The Sentinel=record., 1913-03-15
PRESIDENT WILSON CATERS TO SUPPORT AND INFLUENCE
 OF PRoeRtsslvss.
PEABODY FOR RLOEB'S POSITION
rostmaster BurIeson Working on His Plan to Have Supervision Over Naming of 10000 Postmasters
 Throughout the Country.

Washington, March 1i-Senator l-aFollette made his first call tonight at the White House in more than three years. He was the invited guest of President Wilson, and spent almost an hour with nim in his study m the executive mansion
 He would make no statement as 10 the purpose of his visit, but il has been an open secret for days that he was expected to discuss matters of legislation with the president.
 President Wilson is known to hold the Progressive Republican senator III high regard. He watched his career for many years as governor of Wis consin, and as United States senator. lie referred to Mr. LaFollette in terms Of praise in many of his speeches during the campaign for the presidency.
 It was generally understood that he wished especially to get the views Of Senator LaFollette upon tariff re- vision, currency legislation, Alaska. and the effect of physical valuation of railroads as provided for by congress in the closing days of the last ses- sion.
 The conference tonight was merely preliminary to others to be held lat CT as the situation in congress oe. yelops. Other Progressive senators will be asked to the White House rom time to time and the president hopes many of them Will find 1t con sistent 10 line up with the democrats in passing what he believes is pro sressive legislation.
 Four prominent democrats were an- ter consideration by President Will son today for important offices Joseph K. Davies of Wisconsin. secre- tary of the democratic national com mittee, has been offered the assistant secretaryship of war. and if he de- ciines it, may get a foreign post
 Geo. Foster Peabody of New York. former treasurer of the democratic national committee, Is desired for the coliectorship of the port of New York. With Secretary sIcAdoo of the treas ury department, Mir. Peabody saw the president during the day and it was said the coilectorship had been of lered him
 Dudly Field Malone, of New York, who has campaigned in several states for Mir. Wilson. has been offered the position of assistant to the attorney general, in charge of customs court cases. Mr Malone is being urged for an assistant secretaryship of state
 Former Gov. John Burke of North Dakota, was regarded tonight as the choice for United States treasurer, and it Is said he has the offer under consideration
 Postmaster General Burleson today began developing his plan to pre- scribe a civil service examination for fourth class postmasters, He con. suited with Civil Service Commission- CT John A. McIlhenny, who told him t would be practical to hold examina- tions that would be true tests of the applicants ability.
 The fourth class postmasters, near ly 40 1000 of them now are in the classified service, having been placed there by executive orders under the Roosevelt and Taft administrations. postmaster General Burleson said to- day that the spirit of the civili ser vice was violated in putting all these officers into the classified service and that he proposed to place them on a strictly civil service basis.
 Many of those who today hold positions as fourth class pastmast. ers, said Mr Burleson, secured them as a result of pernicious poli- tical activity The postoffice depart ment should be a business institution, run on scientific business lines, 1 intend to use the weight of my in' huence to make It such.'
 The civil service, as applied to the consular service of the government Is subject that will be studied thor oughly by Secretary Of State Bryan, in the near future and 1t is expected the matter will be taken up with President Wilson as soon as its effec- tiveness is determined
 it has reported to Mir. Bryan that of the candidates for consular positions which have passed the civil service test and those now occupy ing posts under civil service appoint ment. .95 per cent are republicans. That only five percent of the success iul applicants were democrats, admin istgation leaders are inclined to re- gard as somewhat unusual.
 Secretary Bryan said today, how ever that many things of more pres sing importance were engaging his and the presidents attention just at this tune, 'The consular service, said MT Bryan. can wait until other things of more urgent importance nave been determined. if will be con sidered thoroughly when We come to it.a