The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-24
The ACTS OF Mr.. MARE
As Viewed BY His Predecessor, ex-
Collector Michel
MANY THINGS OPEN TO CRITICISM
Allexea to Have Asked for Resirna-
tions Of Deputies In order 20
Create vacancies.

cent removals In the customs force here
made by the now collector, MIR. Maris, has
caused considerable feeling not only among
the republicans, who charge that demo-
Gratis like Special Deputy Thornham,
Deputy Collector Edwards at Hidaiso and
Inspectors Lernia and Maltby here have
been given officcs, leaving good and hungry
republicans out In the cold; but also among
tho democrats who contend that the civil
service rules have been set at naught In
putting them out of Office.
| The Post correspondent, to obtain 4
clear idea Of the situation from a demo-
cratic standpoint, today interviewed Mr..
j. A. Michel, the democratic collector who
recently trrned over the Office to NJ,
Maris, and who probably is the best post
eu authority on customs and civil service
rules in this section.
The Post man found Mr.. Michel at his
residence and was most cordially received
He asked: "Mr. Michel, see In the Her
aid OF today and yesterday some articles
signed by you in reference to customs
matters; how was 1t that you turned
telegraphic order7"
Mr. Michel replied: my commission
expired on October 2. and not being will
ing to serve one hour more than was nee
esary under republican administration,
l, on September 2S. wired the treasury
department to authorize me on October
to turn over my office to Mr.. Maris,
though he had not then received his COM
mission. AT 4.15 p. m. OF the LIST a tele-
gram from Assistant Secretary Spaulding
was received by me, directing me to turn
over that day to Mr.. Maris immediate
ly communicated with him and asked
him to come at once and receive the
custom house, turning all property over
to him then and there. and even declining
| to make any voucher for that days pay,
which was justly due me-"
The other article 1 see, refers to the
peremptory discharge of Janitor Pecina.
| three days after Mr. Maris emit In, on
plea OF inisubordnate conduit How could
ne have given cffenee in so short a timer"
Mr.. Pecina was suspended under three
arges--incompetency, incidence and not
doirg the work himself AS to the first /:
in the four years Of my admin abstraction, he
gave me perfect satisfaction: es
to incidence. the matter cited oc-
CURED some months ago. ! fully
investigated 1t at the time and found no
reasonable grounds to even remonetrate
with him for his conduct AS to the last
charge, his successor does, as he did. only
|
ant that Pecina had to aid him. think
that as custodian of the Federal building
here. that I alone had authority to settle
any questions that might have arisen dur
| Ing my term in office. and that my sue
cessor could not go back into my time to
find cause to discharge. AS the office rs
under civil service rules, Fecina could
not be suspended without charges; has a
right to protest and only when the treas-
ury department decides that the charges
are proven can he be removed"
| II hear that three of the inspectors who
recently resigned were asked 10 do SO by
Mr.. Maris; has he this right?"
Most emphatically not. He is forbidden
| from asking any employee under him as to
his political affiliations. And in the cases
of Michel. Franklin and Ccnnor these gen
| tlemen say that Mr.. Maris asked their
designations on the plea that his republican
| followers were hungry FOR office: that he
| would have to do something for them al
once and though he liked the outgoing
officers and had no charges to make against
| them that he had to ask them 10 go tc
make place for others. Franklin asked tc
| stay until the end OF the month. but was
| told 1t could not be granted; that he would
| have to go then and there. All three. taken
| by surprise and not knowing the extent oil
| the collectors power, acceded to his wishes
| This was after office hours. The next morn
| protest and asked for the return of tie
| designations, which Maris declined They
all then filed written protest and the
| treasury department and civil service CON-
mission will have to decide the question.
| How is It that OF the three rev in
! spectors that took these gentlemen's posi-
| tions, though all had passed r.yil scr.ice
| examination none had as vet been lott
| fed that he had been accepted? Was there
| no one of the list?
IL think the list OF eliglbles was exhaust
| ed. Under these circumstances. when there
| are b1na fide vacancies, which the treasury
! department alone can create, the collector
| hns authority to appoint any person he
| deems fitted for the term Of ninety oays.'
| After some further general conversation
| on custom house subjects and civil service
rules. from which 1t would appear that
the position OF collector OF customs Is not
| entirely a bed OF roses and that the IN
cumbent has lots of red tape rules abd
multiplicity OF decisions over which 10 keer
| his brain active, with the privilege II pay
| ing roundly out OF his own pocket for any
! blunders made, the correspondent LOOK Ms
leave.
nun nt,LRR HnI1RTC