The Washington times., 1904-12-13
The Postmaster General
Drops Bomb Into Let
ter Carriers Camp.
MUST SHUN POLITICS
Action of Authorities to-
Serve as Warning
to Others.

A bombshen was thrown into the
camp of city letter carriers and rural
free delivery letter carriers today, when
IL was announced that the following dis
missals from service had been made:
j. c. Keller Of Cleveland Ohio. gresi-
dent of the National Association Of Let
ter Carriers.
Frank Cunningham. of Omaha. Neb,
president Of the National Association Of
Rural Free Delivery Carriers.
President Approves.
The announcement was made az the
Cabinet meeting today by Postmaster
General Wynne and the orders Of dis
missal were approved by President
Roosevelt.
j. c. Keller was ordered by the post
master at Cleveland to report for duty,
having been absent He replied that
il would be impossible TO comply. with
the order AT that time. He was then
ordered 10 show cause why ne should
not be dismissed from the service for
INSTRUMENTATION. and he was given three
DAYS in which 10 file a reply.
The three days expired. and Keller
made no answer at all. IheFeupon he
was fired,
Got His Dismissal.
Frank Cunningham has been under
charges for some time. lie was dis
charged today for continued absence
cal activity" " and for violating the order
OF the department relative 10 carriers
mixing IN politics.
Having been under charges for some
time Cunningham came to Washington
ms
master General Wynne. who did not
give him a hearing. but told him firm
~ and promptly 10 report 10 his superior
officer, whoever that may be-
Representative Overstrest Of Indiana
had reported Cunningham for trying TO
defeat him for Congress because he did
not favor the bin 10 increase the nay OF
Flrai free delivery carriers. There We're
general complaints that rural free deliv-
cry letter carriers We're engaged In fgLt-
ing AT the last election those Congress
men wEo had voted against their meas
ures.
Must Shun Politics.
The dismissal Of Cunningham is TO be
taken as "a general warning to letter
carriers that they must not NEEDLE in
politics and lobby at the Capitol for
measures for their benefit These
charges have been common.
II viii be remembered that it was
charged some time ago that Representa-
tive Loud. chairman OF the POstofice
Committee. was defeated by the efforts
or the letter carriers because he did not
favor such legislation as they wanted
II was generally believed that this was
true. Ia the future If the men in gray
and the rural carriers in carts wish 20
hold tucir Jobs they must escheW pOudcs
and attend 20 business.
III viii Dc the policy OF the POstOfiic1
Department TO be stringent IA these
matters. General BristOW said today;
III ] find carrier contributing a dol
lar 20 the defeat or election Of any can
didate Tor Congress or FOR anE pOlIica!
purpose, j riu FIRE him al once.
He also Elsidc this further remark.
eli ] hear Of q carrier contributing
anything 70 a fund 70 maintain lobby
lists. 1 VIII discharge him. This had
direct reference 10 Cunningham. who
wanted 10 resign When asked how he
would live ia Washington be said -hat
the contributions from the association
would keep him up. The department
would not accept his resignation. bu-
made an investigation.