Evening journal., 1914-05-14
THURSDAY MAY IA. 1914.
Low.LEvEL PATRONAGE.

VAT print another part of our paper today story
w Of Democratic sorddness and ttleness in the
matter Of Federal patronage. 1t is well worth reading
aud every Delawarean matter what hs politics may
be, should peruse it Understandings
Baldwin Springer a Wilmington lawyer, q former
Assistant City Solicitor and a Democratic follower of
willard Salisbury, junior United States Senator from
state has been appointed, through Salisbury in
huonce by Director Harris. of the Federal Bureau OF
the Census ranscriber of mortality statistics for the
city of Wilmington Last year the work that he has
been appointed to do paid the who did it $50. It
viii pay little if anything, to the man who does
It this year.
The Wilson administration stutned itself when it
made such Office part of its patronage.
Senator Salisbury stuhhed himself when he offered
such place Mr.. Springer reward for past par
performances,
Mr. Springer stutihed himself professional man
and Democrat when he accepted such Job from his
political leader
Director Harris of the Bureau of the Census, stut
fed himself when, i'm effort to foist Mr.. Springer
into the miserable little Office he threatened to leave
OF the Federal Mortality Report for 1914 the mortal
ity statistics of the city of Wilmington.
1t is shameful piece OF business an the way
through and that is deserving Of public condem-
nation.
past It has been tho practice for the Secretary
OF the Hoard of Health and Registrar vital stlts-
ties for tho city of Wilmington TO the mortality
-iHsther iho Registrar was a Democrat a Republican
CT whether the national administration was Demo
cratic or Republican that work went right along.
no Democrat mean to begrudge Republ-
can Registrar the pin-money pittance that accrued
from 70 and Republican was so mean as to begrudge
a Democratic Registrar the small amount of Federal
money he got out of it, Everybody looked upon il as
little sde-ne perquisite for whoever chanced to be
Secretary Of the Board Of Health ana Registrar OF
vital Statistics It remained for the Salisbury machine
to discover that the office partisan patronage 10
remained for Mr.. Springer discover that the S56-
a-year Job something worth having independently
Of the office Of Secretary Of the Board Health and
Registrar Of Vital Statistics. The Democratic plan
that Captain ]. Austin Ellison, the Republican
Registrar here should get from day day the infor
nation desired by the Census Bureau, and that Mr.
Springer Salisbury Democrat should drop in casually
copy Captain Enisons work. forward it to Washington
and collect and pocket the pittance paid for IT,
Captain Ellison who is president OF the Young Mems
Republican Club, refused to become a party to such
scheme Of peanut politics. He informed Director
Harris Of the Bureau of the Census that he would not
supply the Information to Mr.. Springer
Director Harris retorted that II Captain Ellison per-
sisted in that policy the mortality statistics Of viii
mington would not appear in the 1914 report of that
bureau but that in its stead there would be a note ex-
planning that the information had been refused
Captain Ellison replied that he had no objection Ia
Director Harris pursuing such a course as IL would
supply opportunity for him 70 show that Director Har
ris is thinking more about playing politics than about
discharging the legitimate functions Of his important
public Office
We feel that most Delawareans viii think tha
Captain Ellison is right and that Director Harris h
wrong and that would be outrageous him 20 omi
from the 1914 report the mortality statistics for ou
city merely because their securement cannot be accom-
panied by $50 worth Federal patronage for a saus
bury Democrat who II he possessed proper pride
would spurn such tender from Senator Salisbury o
the Wilson administration.