The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-25
Government Shows Inclination
to Adhere to 1t.
Action With Reference to Iowa
POStmasterS Pointed Out.
OLD ONES TO STAY.
Where Service Has Been Salts.
factory No Change Made.
Col. Bill Hackney Writes Char
acteristic Letter to Taft.

washington, dec. Z5.-Ihat the post
office department is disposed more
strictly to enforce the merit system in
the postal service is the information
that is coming to the ears of members
of congress- The rule that if a post
master who has served for a term or
more wants a reappOintment he will
be given it, providing his service has
been satisfactory to the department.. is
being rigidly enforced. according to
postoffice officials.
The effect of this is to take the post
offices more and more out of the reach
of the politicians and strip senators
and members of the house more and
more of their prerogatives in regard to
patronage. An order of this kind has
been in force for about five years. But
it has not been lived up to in a great
many cases. An influential senator or
member of the house was able to have
a friend put in as postmaster if he set
about it. 1t appears, however, that now
the lines are being drawn tighter.
An illustration of this was given re-
Gently when Senators Dolliver and
Cummins took up with the postmaster
general the matter of appointments to
postoffices in the Eighth Iowa district
This is the district which was formerly
represented by Colonel Pete Hepburn,
Mr.. Jameson. The patronage is being
disposed of by the senators.
A lot of misunderstanding Will soon
expire in that district and the senators
went to see Mr.. Hitchcock to ascertain
whether if they made recommendations
they would be given weight. They were
informed that the department was go
ing to live up to the rule that men
should be reappointed in case they nao
given effective and satisfactory service.
1t was added that in case postmas-
ter was not satisfactory and there was
to be a change, then the recommenda-
lions of the senator's would be consld-
cred.
The same rule. so the postoffice de-
partment officials insist. it to be ap-
nlied generally through the country. 1t
is given out by Postmaster General
Hitchcock that impartial enforcement
of this order will be made and that
flesh will not be made of one case ana
fowl of another.
The experience of the Iowa senators
is being told pretty freely about the
capitol and is exciting a great deal OF
interest among the members who nave
postoffices in their districts which they
have been expecting to dispose u
about as they considered fit.
1t can be said, despite the prevailing
notion to the contrary. that plenty OF
members would be entirely WILING to
be relieved of the burden OF making
postoffice appointments. Some OF the
older and wiser heads among the poll
ticians say they are a liability, not an
asset.
Tentative plans have been made by
the private secretaries of Kansas SEN
ators and members in congress for the
formation of a new Kansas state Socl-
etv in washington A temporary or
ganization has been effected and COM
mittees appointed to further plans FOL
a permanent organization in January
| The meeting was held in the committee
6ra1
| nv A. P. Meyers, private secretary tc
Congressman James M Miller. The pre-
| siding officer appointed committees or
| call. constitution. date and place ant
, program A general call will be issued
| to all Kansans resident of Washington
| to meet for the purpose of perfecting {
| permanent organization early in th'
| coming month.
| Mrs. Isabel Worrell Ball of Larned
| Kan, recently entertained Mrs. Jennie
| 1. Berry of Kansas City, president O
| the National Woman's Relief corps. ant
| Mrs Georgia Wade Mcclellan, nationa
| secretary of the organization Mrs. Bal
| provided an auto trip about the city
| including a visit to the Francis Scot
Key mansion, to Fort Myer to see tn
| cavalry drill and to the capitol to NEE
| Speak Cannon and Vice President Sher
| man. The party also visited Arlington
! to place flowers on the tomb of TIL
| unknown dead.
| Congressman Reeder has introduced
| bills increasing the pensions of Samue
| r. Caslett, Garrett Gibson and Stephe1
P. PettyS. Congressman Miller present
| ed similar bill in behalf of William
| Erwin, alias Foster.
| Colonel William P. Hackney is on
| of the best known Republicans o
Kansas and historical character be
sides, who has a great reputation il
| the Sunf1ower state for discussing pub
lie matters in vigorous fashion HI
| has written letter to President Taft
| in which the Kansas colonel discusses
| the tariff, Republican insurgents ant
a few other things in a way which un
i doubtedly is somewhat different from
the ordinary run of correspondence
which goes into the White House. TIL