The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-22
Hungry Democrats Are Clam.
oring for the Postolflces.
Receiving Little Encourage.
= Ment From Administration.
THOMPSON ALTERS BIOGRAPHY
Criticism Of First Sketch
Proves Too Strong for Him.
Congressman Anthony Intro.
duces Bills for Military Roads.

Washington. D. c., Dec. 92.-Under-
meath the surface there 10 much dis
content over the slowness with which
Democrats are getting Offices The
very slowly. 1t IL not what was ex-
pected. When the administration
came into power thousands who had
worked for the party during sixteen
lean years, began to hope for better
things. They have been disappointed.
: Democratic congressman In Wash
ington have done little. OF nothing. ex-
eept to make fruitless visits to the e.
ecutivo departments and then write
letters of explanation and apology to
their constituents at home. Some OF
them are getting FESTIVE under these
unhappy conditions.
Already there has been an evidence
In the house Of Representatives of an
antagonism to the civil service and an
effort to open the doors to the office
seekers. They assert that tho civil
service system, a. it has been admin-
istered' In the past. has been nothing
but q machine to keep Republicans in
and the Democrats out. They want
conditions reversed. 1t IL no satisfac-
ton to them to 60 through the de-
partments and find the same familiar
faces behind the desks. The vtctors
are not getting the spells.
placing of fourth-class postmasters
under civil service. From time imme-
mortal the fourth-class postmaster
has been the personal appointee OF tho
congressman. In some districts there
are several hundred Of these officials
and they have constituted a bulwark
Of political strength. Very frequently
into personal contact with everybody
in the neighborhood. In the discus
sions which are held around the stove.
the postmaster IL the oracle. His
words go a .ong way. The men to
whom he gives credit are apt to be In
fuenced by his opinion
All 10 Changed.
Now, all of this IL to be changed.
The Democrat who wants to be post
master must pass an examination. He
must stand among the three highest
ON the eligible list. To do this, he
must first Of all I'LL out an application
blank, with diagram of his town and
showing the location of the proposed
Office, with the distance from the rail-
road. He must also send In an archt-
tectural sketch Of the interior OF the
place, with the p -stoface section plain
~ marked. Then he must answer
questions siu decimal fractions. DEM
onstrate his ability to keep money or
der and parcel post accounts, and also
prove that he can write q letter gram
matically and with perfect spelling.
It is safe to say that not one man
in q Thousand could answer correctly,
of hand. the questions which are laid
before the applicant for an office pay
ing from $3.50 to $500 q year. In ad-
dition to this. he must certify that he
either owns the proposed location or
has arranged for its lease for q term
Of years. This means that he must
hustle around for an option, which
probably will cost him something, and
then must spend weeks in booming
up" for the examination. 1t b not q
pleasant prospect for the man VINO
worked Hike a beaver to get out votes
on election day in order to secure q
Democratic victory. Even II he
passes, he has thanks for his con-
9ressman. He has gained his appoint
ment by his own effort.
Kansas Has 5000.
There are something over 5000
fourth class postoffices IN the sun
It is putting the case mildly to say
that the Democratic congressman DO
not like the proposition which they
are up against. A few days ago GER
tain congressman received a letter
from the chairman Of one Of his
courties declaring that not one Demo-
crat in the county would take the ex-
animation. The chairman was quite
wrathy and indignant He told the
congressman that II this administra-
ton could not generously distribute q
few little fourth class misunderstanding
among the faithful ones, It could keep
all the Republicans In and take the
consequences. The congressman sent
hack q conciliatory letter.
Postmaster General Burleson has
added fuel to the fire by his repeated
announcements that he will hew
strictly to the line of the civil service
law and that politics will not enter
into the question of selection. He dis
tinctly asserts that any suggestion OF
POLITICAL influence will be fatal to the
chances Of an applicant. The Demo
cratic. congressman. do not know what
to make Of this excess Of virtue. They
find encouragement In his statement
tina. he will consult the congressman
even though he adds that this will moi
be in q political capacity, but merely
as to the character and standing of the
wouldbe postmaster. They think thai
this il the loophole through which
good Democrats can enter the office
holding paradise. although, OF course
the applicants must he among thu
three hf1heat m tho e1tClhla Hc< sr1,i,