituency.
- have studied various bills introduced
in botn branches " Congress In recent years,
aud welcomed suggestions 8 from other quar-
ters. Bat do nut find myself able to make,
as vet, any specific recommendations on
this Important subject in the line of the
legislation which has been proposed"