Evening star., 1897-03-10
Colonel Perry Heath Slated for the
Post Office Department.
GEN. LONGSrREET CALLS ON Mr.. GARY
No Policy Yet Decided On as to
Fourth-CIass Offices.
MANY CALLERS TODAY

There were many callers on Postmaster
General Gary today. The ante room was
at one time well filled The most consptcu-
Gus visitor was Gen. Longstreet. whose tall
form and snow-white hair and whiskers
made an easy mark for sightseers who
happened that way. The two rusty. we'll
worn, anxious seats that have given mo-
mentary comfort to many thousands Of
office seekers were occupied today chiefly
by people who want to rent Mr.. Gary
house. Competing with them for access to
the silver-whiskered Postmaster General
were perhaps a dozen gentlemen who will
be unhappy unless they become post
masters in the near future.
Among those who called were John M
Farcuhar. the veteran representative In
Congress from the Buffalo. N. Y. district;
Edward H. R. Green, son Of Hetty Green.
the multi-nillionairess. and chairman OF
the republican state committee OF IeXas'
Delegate Murphy of Arizona, Judson v.
Lyons. national committeeman from Geor-
gia: B. w. Walker, a wel}-known repuDil-
can from Alabama; L. G. Fort of New
Mexico, formerly a Marylander: w. Ceci!
Cohen. president OF the Charleston Repub-
lcan Club: Rev. J. r. Schultz of the Bal
timore conference: Lee c. Bennett. an IN
f1uential republican III Indian territory;
Thomas II. Surinkle of North Carolina;
Representative Chester Long of Kansas.
Representative James A. Hemenway OF In
diana, D. d. Dickson of Baltimore. and
ex-Represeniative Dorsey of Nebraska.
The New First Assistant.
Perhaps the most interesting caller was
tall, spare, rosy-cheeked young man. who
sent in to Mr. Gary a neat and small card,
on which was engraved: Mr.. Perry San
ford Heath" Mr.. Heath. after having
been heralded all over the land as the
choice of President Mckinley for private
secretary, was slated in the general expac-
tation of things likely to happen as consul
general to Paris. This, however. by scme
mysterious slipping of the political cogS,
proved erroneous, and for fortnight now
Mr.. Heath has been regarded as possible
assistant secretary Of the treasury. This.
too. is wrong Mr.. Heath is to be first as
sistant postmaster general. He succeeds
Mr.. Frank Jones of Illinois. a most popular
and efficient official
The place was formally rendered to MIR.
Heath yesterday afternoon and he ac-
cepted without hesitation or delay. The
position has always been considered equal
to a cabinet appointment, because the first
assistant has many duties to perform, and
he takes much of the work off the Post
master Generals shoulders The place has
always been filled by prominent party
man, such as James S. Clarkson, H. Clay
Evans and Adlai f. Stevenson. Colone!
Heath Is too well known to need further
ington correspondent and later as pro-
prietor of the Cincinnati Commentaries
zette has made him prominent all over the
country. He was closely connected with
Louis nomination. and during the campaigr
was chief of the literary and publication
bureau at the Chicago headquarters.
1t Is not the first assistant nowadays who
wields the ak OH fourth-class postmasters
By the law creating the Office of fourth as
sistant that duty was given to the incum-
bent of that office.
Policy as to Crossroads Onces.
Postmaster General Gary has not yet an
nounced his policy regarding either presi
Dental or fourth-class postmasters. He
has been so overwhelmed with callers anG
with familiarizing himself with the scope
and methods of the department that he has
had little opportunity to give the question
of appointments consideration. Before Ee
comes to a definite decision as to whether
postmasters will be allowed to serve ou
with the President.
AS all presidential postmasters are com
missioned for for years, little doubt /.
entertained at the department that they
Will be allowed to serve out their terms
gave in exceptional cases where circum
stances may warrant early changes
| Fourth-class postmasters are not cominis
stoned for four years. but are appoin tee
/ to serve at the pleasure Of the Postmaster
| General Some of them have been allow &c
| to serve for twenty years without beine
| disturbed. The general practice of .-ecen
administrations. however. has heen to ap
| point their succe essors approximately a
| the end of four-year periods.
| The changes in these small Offices, one
| begun. are rapidly made. Beginning witt
| Vice President Stevenson. who was frs
| assistant under Mr. Clevelands first ad
| ministration. the assistant postmasters gen
eral. WHO have been the Official heads
| men" of the fourth-class postmasters, hav
prosecuted the work of changing these Off
| cials with great vigor. 1t is not srobabi
| that the changes will begin Until a nev
| fourth assistant is appointed. The genera
| expectation is that the appointment Of tn
| successor of Mr. Maxwell, the present in
| cumbent, will be made at an early day.