Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-01
B. F, BARNES IS THE
CITY POSTMASTER
Appointed by the President
After Office Hours.
CAME INTO PUBLIC NOTICE
In Ordering Mrs. Minor Morris Out
of White House
INDIGNATION OF THE CITIZENS
Say Position Should Be Given to a
Washingtonian and Not to a Pro-
fessional oficeholder
INDIGNATION OF THE CITIZENS

The appointment as postmaster
at Washington of Benjamin f.
Barnes of New Jersey, assistant sec
retary to President Roosevelt, and
best known locally as the official
who ordered the ejectment of Mrs.
Minor Morris from the White
House on January i last, was an
nounced by the President late ves-
tcrday afternoon.
The fact of Mr.. Barnes appointment to
this important and lucrative post came as
an astonishing and disagreeable surprise
10 those citizens of Washington who learned
last night of the Presidents action, and a
chorus Of disapproval is expected to follow
the more general receipt of the news
throughout the city.
1t was officially announced only yester-
day afternoon that John A. Merritt. for the
past six years postmaster al Washington
had been appointed collector of customs at
Niagara Falls and II was not expected that
his successor would be named for some
time Preparations were being made in va
rlOus quarters 10 bring to the notice of the
President for the appointment local men
and il was considered as within the bounds
OF proha oility that Mr. Roosevelt would not
MI the vacancy caused by Mr.. Merritts re-
tirement from his position without at least
giving the c!tzeus of the national capital
ii chance 10 express their preference in the
matter.
And, moreover, aside from this fact there
is probably not man in the local COM
muMty Who, up to yesterday afternoons S
announcement would have given Mr.
Barnes thought as a possible successor
80 Postmaster Merritt
The erstwhlle assistant secretary to the
President is not known locally in any way
that would seem to entitle him TO consid-
Grafton tor an appointment of this charac-
ter. lie Is not known to have any partlc-
'd3r interests. business or otherwise in the
District of Columbia, save that he has re-
sided here for eighteen years so.
Mr.. Barnes was known only slightly even
by name 10 the people of Washington prior
to the Morris incident and even to this
extent only because his name was occa-
sionally published in White House lists and
official itineraries when the President jour
neyed away from or returned to this city.
or course. since the 4th of last Janu-
ary almost everybody in the ma tional capi-
tai has known Mr.. Barnes representa-
tive of the President on the occasion of the
dragging OUT Of the executive Offices of Mrs.
Minor Morris, who had called to see Mr..
Roosevelt on business.
The Morris Case
And although that incident happened
nearly three months ago and the memory
of the public is generally spoken of ex-
ceedlngly hckle. il Is probably true that
very few residents of the city who read in
The Star the facts in the Morris incident
will forget it for long time to come.
About ] o'clock on the date referred to,
January 4. Mrs. Minor Morris OF 1884 Mas
sachusetts avenue. the wife of DIR. Minor
Morris, a practicing physician of this city.
was thrown out of the White House execu-
tive Offices. dragged for a block over a wet
asphalt pathway, her gown torn and be
Gra gged with mud. her hat knocked off