South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-14
POSTMASTER CRABILL'S RESIG-
NATION.

POSTMASTER CRABILL'S RESIG-
NATION.
Just word with regard 10 the res
ignation Of Cadmus r. Crabill as post
master. 1t is regrettable that our
Journalistic neighbor should
have raised the question. We gavetit
the first chance and il utilized it, In
attempting TO make political capital out
OF the incident, it did exactly what was
to be expected OF it in its lack OF pO-
litical acumen.
Postmaster Crabil has always been
regarded as an estimable citizen. AS
a man among men, distinctly under
stand that we have not criticism 10
offer of him. in the least. Personally
we like him. As a stamp clerk. and in
other capacities as postoffice emplOye,
he measured fully up to the standard.
Then he was made postmaster. 1t
was in the good old republican days
when the republican newspapers con-
trolled the postoffice patronage, and
everybody in South Bend knew from
Whence Mr.. CrabiH received his pro-
motion, and likewise his reappoint-
ment
Now this same appointive influence
asserts that Postmaster Crabill has
been forced To- resign through the
Vaccinations of President Wilson's ad-
ministration Very well. then. suppose
that he has. Do Mr.. Crabin and his
journalistic olitico godfather want
the South Bend public TO know what
the material upon which those mach
innatiOns worked was like? out with
il gentlemen. We still leave it to
you.
When Postmaster Crabill informed
us Saturday that his resignation was
filed absolutely without pressure,
but was due TO ell health and a con-
templated trip TO California, we pre-
sumed that ne knew what he was talk
ing about, and gave him that credit.
Maybe our North Main st. contempO-
rary knows better, and since they have
touched the issue il might be conclud-
ed that it is in part right.
We will presume. TO the end Of maxi
ing it as light for. the retiring post
master as possible. that the charges
against him have been merely charges
OF ineficiency, and will leave it to our
readers to say if such charges sus-
tained-are not quite enough?
tt might also be well 10 add that
these charges. regardless of the brand
Of efficiency TO which they refer, be-
gan 10 reach Washington long before
President Wilson arrived there. and
r.
eral Hitchcock overlooked several
when they entered that February,
1912, reappointment
We are not presuming to say that
there have been no complaints since
then. Undoubtedly there have. but
here rises the point.
Postmaster Crabill knows, and his
journalistic godfather knows. and
everybody else knows. that unless these
charges were sustained all the powers
of Washington could not have remov-
ed Mr.. Crabill in advance of the expi-
ration of his commission.
And if the charges be sustained.
what ought To be done? Should the
demand for efficiency in the postofiices
of the land be overloOked-even as it
was overlooked by President Taft and
Postmaster General Hitchcock-just
To keep down the grumble of the per
sonal and political friends of the man
complained Of?
Mr.. Crabill was given an opportu-
nifty 10 resign That he has done
nothing criminal is apparent from that
evidence. 1t might have passed as a
resignation, without pressure, had
his friends been so disposed. but since
they prefer otherwise; we'll the best
We can say is that we regret Mr.. era
bill having among his friends, men Of
such poor discernment
Maybe he is SO deep in love with
the *. o. D." that he has no objection
10 being its goat for political pur-
poses. in which case. the airing OF his
shortcomings should be acceptable as
a natural consequence