Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-10
LOCAL INDIGNATION
Inspired by the Possibility of a Nom
Resident Postmaster.
EXPLOSION OF CERTAIN ERRORS
Claims Preferred in Mr.. Madden's
Favor Unfounded.
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES

Local interest in the question who will be
| selected to succeed Mr.. James P. Wiliett as
| postmaster of the city of Washington has
| been changed to local indignation of a very
| emphatic character by the persistent asser-
| tons that nonresident is to be chosen in
! the person of a Mr.. Madden of Detroit
| Mich.
| Great stress seems to be laid upon the
| fact that Mr.. Madden is being pushed for
| the place by the Brotherhood of Locomo-
| tive Engineers though just what claim this
| organization has upon the city post Office
| of Washington or any other patronage in
| the bestowal of the President does not an
pear to be explainable
1 1t is very well known that when the
| present administration came into power.
| Mr. Madden was urged for the position of
| third assistant postmaster general by the
same organization This did not avail him
| then ana 1t is understood that he has no
| other support in his present undertaking.
| 1t Is also understood that Mr. Madden's
| 1rlends among the locomotive engineers
assert that he is really the selection for
| pupnc preferment of the organized labor
| podles of the United States and that the
washington city post office has been picked
OUT 1or MIN because 1t is really a national
once and would not amount to anythins
| II the national government did not support
Positive Proof to the Contrary.
The latter claim is SO preposterors that
IL Is scarcely worth noticing but even such
ignorance should be corrected The facts
are tnat the national government does not
contribute one cent in century to the sup
po'l oI the washington city post office in
any way whatever. 1t is Supported excIu
SlVeiy by the people of the District of Co
iu1npla, and handles all the enormous mail
sent out from the seat of government by
t's pranches, executive and legislative
without being paid penny therefor
ne receipts at the Washington city post
once for the four quarters ending Septem-
Der 80 1S!'S were s627 900. If during the
same period the various branches of the
government had paid postage. registry fees,
etc, the receipts would have been between
SS,OHo00 and s., 0000GO The receipts came
from the pockets of residents of the Dis
trict of Columbia. The expenses of the
Washington city post office are about $780,
900 per annum.
1t will be seen, therefore, that Washing
ton people not only support the Washington
post ofnce but pay for all the handling here
OF the government mail, and provide a
heavy surplus to go toward helping support
ofnces elsewhere, several probably in Michi-
gan, which are unable to support them
selves.
Another Correction.
Regarding the assertion that the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Engineers represents
claims for office, 1t can be as easily refuted
The brotherhood is a pretty close corpora
ton and is about as harmonious in its
relations with the recognized great bodies
OF organized labor a steam piano would
be with Stradivarius
Referring to the efforts of the brother
hood in AR. Madden's behalf Mr.. Mil
ford Spohn, of the most prominent
labor leaders in the District, who, I'M
r.4fi r.aT
president of the Central Labor Union since
its organization, said:
Il am opposed to the appointment of Mr.
Madden. because he is a nonresident of
the District. l believe in the principle of
home rule. [ believe there are sufficient
honesty and ability in the District to ac-
ceItahiy NIL the position of postmaster
Il am not favoraby inclined toward Mr.
brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
which can scarcely be classed as a labor
ORGANIZATION because of its never having
beefsin sympathy or utilization with the or
gained labor of the country. Mr.. Madden
therefore cannot be regarded as a repre-
sentative labor man, and aside from being
recommended by the very exclusive Rrotb her
nood OF Locomotive Engineers. it is very
doubtful if any considerable number of
tnose connected with the organized labor
OF the country would recommend him for
the position he is seeking here
Il cannot understand why the Locomotive
thglh eers should interest themselves in the
appointment of postmaster for WASHING
ton; they know nothing as outsiders they
| contribute nothing to maintain the office
and do not suppose that MIR Madden has
ever purchased a two-cent postage stamp
at our city office. l think in the matter
OF this appointment thu President should
consider the wishes of the residents of
Washington who support the office and
who deserve recognition in preference to
those on the outside, who have no interest
in common with the residents of the Dis
when fat Off &c
given out"
Another Illustration.
Another additional illustration of how the
Brotherhood represents" organized labor
in Mr.. Maddens behalf was given last
night at the meeting of the Central Labor
Union. resolution was adopted which,
after reciting that the residents of the
District of Columbia should enjoy the same
privileges in all that pertains to local gov
eminent enjoyed by the citizens of
the states and that only residents of the
District of Columbia should be appointed
to local offices, concludes as follows: I'VE,
therefore. regard with disfavor any effort
made to have appointed to the position of
city postmaster a nonresident whose inter-
estS are not in common with our popula-
ton. -
Many of the great business corporations
of Washington which comprise in their
manageme II and among their stockholders
the most promir ent representative citizens
of the District held their annual elections
today and at each voting place there were
unus ually large gatherings of them. At
every one the chief topic was the possibility
Of outsider being brought in to succeed
Mr.. Wiilett and there was only one opinion
expressed. This was to the effect that such
| course would be simply outrageous. There