Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-26
Investigation Of the Government
Civil Service.
COMPLAINTS OF LETTER CARRIERS
Reductions and DismissaIs for Po-
itica' Reasons.
IGNORED BY THE COMMISSION

civil service resumed it's hearings for an
hour this morning Senators Pritchard and
Elkins and Commissioners Proctor and
Harlow being present. The committee
sees that the special session of Congress
is nearing it's end and may arrange for
more time at the hearings hereafter. 1t
will wind up by hearing the commission
ers themselves.
Letter Carriers Grievance.
William NJ. Butcher of Philadelphia was
the first witness. He said he represented
the eighty-two Philadelphia letter carriers
who were reduced to substitutes or wait
ing men in 1898. He read from a. speech
of Postmaster General Wilson to letter
carriers stating that faithfulness and eff
ficiency would be rewarded by the govern
ment, but that hadn't been the case, he
said. of those reduced, seventy-two were
republicans and sixteen of that number
veterans. The democrats were reduced
because of failure to pay political assess
ments. The witness read an affidavit from
John A. Felix, saying that he was reduced
because it was alleged he failed to pay
assessments. TIE witness asserted that
he was Informed by the officials themselves
that he was reduced for political reasons.
This was frankly admitted by them.
Mr.. Butcher took up certain statements
of Superintendent OF free Dehvery
Machen. He expressed the belief that
Mr., Machen's investigation of the Phila-
delphia incident was superficial. He
charged that republican carriers were
openly Disseminated against in the matter
of suspensions. The Philadelphia letter
carriers reduced to substitutes were regu-
lar men and had been in the service
long time When there was an INCREASE OF
the force again democrats were put IN thelr
places Witness, as one of the men re-
duced. thought he ,.s was rennSifean. u,sGt.e'N
Mr. Butcher thought that 1t was no use
to complain to the civil service commls-
sion This commission had been Known
to begin an investigation into complains
at Philadelphia, and get all OF It's testi,
mony from democratic sources, atterward
notifying the conplainants that there was
nothing in their complaints witness saia
the carriers did not appeal to the clVii
service commission because they did not
think they would get any satisfaction, ana
because they feared they might be dis,
charged Assistant Postmaster General
Jones had given out that man Wouid De
discharged for crfticising superior omeer.
Since January, the witness said. ne fas
had but thirty days work as substitute.
1--WE are told by the clerk" he said.
that democratic substitutes mast be given
the preference in work Democratic SUD-
stitutes get all the work. The witness
asserted that the discrimination even goes
to the extent of the purchase of uniforms
On examination by Commissioner Proc
tor Mr.. Butcher said that the examtna-
ton referred to as having been made by
the civil service commission in Philadel-
phia was by Messrs. Roosevelt and Proc
tor. Witness admitted that Mr.. Roosevelt
vas a republican and that many of the
most influential officials of the Philadel-
phia Office are republicans.
A Mans Politics Revealed.
F. G. Jones, a clerk in the pension office,
complained that the certifying Of the pa
pers by the commission revealed a mans
religion and politics. Witness is an old
soldier. After a great deal of trouble and
several rejec tions witness was put in tenn
porary service. When the last administra-
ton came in the witness was acting chief
of division and his rating was excellent"
emitting him to promotion. Instead of that
he was reduced $500 in salary. He learned
that Secretary Smith had ordered his dis
nissal outright because he was secretary
of the Missouri Republican Club of this
city. and was charged with making contri-
buttons to the republican campaign club.
Commissioner of Pensions Lochren did not
then discharge him, but kept him on at
$500 year. Witness admitted that later
his salary was raised to 81 200 by Mr..
Lochren.
In answer to questions by Mr.. Proctor
the witness said the Endorsement on a
mans paper often showed his politics, as
the politics OF q prominent indorser was
generally known. The appointing power
could easily ascertain mans politics.
Dismissed From the Engraving Bu-
reau.
Peter c. Balm was the next witness. He
is bookbinder, employed in the govern
n ent printing office. He said he wanted to
complain Of number of violations of the
civil service law, both in letter and spirit.
These violations, in the nature of dis
missals. were reported by Secretary Car
Isle at that time. They were in the bureau
Of engraving and printing Geo. D. Craw-
ford. John @. Lalman, c. G. BaIlinger,
Archie Dick. Nathan King. ]. A. Morris,
A. Lauck, VIM. H. Peck: Peter McGirr A.
L. Root and number of others named by
the witness were discharged from their
places because they were republicans and
ex-Union soldiers. Their places were filled
by democrats. These dismissals. witness
said. were previous to September, 1884.
They were in 1893 and 1894
Senator Elkins and Commissioner Proctor
both spoke up and said that these dis
missals were before the places were put
under civil service, but witness produced
document to the contrary.
Witness related the incidents Of his dis
charge as superintendent of the binding d.
vision on the 26th Of February. 1894. going
to show discrimination in favor of a demo-
crat. The allegation was that the Office of
superintendent OF the binding division was
abolished. Immediately afterward the Of
ated, with the same salary and same du-
ties. and the place given to j. w. McGfll
OF CovingtOn, KY, the civil service law be-
Ing evaded by this ruse. Witness called the
attention of the civil service commission to
this at the tizne and 1t made a report
that it had reported the case to the Sec
cretary of the Treasury. who ignored the
letter of the commission. At the same time
the commission admitted that it could see
no good reason for the change. The sue
ceeding week the same kind of a change
was made in the superintendency of the
machine division. Witness was q federal
soldier, with splendid record and said his
discharge was In violation Of section 1854
giving preference to soldiers:
Mr.. Balm had not concluded his testi-
mony when the committee adjourned until
next Saturday, when he will finish So far
he has furnished more specific information
than the average witness, and promises to
furnish some interesting testimony At the
time Of his discharge he secured from
Claude NJ. johnson, chief Of his division;
letter certifying to his efficiency and faith
fulness.
The republican executive committee has
submitted to the Senate committee q COPY
OF letter addressed to the Secretary Of the
Interior, asking that the ONCE Of superin-
tendept OF the Hot Springs reservation be
taken out OF the civil service, and n. A.
EiDele appointed. The Arkansas people
think the once ought to be under the War
] Department