Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-17
REMOVALS FOR CAUSE.
Increase in Number of Postmasters
Decapitated.

The days when postmasters did about
everything else except personally attend to
their official duties have passed for good"
remarked a postal official this morning,
''and the comparatively heavy increase in
the removals OF postmasters for cause dur
ing the past year Is noteworthy In calling
this fact to the attention OF the public. I
will give you line or two OF general in
terest.
Under the old spoiis system the post
master used to be one OF the leading politi-
cal factors of his district and would build
up his political machine largely through his
postmastership. But 1t Is changed now.
Last year the department removed for
cause no less than fifty-four presidential
postmasters against forty-nine for the
year previous an Increase OF FIVE, while It
decapitated ia fourth-class postmasters. as
against 81 Tor the year previous, an In
crease OF twenty-seven.
The efficiency of postmasters was never
greater than at present, and this is largely
because OF the policy OF the department in
holding them down strictly to business and
to rigid accountability as regards the
conduct or their offices. Carelessness and
irregularities are not overlooked. The ben
efit the public derives is better and more
emcient operation of the entire postal sys-
tenn. as the good effects OF the discipline
extends to all grades of the postal service.
The designations in all classes OF post
masters show a large increase those in the
against forty-eight in the preceding year.
an increase of twenty-five. Presidential
offices pay such good salaries that II may
at first thought occasion surprise that post
masters should resign so freely. i attribute
largely the increase in the designations OF
these desirable positions to the prosperous
times, as men ind that they can make
more out of Office than in.
THE designations OF fourth-class offices
decreased 13I over the preceding year. the
total number being S660. These resigna-
tions are heavy each year, and will always
continue If Il seems odd that nearly
5000 postmasters of the fourth class re-
signed last year, the principal reason may
be stated to be that most OF them found
that being postmaster wasn't what IL was
cracked up to be. and they got out.
This high percentage of designations OF
fourth-class offices continues along year
after year. but when 1t is recalled that there
are thousands and thousands of post offices
that pay under $50 a year the readiness OF
the incumbents to let go what they strove
SO hard TO get may be better understood.
1T was good year regards the health
of the country's postmasters a great
class. only forty-four presidential post
masters vacating office by reason of death,
as against fifty-three Of the year previous,
and I91 fourth-class poStmasters shutting
off. against SIS of the previous year.
when a postmaster violates the postal
laws and regulations, and the offense does
not seem to be of sufficient gravity to war
rant his removal from office an official rep
rimand is forwarded to him, a copy OF
which is filed with the division Of appoint
ments against his record. These COM
plants go against him when he comes up
as a candidate for reappointment at the end
of his four-year term, and might defeat
him"