The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-05-05
"MERIT" SAYS MURRAY.
is What Figures in Appointments
For Post Offices.


Congressman Wm H. Murray sends
out the following letter for the con
Nenience of applicants for postoifice
or other positions.
lst Applications should not be sent
either to member OF congress nor
to the postmaster general, until just
! before the time of the present in
cumbent is to expire, since the policy
of the administration is not to MAKE
removals except for cause, and to
| file papers in advance of such time,
would only tend to iniure the appli-
cant.
2nd Each applicant should arrange
his letters of endorsement in neat
form, making an index of each per
son signing the endorsement, giving
the endorsers' postoffice address, Of
| ficial position in the party, occupa-
tion or profession. This index should
be attached to the endorsement and
copy Of the index sent to each
member of congreSs-this to enable
him TO get a line on the applicants
political a1iliation. The congressman
will care nothing for copies of let
ters of endorsement as they scarcely
have time to read the list of the
thousands of names endorsing the
various candidates.
3rd The applicant should write to
the member of congress, whom he
will entrust to push his case and.
of course, that should be his best
friend giving complete information
about the applicants past political
and business or professional career.
1t is important to know his age, his
past and present occupation, his past
character as a citizen. 1t is we'll to
state what state he is from; to state
how he has been as between Bryan
and the other elements of the party;
his choice for president before the
primaries, and, sometimes, it is well
to know how he stood in the last
senatorial race and, in fact, all the
information touching his qualification,
not only from the standpoint of his
allegiance and alignments with rela-
tion to the factions in the democratic
party. Sometimes it is important to
state 10 the department, as was
shown the other day in a contest
wherein our two senators had en-
dorsed different men, and the Post
master general inquired of me accu-
rate information touching all of the
matters and things | request above.
He took a note of them and, | pre-
sumo, will undertake to harmonize by
selecting some man who will be sat
isfactOry to the senators and cannot
be distasteful to the members OF
congress and, at the same time, VIII
meet the policy pursued by the ad-
ministration. Every applicant should
remember that merely a statement
that q desire you to recommend
such and such a person, is of but
little value to a member of congress,
who desires to be candid and fair
with the department.
4th | wish to request my friends
and, indeed every person who signs
a petition, before you sign 1t, ask
yourself this question: "lf the re-
sponsiblity were upon me, would
give This man the office" If he can
decide that question,
then his endorsement ought to be
but merely to endorse
because he is good teI-
low" puts us in a bad attitude and
leaves us at sea as 10 NndJ 10 dO d''h
will, eventually, injure the democrat
ic administration.
shall be glad to accept the en-
dorsement of any responsible citizen
who will, with good conscience say,
IF / held the appointive power, H
would appoint this man out of al
The applicants for this particular Of
ice
Remember that the department
VIII hold us, as members of CON
gress, responsible and, should We
make bad endorsements, we would
lot hold influence with the depart
nent very long as the people, in turn
Will hold us and the department, as
we'll as the entire democratic admin
stration, responsible for every ap-
continent made.
| would like to build up such n
equation with the department, that
It the end of two years, they would
ccent my statement without any
Ioubt of its truth-hence, | ask my
riends and, indeed all persons, to he
ust as candid with me as | am try
ng. and should be, with the &c
n r,rupnt