Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-10-28
Civil Service Rules PeculiarI,
Embarras ing In Regard to
Filling Postal Vacancies
PRESIDENT WANTS ABLE MEN
But High Recommendation for Places
Made Vacant as Result of Bristow's
Investigation, Have No Weight With
Government-The Civil Service
ReguIations-Pdsitions Classified.

Washington, Oct 2S.-The conclusion
of the investigation in the postoifice
department and General Bristows re-
port on the same, have brought new
embarrassment TO the administration
Every chief of bureau in the first as
sistant postmaster generals division
has been discharged. and most of then
indicted, as a result of the investiga-
ton.
filed by postoffice inspectors and Post
master General Payne is looking about
vacancies, but he finds under the civil
service rules that he is helpless. There
are only two ways in which he can fill
these positions, by asking the civil ser
other departments, and by certifying te
him their names for each position from
which to choose.
Under the circumstances by whic!
these places We're made vacant the civil
service rules are peculiarly embarrass-
ing. The men who have been dis
charged and indicted have filled the
postoffice department with scandals
that have at times threatened the rep
utation of the administration.
The president insists that the men
who take their places shall be above
reproach and experienced. The post
master general has had men recon-
mended to him from outside the gov
eminent service. men who have be-
come expert auditors and judges OF
supplies. and superintendent of large
business details, who would be capable
of introducing strict business methods
in the department
But these recommendations have no
weight with the government. because
the postoffice department is under civil
service regulations. with every position
classified except that Of the postmaster
general, his four assistants and their
private secretaries. Neither the pos
master general or the president can use
any personal Judgment in selecting the
successors of Machen, Beavers, and all
the other officials that have been in
dicted.
The postmaster general prefers the
inspectors that are temporarily In
charge, but they are needed In their
own work. The president is civil
service reformer but he must now re-
form the civil service rules he signed
last week or suspend them TO secure
experienced men in the postoffice de-
partment.
III lf I a - W. n 6 o y~Yv, of, :
from practice before the postoffice de-
parlment, for alleged wrongful acts
disclosed by the general postal inves-
tigation, was announced last week. has
written letter to the postmaster gen
eral, under date of Baltimore, October
p, In which he expresses surprise thai
no specification of charges has been
presented and no hearing has been al
lowed him.
The letter adds:
My right to practice my profession
is one of which l ought not, and can
not properly be Invested without a full
and impartinal hearing according to
law. The government has referred its
charges against me in the courts, and
am anxious and ready to meet them:
indeed, / am glad of the opportunity TO
put this matter in its true light before
a court, and TO show that the allegation
that / entered into an unlawful con-
spiracy with General Tyner is as abb
surd as 1t is false
The preliminary hearing in the case
of Leopold j. Stern, of Baltimore In
dicted for completely in postal frauds,
was concluded in the police court to-
day, and Stern was held in $4,000 bail
to await the action OF the grand jury.
He furnished the bail and was releas-
ed
New York John Turner, an English