Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1913-06-12
FOURTH CLASS POSTMAsTERS
MUST PROVE FITNESS FOR
THEIR PLACES.
EXAMINATIONS OPEN TO ALL
Competitive Tests viii Be Applied In
Every State-Clvil Service Com
mission Entering Upon Biggest
Job That Ever Confronted It.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

class postmasters of the country to-
day are going to school again. I'm
der the orders OF Postmaster General
Albert S. Burleson, sanctioned by
President Woodrow Wilson. who nat
urally takes deep interest in edu-
cational matters. the postmasters OF
humble rank soon will be called be-
fore examining boards not only to |
prove their fitness for their 5000 plus |
Jobs, but TO prove that they are bet |
ter fitted to hold them than are any |
OF their fellow townsmen with postof- |
iice ambitions.
Fourth class postmasters are now |
legally on civil service basis The |
fact that man holds the job at pres
ent will be of no service TO him I'M
less he can down other aspirants In
the competitive examinations which
soon are to be held all over the United
States. Here are the competitive tests
which will be applied.
l. Elementary arithmetic and &C
counts (simple tests in addition. sub
traction. multiplication and division
OF whole numbers and common and
decimal fractions and statements OF
the postmaster's accountsJ
2. Penmanship (the legibility. neat
] ness, and general appearance OF the
competitors handwriting in the sub
lect OF letter writing.
;. Letter writing "a letter OF not
less than 1875 words OIL any one or two
subjects furnished).
l. Copying manuscript address "a
simple test In copying accurately ad-
dresses given.
g. Facilities for transacting postal
business biased on the location OF the
postofiice site. the convenience OF Of
fee arrangements. etc..
Big Task for Examiners.
The civil service commission will
send examiners TO the county seats
for the purpose OF conducting these
postmastership examinations. The
task OF the "quizzers' will be big
one. for there are many thousands OF
fourth class postmasters. and prob
ably there will be many more thou
sands OF applications than there are
JOBS in sight Postmasters who are
receiving less than $3.50 year are not
10 be disturbed at this time. but 1t is
taken for granted that there will be
no strong protest against this exemp-
ton from the Democratic faithful who
are seeking preferment
Some OF the Republican members OF
congress are inclined to be Joccse over
this invasion OF the civil service into
the fourth class postmastership field
They are asking II. when the lists OF
the successful competitors are scan.
ned II will not be found that most OF
the successful ones Of good, true and
timetried Democrats This question
ing on the part OF the Republicans
carries with II an intimation that the
civil service commission. which is 70
conduct the examinations or the ex
aminers themselves. will not do Their
duty as II ought to be done, and II
| implies, also, that neither Mr.. Wilson
nor Mr. Burleson is sincere In this
latest civil service exploit There has
been very little complaint In the pas
OF the work OF the civil service com
mission. and IT is hardly likely thai
the commission or its agencies vii
stoop to trickery for the sake of help
ing some thousands OF men to get pic
ayune jobs.
Where Democrats probably vii
profit In a party sense by these com
petitive examinations for fourth GAS
postmasters is in cases where. unde
Republican rule. the jobs have beef
,,1ftfrn1 earyfra nnl Y
|. men who had no proper business quail
incations for the places. Fourth elias
postmasters OF this kind probably vii
/ he ousted before long. but Democrat
p may not profit any more than Reput
a leans. taking 1t for granted that tn
= average of intelligence in the two pal
3 lies is about the same. Except in tn
,: south there probably will be abou
ma many Republicans To take the e'
X aminatons as Democrats, and. there
$ ;ore fitness probably will rule.
-. Wall OF Porto Rico.
!. II is pretty well known in Washing
ton that the administration and I'll
Democratic leaders In congress les
sugar i'm its results on the Porto Rica
Industry more than they do the result
as they will affect the Louisiana plan
!, ers and the western beet-root gro'
ers. The administration and consre'
- are being told by possible alarmls
All that free sugar will ruin Porto Ric
o, Representatives of the Porto Rica'
ii are I'm Washington doing what the
,sn can to secure a change in the propose
or tariff legislation as it affects suga
W. The Porto Ricans say that with III
IN, sugar the most important Industry
r. the island will be wiped out. 1t is
: direful tale which the islanders te
Y and II things turn out as they s.
W. blackly It is certain that they WI
~ the island will experience destru
IN, IN. ton of its system OF public educato
: paralysis of public works and SAINT
n ton endeavor. and the impoverishme
81 and the throwing into condition
on absolute misery of 100000 Porto Ric'
. men. women and children.
l