Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-12-21
NEW POSTAL ORDER
EoNeREssMEN DISCUSS PREsl-
DENTS FIAT ON PosTMAs-
TER APPOINTMENTS
No Little Interest is Taken in the Mat
ter at Westinghouse Will Mean a
Big Change in System Long in Vogue
-Congressman's Power is Small.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
Washington Bureau of the Courier,

Washington, D. c., Dec. 10, 1905.
The paramount question among
the members of congress, including
the Iowa delegation, is not the railroad
rate question, nor the tariff question,
nor the Panama question; it is the
postoffice question and it is very live
proposition at this time, too.
If one notices a group of congress
men discussing in an animated man
ner some apparently important matter
1T Is perfectly safe to guess that the
topic is the postof1ice question, the
recently promulgated ruling that
practically extends the civil service
blanket to cover all classes of post
masters throughout the country.
The feature of this whole matter of
greatest public interest is: "Will the
spirit Of the ruling be adhered to?"
Your correspondent Is able to say that
the officials charged with the admins
tration of the affairs of the postoff1ce
department assert that the order is on
1.-THE books and that 1t Sticks"
The New Order of Things.
Al postmaster whose record in the
department stands excellent cannot
Ibe superseded by another man, even
Though the congressman demand it.
This is the order Of the President OF
the United States, communicated to
the postmaster general and he to the
first assistant. Inasmuch as the ap-
pointing and removing power is lodged
Exclusively in the chief executive, 1T
looks as though the President held a
pretty good hand.
From an authoritative source 1t is
learned that postmasters, of whatever
standing will be included in one of
three grades, the A, B and G grades.
The A grade will include such post
masters as have been reported by In.
spectGrs as excellent, service first
class, accounts up-to-date and correct
and everything above criticism. AS
previously stated, when the commits
sion of postmaster having such a
= grading expires he will be reappointed
If he desires 1t, and the congressman
will have no hand in the matter at all
except that he will be formally ad
vised of the expiration of the commits
sion and informed that the postmaster
will be reappointed unless he (the con
gressman) comes forward with excel
lent reasons why the appointment
should not be made. incidentally i
may be remarked that political reasons
will not be considered as excellent rea
Eons or any kind of reason at all.
Where Changes Will Come.
Grade c will include postmaster
whose service has not been satisfac
tory and who will not under any cir
cumstances be reappointed. The.
have failed to make good and nj
amount of political pull will save thei
scalps. In this case the congressman
will be asked to recommend their sue
cessor and his recomme will
all other things being equal, be acte'
upon favorably.
The "DebatabIe" Class.
Postmasters falling within the rang
of Glass B will have records, accord
ing to the inspection reports, that vii
make their reappointment or dismissa
optional with the department. The
will have given fair service, not part