The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-03-13
SERVICE
IS BEING CRIPPLED
(By Winfield Jones.J
Special to The chieftain.

t2HNSAoi " AI NhANANoih-
Washington, March 1S-The politi-
cal machine which Postmaster Gen
eral Hitchcock has built up by means
of his authority at the head of the
postoffice department is in line for an
Investigation by the democratic house.
The democrats have well-laid plan
to probe deep into the machine-build-
ing activities of the postmaster gen.
sxeral.
It is admitted that there is no one
department in the government services
where the searchlight could be turned
on with more success than in the
posto Gice apartment
For ma months there have been
reliable reports that Mr. Hitchcock
had been quietly laying his plans for
The capture of delegates for Taft, par
ticularly in the south. The democrats
want to know:
Whether postmasters throughout the
country, first class and otherwise, are
giving proper attention to their of
ices.
Whether it is not fact that many
of these postmasters accept their trust
from the government as "side-line'
to be conducted in connection with
private business.
~ fes ftaf =
masters spend much of their time cam
paigning for the republican cause, to
the detriment Of official business of
their offices.
For what reasons various postoffices
have been discontinued, or moved, up
on orders from washington without
consulting the wishes of the patrons
of the office.
House democrats believe that right
under the eyes of the house the willy
postmaster general is putting in order
political machine that full force of
which will be felt when the standpat
republicans try to renominate Taft for
4 president.
1t is also claimed that the postal
service is being crippled. 1t is claim
ed that in many towns men are nam
ed for postmasters who have private
businesses that require all their time.
It is openly charged that in every state
there are men who hold commissions
as postmasters at important offices
who spend practically no time at their
duties. The real work is left to sub.
ordinates, while the politician-post-
masters, secure in the knowledge that
they can deliver certain number OF
delegates when the time arrives, con.
tent themselves with looking after
other matters.
It is claimed that the postmaster gen
eral has named as postmasters bank
ers, lawyers, merchants, and Others
who regard their allegiance to the
postal service as secondary to private
interests. 1t is also claimed that these
politician-postmaster show great ae'
tivity in organizing their friends in
support of the republican cause, that
they are chairmen of county or city
republican committees, and that much
of their time is spent in campaigning
How much time do these postmas
ters spend upon personal vacations
and how much in speechmaking and
campaign arguments is one of tht
questions the democrats want answer
ed.
"The time has come for an investiga-
+ tion," said prominent democratic
congressman the other day | have
been watching conditions in my own
state and l will soon have some i'm
portant revelations to make. ! know
that there are postmasters in my state
who are seldom seen about their of
fees. They are off in cnarge of cam
paigns, rounding up votes, making po
litical arguments, or laying plans for
the future. Their work is left to sub
ordinates
st is also time that the house in
quire into the promiscuous discontinue
alton of offices. Under Hitchcock, Of
fees are abandoned or moved on the
word Of a referee, who sometimes lives
hundred miles or more from the