The Washington times., 1912-11-29
TAFT IS kSSA|LEO
FOR POSTAL ORDER
BY congressman
Placing Fourth Class Post
masters in Classified Serv-
ice Called Trick.

Resentment Of Democrats at the
order of President Taft placing 5000
fourth class postmtsters in the ciassi-
fed service has broken forth. open and
unashamed. The broadside was ievcicd
at the President by Congressman Cor
dell Hull OF Tennessee.
Coming at the time and under the
circumstances II did," said Mr. Hull,
this order Of the. President Is stepped
in the deepest political dye. and con-
stitutes within itself . gross violation
of the letter. the spirit. and the whole
purpose Of the civil service law. because
II places this immense horde Of Repub-
licans-to the exclusion Of Democrats
permanently in office, without examina-
ton or test a. to merit or efficiency"
The regulations issued by the Civil
Service Commission do not require an
examination, even when q vacancy oc-
ours, in fourth class postofhce. A
postoffice inspector "sises up the ap-
pIicants, as to his ability to run q post
office and to provide proper quarters
in which the postoffice may be main
tained, makes a report to the Postofiice
Department, and the department. in
turn. makes a report to the Civil Serv.
ice Commission.
How It All Works.
Tho report to the Civil Service Com
mission Is perfunctory. The actual ap-
po,ntment Of the postmaster will he
made at the Postoffice Department.
which will be. as now. a political Of
fee. The report to the Civil Service
Commission merely will be a record Of
what has been done. without super
visory power on the part Of the COM
mission, except when It's regulations
have been palpably violated.
II the Taft order Is permitted TO
stand It is expected that an effort will
be made 20 put through the Norris bill.
or some similar measure. removing the
Postoffice Department itself from poll
tics. Democrats regard thfs as the sec
ond best thing they can do. II they
fail to persuade Governor Wilson to sus-
pend or revoke President Tafts order,
the Democrats will then go forward
with vengeance to absolutely wipe
politics out OF the entire postal service.
Despite the fact that politics and re-
ligion are presumed to play no part in
determining the identity Of fourth-class
postmasters hereafter. It is a notable
fact that all Of them are now Repub-
leans. and II President Taft's order
is permitted to stand. there will be in
every village In the country one Federal
office holder around whom the stand
pat. conservative Republican element
may gather.
May Aid Republicans.
This may prove an important factor
in holding the old Republican party to-
gether during the next four years. Fifty
thousand Republican postmasters dis
tributed over the entire United States
make very tangible foundation for
the party Of President Taft. Senator
Crane. and william Barnes during the
coming four years. when there will be
very few other pegs on which the shat
tered organization can depend. The Or
der Of President Taft leaves Republican
postmasters standing up like sore
thumbs In thousands OF communities
where the President ran third in the
last election and where. as in Florida,
he ran even fourth in the race.
The order. made October Is, was not
accorded much attention at first, but
with the increasing clamor Of Demo-
Gratis and the serious attention that is
being given this peculiar order BY rea!
friends OF the classified service It Is eug-
! ges;ed that II may prove to be another
huge blunder Of tho Taft Administra.
| tion.