The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-22
TO KEEP OLD men
NDOstnasters Who Have Good
Records Hold Jobs.
President Makes Plain Stand on
Federal AppOintees.
WRITES TO CAMPBELL
Tells Congressman He Intends
TO Follow Custom.
SenateSometime sCausesTrOuble
i'm Appointments.
WRITES TO CAMPBELL


their rating of efficiency. They decnne
no believe that President Taft and the
? postmaster general are strictly auheIlIs
to The policy adopted by FIeslue s :
Roosevelt which practically divorced
these Jobs from politics IN otneI
words. the common belief prevails tnal
the existing rule is kept IN force meIe
" as a "protection' for members OF
congress against the hungry poilI-
clans and is subject to more OF less
elasticity to fit the case
The rigid enforcement of this pollcy
in the postoffice department is caus-
Ing sad awakening every day in the
wear to politicians when they are con-
fronted with the real conditions re-
specting the appointments
Presidential postofnces are no longer
nstronage particularly so far as mem
hers of the house of representatives, are
concerned Representatives are no long
er even referees where changes are pro-
posed unless when called upon oy Lhe
5enar+rnent to recommend candidates
rThis is q cold, sad fact. and strikes
the average members OF the mouse y
the vital part of his heart. There are
~ course some few members OF the
house who welcome with cheer this
hide bound policy, which relieves them
Of The possibility Of deciding many
poIiticaI uuarrels in their districts tnat
eenerauy foment to d1sruptlnS ue
5ree among their political friends and
supporters.
With the members Of the senate the
rllle respecting appointments OF presl-
dsntiai nostmasters applies differently
TO a more or less degree because eacn
senator, regardless OF his pohtlcal
party. is a part and parcel OF the ap-
noinfive power of the government
However the postoff1ce department
" it'll the backing of the president,
Makes every possible effort to enforce
IL policy with senators. but II goes
not always succeed by any means
There are cases where senators force
changes to be made in big poStofnceS
for political reasons ana the duIIlil-
istration is compelled to acquiesce IN
them On the other hand, by reason u
their power, senators frequently tore
stall nominations recommended oy rne
department welfare, and thus 1orcs
retention of incumbent5 regardless OF
their efficiency rating. Another IhlIls
sen1tors always insist that they deslg-
nate the postmaster Of their home
city.
President Forced to Make Changes.
An presidential postmaster appoint
r7An+s are referred to the senate COM
1nittee on postoffices and postroads- Inc
senators from the particular state III
which the appointments are nldue q
notified Of the nominations as soon as
received by the committee. II sen
tstor finds a man nominated who IS
bersonally distasteful to him, all ne
Enas to do is to go before the comInlt-
tee and show grounds Tor TINS oppO-
sftior 10 confirmation OF the appoint
rnent Should the committee feel the
senator is fully justified in the prem
ses it makes an adverse report OIL nc
case to the senate in executive ses-
sion and the president is later re-
o1ested to withdraw the nomination
Il is an old tradition of the senate
to support a senator in opposing tn9
appointment of any man to rederd
once who is personally distasteful TO
him.
Recent correspondence between Pres
{dent Taft and Congressman Phllfp +.
Campbell of Kansas lays to rest all
doubt as to the policy of the admin.
istration respecting the appointment OF
PRESIDENTIAL postmasters, which include
all Offices of the first, second and thlro
classes.
MI Campbell asked the president If
the latter would appoint present in
allr1 bents for another term or new
postmasters on his recommenuatIuh
without regard to the position OF the
the old postmasters. The congress-
mans letter of inquiry, which has just
been made public, follows:
Position Made Plain.
House of Representatives.
Washington, D. C.,
November IA, 1911
The President. White House.
nv Dear Mr. President: 1 wrote the
postmaster general on the 4th inst,
saving that the commissions of num-
Der of postmasters in my district would
exDire within two or three months. and
asked him if appointments would be
made on the expiration of these COM ?
missions on my recommendation with
out regard to the rating of the post .
master whose commission was expiring .
I have the postmaster generals letter
of the 18th inst, saying that the de-
&artment Will at the expiration of the .
Nsrns of the presidential poStmasters .
recommend them for reappointment .
when their services have been satisfac-
tory TO the department.
Now. I want to know whether or not
Won will appoint either the old post
masters for another term or appoint
a new one that I may recommend.
without regard to the position of the
postoffice department on the rating of
the old postmaster
Yours very truly.
tSigned.) P. P. CAMPBELL
Here is the presidents reply:
The White House,
Washington, Nov. Is. 1911.
Hon. p P. Campbell, House of Repre-
NV Dear Campbell: I have your in
oI1ir,v of November A. in regard to
prospective vacancies in the postoffices
in your district
NV predecessor adopted the policy of
retaining efficient postmasters in the
service. and have continued that
practice. If the postmasters whose
terms are about to expire have made
snicient and altogether satisfactory
efficers of the government, they are
entitled to reappointment- If the post
office department recommends that a
change be made, I shall invite you to
nominate new candidates
Sincerely yours,
(Signed) VIM. H. TAFT
Helps Wipe Out Deficit.
The postmaster general declares the
policy of retaining efficient postmaSters
has, to a very large degree, been re-