Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-12-09
POLITICS WILL Be
DIVORCED FROM
POSTOFf|CE
President Signs Order Placing
5000 PoStmaSters Under
Civil Service Rules; Reform
Not Yet Completed
Morning Journal Bureau,
613 Munsey Building,
washington, D. G., Nov. 30, ]

on October 1, the president signed
an order placing 5000 assistant post
masters of money order offices under
civil service protection.
This is good reform. but there is
only one further step to be taken, and
that is for congress to act favorably on
the proposition to place the second
and third class postmasters under the
same rules of the civil service, di-
voree them absolutely from politics,
so that the postoffice may become
merely a ld-blooded business depart
ment of the government. 1t is, in
deed, highly probable that such a
move would do more than anything
else to help wipe out the annual de-
ficit in the postal revenues; better
service means greater saving and
economy.
There is every reason to believe that
individual congressman Will welcome
rather than oppose the change. 1t is
true that II robs them Of patronage
which they have always had, but many
of them, doubtless, win be glad to
shift the responsibility of considering
applications and recommendations OF
this or that man.
The postoffice appointments that a
congressman has been able to make
have never been enough to so around.
| If the congressman is able to gratify
| one of his constituents with an appoint
ment ii is pretty safe to say that at
the same time he makes two or three
enemies among the disgruntled and
disappointed. President Roosevelt felt
| the need OF reform in this direction,
and did go so far as to extend the civ
| II service to cover the fourth class
postoffices of about half the territory
of the country
President Taft, upon advice of the
postmaster general, WILL IL is under
| stood, recommend to congress the en-
actment of legislation that will put
all second and third class postmast-
ers under civil service.
1t has been to a large extent the
policy of the postoffice department for
the last few years to retain in office
| second and third class postmasters
when found efficient, and it has resist
| ed, as far as possible. congressional
demands for their change for politi-
cal reasons, But political influence
still hangs over these classes of post
masters, The safest way to remove
| this. according to the postmaster gem
eral and the president Is to ask con-
gress TO legally place them under the
civil service laws and regulations.
II this plan should become success
| tut pb0NnldSAtlH III Alt future, Win
the exception only of the first-class
cities will receive appointments upon
competitive examinations.
Al the beginning of this fiscal year
there were l,S2O seCond-class post
| offices and postmasters, and $3.50
| third offices and postmasters This
would mean 5000 additions to the civil
service lists II congress hould act ia
Vorably on the recommendation.
"a
offices i'm the United States only
those of the presidential class-first,
second and third rate-have assistant
postmasters.
In some quarters the contention is
made that in placing the assistan
postmasters under civil service this
class of appointees are taken out of
politics. absolutely. 1t does merely
In way. The assistant postmaster
will be retained indefinitely in his
position SO long as he is efficient and
his services in every way is satisfac-
tory To the department. But he is still
in politics. just the same.
Today. the great army of employees,
together with the officials, in the serv-
ice of the postoffice department rep
resent the most powerful political arm
of the administration, its ramifications
extending into every state and terri
tory of the country. The action of
the president in the case of the assist
ant postmasters merely curtails few
more appointments which have here
tofore been made through recommen-
dation Of congressman and the post
masters. IL is true these appointees
viii in the future be under no obliga-
tions 20 congressman in political
way, hut they will. nevertheless, con-
tinue to be a factor in local politics
Every branch OF the postal service
today is used politically. The post
master is the local boss. He gets his
orders from the travelling postoffice
inspector OF from authority higher up.
Then the postmaster hands down his
orders all along the line TO employees
Of every branch OF his office. So the
classification Of assistant postmasters
in the civil service should not be con-
strued as an act separating them ab-