The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-08-29

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the new administration. These big
Jobs, nearly every one Of which has to
do with the well-being Of millions Of
the people and carries with 1t greater
responsibility than all civil life can
parallel pay, on the average, $4,000 a
year. Quite naturally five-thousand-
dollar man is not big enough for, such
a. job. So the appointive power
throws out the dragnet for men big
enough for the given task who place
public service above profit, or who
regard the distinction of a federal Of
fee as compensation, or who are men
of parts despite the fact that they may
not have yet gained such financial
standing as to make a hundred dol
lars a week look unattractive. Have
look at some of these jobs, says w.
A. DuPuy, in the Philadelphia Record.
Indian Commissioner.
Take, for instance, the commission
er of Indian affairs. That official Is In
reality the administrator Of great
estate. This estate is valued at $780,
100000. 1t is the biggest estate In
the world. There are 100000 heirs
to it. They are mostly, in the eyes of
the law, minor heirs and the estate
must be managed for them, their
moneys must be collected, must be Ia
ken care of, must be distributed. Not
only this, but each Of the individuals
in the 100000 must be carefully look
ed after He must be kept healthy.
He must be given the advantages OF
schooling. He must be led toward self
supporting manhood. He must be
given the rights Of manhood whenever
he proves himself fit.
The man who Is responsible for the
administration Of so huge an estate
should be a man of unimpeachable
character and of many parts. 1t fell to
Secretary Lane of the department OF
the interior, to find such a man. He
dragged the country for the individual
of just the right qualifications and ex.
perience. Finally he settled upon Cato
Sells of Cleburne, Texas, for the post
Mr.. Sells was not a candidate for the
post, but was appointed only after
special agents of the department had
looked into every step in his career
with the idea of determining whether
or not he was the right sort Of man
to handle one of the most trying posts
in the government service.
Chief Patronage Dispenser.
Over in the postofice department is
a man who is in the very midst OF
appointing $4,000 postmasters. In ad
dition to this he is the chief Of STAFF OF
an army of $4,000 clerks and letter
carriers. In addition to this he is the
superintendent Of 10000 postoffices
and has the control of the policies
that govern them. And still in add
ton to this he has direct charge of the
development Of the parcel post, which
is attempting to carry packages for q
hundred million people. Altogether
no mean Job.
This man is Daniel c. Roper, first
assistant postmaster general
The sixty-two thousand postmasters
who are appointed from Washington
actually receive their commissions
from the president or the postmaster
general. First Assistant Roper Is
however, the man who handles all the
detail that leads up to those appoint
ments. That army Of city letter car
riers, which has increased from 10000
twenty years. ago to 10000 at the pres
ent date. is Immediately under his
care, and every rule and regulation
for it's control originates in his office
The same is true of the $4,000 clerks
of the $4,000 postmasters and various
other odds and ends that go to make
up the 100000 people who are under
the command Of the postmaster gen
eral. This first assistant Is to the
postmaster general very nearly what
the chief Of stan Of the army is to the
secretary of war But he has a big
ger force to deal with, scattered over
vastly more territory and performing
service of infinitely greater detail
Rural Organization.
In the department of agriculture a
brand new job has Just come into be
ing and brand new man has been
appointed to fill it. This Job is one Of
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