Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1913-06-05
P. NJ s ARE STUDYING
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 Il.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-Most Of the fourth
class postmasters Of the country to-
day are going to school again. Un-
der the orders of Postmaster General
Albert s. Burleson. sanctioned by
President Woodrow Wilson, who nat
urally takes a 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-
fce ambitions.
Fourth class postmasters are now
legally on a civil service basis. The
fact that a man holds the job at pres
ent will be Of no service to him IN
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 accounts.)
2. Penmanship (the legibility. neat
ness. and general appearance of the
competitors handwriting in the sub
5ect of letter writing).
3. Letter writing Ga letter OF not
less than 125 words on any one or two
subjects furnished).
4. Copying manuscript address "a
simple test in copying accurately ad-
dresses given. ... ..
8. 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 a big
one, for there are many thousands of
fourth class postmasters, and prob
ably there win be many more thou
sands of applications than there are
jobs In sight Postmasters who are
receiving less than $3.50 year are not
to 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 jocose 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, 1t will not be found that most of
the successful ones of good. true and
time-tried Democrats. This question
ing on the part of the Republicans
carries with it an intimation that the
civil service commission, which is to
conduct the examinations or the ex-
aminers themselves, win not do their
duty as 1t ought to be done. and 1t
implies. also, that neither Mr.. Wilson
nor Mr.. Burleson is sincere In this
latest civil service exploit. There has
bCCh lLtkiC III tuC past
of the work of the civil service COM
mission, and 1t Is hardly likely that
the commission or its agencies will
stoop to trickery for the sake Of help
ing some thousands of men to get pic
ayune jobs.
Where Democrats probably will
profit In party sense by these COM
petitive examinations for fourth class
postmasters is in cases where, under
Republican rule. the jobs have been
given to men for political service only,
men who had no proper business quail
ifications for the places. Fourth class
postmasters Of this kind probably win
be ousted before long.
Wall Of Porto Rico.
II Is pretty Wen known in Washing
ton that the administration and the
Democratic leaders in congress fear
sugar in its results on the Porto Rican
industry more than they do the results
as they will affect the Louisiana plant
ers and the western beet-root grow
ers. The administration and congress
are being told by possible alarmists
that free sugar will ruin Porto Rico
Representatives Of the Porto Ricans
are In Washington doing what they
can to secure change in the proposed
tariff legislation as It affects sugar.
The Porto Ricans say that with free
sugar the most important industry on
the island will be wiped out II is a
direful tale which the islanders tell.
and II things turn out as they say
blackly It is certain that they will,
the island will experience destruc-
ton Of its system OF public education.
paralysis of public works and santa