New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-06
BURLESON EAGER TO
GUST POSTMASTERS
Systematic Campaign Under
Way Against Republicans with
Long Terms to Serve.
COMPLAINTSBY INSPECTORS
Members of Congress Likely to
Demand an Explanation from
Postmaster General and
Fight Removals.
From The Tribune Bureau


Washington, July 5.-What is charac-
terized by Republican members Of Con-
gress as a systematic campaign by the
, Postofice Department TO rout Republi-
can postmasters from their offices on
manufactured" charges Of ineficiency
will probably be the subject Of resolu-
ton of inquiry TO be introduced In the
Senate in few days.
Members of Congress from several
Western states, particularly North and
South Dakota, have had their attention
/ called to the fact that inspectors OF the
! PostofFice Department have been making
/ hasty inspections of the more important
postofices and filing reports rejecting on
/ the official conduct of postmasters. In
some instances these charges are trivial.
| In others they are, 1t is asserted without
! basis Of fact.
! In almost every case, however, 1t APP
pears that the reports have been followed
/ by a communication to the postmaster
| from Postmaster General Burleson in
forming him Of the findings Of the In
spectors and suggesting that he resign
/ in order TO avoid being removed from
office
The case Of Postmaster Fish. OF San
| Francisco. whose resignation was de-
manded by Mr.. Bureson, seems to be
only one of many. The postmasters OF
| North and South Dakota have appealed
! TO their representatives, In Congress VINO
/ have advised them not 10 resign, but 10
force the department 20 remove them II
it is to persist I'm its apparent purpose 10
garner the "spoils" OF the Democratic
victory by forcing the Republicans 10
vacate their places.
Only Lonq Terms Wanted"
! Rcports from the Western states indl-
cate that only those Republicans VINO
have a considerable part OF their terms
vet 10 serve are the objects OF attack.
| Those whose terms will expire In a year
or less seem TO be immune from the ad-
verse recommendations OF the inspectors
| In most cases. also, the offices when pay
| from s., 500 to 5000 or more are subjected
10 the inspectors strutiny and the post
masters found wanting.
| Reports OF inspectors that postmasteFs
| have been inattentive TO their oihcial
duties and have been absent from their
offices large part Of the time have
been followed by ahdavits from clerks
stating that they had been Obliged 10
sign the inspectors reports without oeihs
allowed to qualify their statements ana
that an entirely erroneous impression was
conveyed by them. In communities III
which it Is alleged there has not been
single complaint against the postmaster
| by the residents, charges of mismanage-
ment and inattention to official duties
/ have been reported.
In one case woman postmaster was
reported to have been absent from her
office a large part of the time. No expla-
nation was made for her absence, but II
| is asserted by one of the Senator's from
the state that she is in a hospital In
Chicago recovering from a severe opera
| ton.
| In another case the postmaster is
charged with having neglected 10 90 over
the routes Of his three carriers within the
| last three months. The postmaster IN
question is said to have suffered an acct
dent which rendered him lame, incapaci-
tating him from going over tie routes
| unless he did IL on crutches.
Pouches Didn't Hang Right.
In still another case the inspectors,
after a hasty examination filed twenty
one charges against a postmaster the
most serious Of which was that the mail
pouches had not been hung up In the
manner provided by the regulations. In
each case the visitation Of the inspector
was followed by communication from
the Postmaster General asking for the
incumbent resignation
Although Republican members Of Con-
gress profess to have little hope OF pre-
venting the ousting of Republican Office
holders, they will, it is probable, at least
| introduce a resolution calling on the
Postmaster General for the information
on which he asks the designations. IL
this is adopted 1t will afford an opportu-
nifty for analysing the inspectors reports.
In any event there will probably be
fight when the nominations of Democratic
successors are sent 10 the Senate