Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-06-21
.NOl(DR[VOUION|l[
Patronage SYSTEM
BILL TO BE PRESSED ON CON.
GREss TO TRANSFER APP
PolNTIvE POWER.
WOULD TAKE PosTMAsTERs
AWAY FROM PRESIDENT
Congressman Sims Proposes to Put
Postal Patronage in Hands Of Head
Of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES to Prevent
Political Traffiekins Among Mem-
bers of House and Senate.
[.eou,puodsea1oo 1elosds]

I
Washington, June 21.-Congressman
Sims of Tennessee, one Of the demo-
cratic leaders of the house will urge at
! the next session bill to give the post
master general authority to appoint all
postmasters.
{, Already Judge Sims has intro
duced Ill of this kind. He intro
duced 1t risht al the close OF the recent
session. He will reintroduce it at the
outset of the next session.
! Il intend TO make the best fight l
! know how for the bill" said Judge
Sims today u believe it is impor-
tant and that congress ought to
pass it,
The bill is a simple looking measure
which. provides briefly for clothing the
postmaster general with the necessary
authority to appoint all postmasters.
On the face of things, the bill seems
to raise merely a question whether the
postmaster general should be given
such authority as is proposed But
there is much more involved than TINS.
1t is the purpose of Judge Sims to
reduce to a minimum what he regards
as the present great evil of traffick-
ing in patronage on the part OF Sena-
tors and members of the house. Per
sons who have not studied this evil
Intimately do not understand the pro-
portions Of this evil. Judge Sims mas
seen the workings of the system at
close hand over a period OF many
years and he wants to END II. he
realizes, of course, that it would not
be ended entirely by his bill but holds
it would help materially.
AS things are now, there are numer-
Gus senators and house members VINO
do little else while in Washington out
haunt the White House and the de-
partments looking for jobs for their
political friends. The postoffice de-
partment, having a great number OF
jobs in the form Of postmasterships TO
dispense, is Mecca for the Job.
hunters.
Too Much Pressure.
The postmaster general is not ieit
free to pick postmasters as he wants
to but the patronage hunters In con-
gress exert all manner Of political
pressure. They carry their cases TO the
president and they go TO the point IN
some instances of refusing to support
administration legislation unless they
get the jobs they demand.
| = 1t is a case on the one hand OF too
many men in congress selling their
votes, not for pay, but in return for
Jobs for their heelers and on the other
hand Of the administration buying
votes in senate and house by use OF
offices.
Needless to say. the situation is not
peculiar to the present administration.
/ ~ haS hpp O.
ticed since the early days of the re-
public.
Judge Sims holds that if the system
were abolished under which post
| masters are named by the president on
recommendation of members Of con-
gress it would virtually put the post
offices out of politics and that the
postoffices would soon cease to be used
| for barter, political and legislative. by
senator's and representatives
| The postmaster general now APP
| points fourth-class postmasters. who
are under civil service, at least in
| theory Judge Sims points out there
| are about $500 other postmasters in
presidential offices Of the frst, second
and third class and that there is no
reason why the postmaster generai
should not name them. If this bill
should pass, he thinks it would be but
Il little while before the civil service
system would apply to all the post
/ offices of the country. This would re-
move a great burden from the White
House and also from large NUMBER
of members Of congress who would De
! glad to be relieved of the task OF max
ling postoffice recommendations. While
there are plenty of men in senate and
house who continually poster the ad-
| ministration for appointments, 1t is
also true that there are a large NUNS
Der of senators and house members
who are Disguised with system that
prevents them from giving their best
| efforts purely to legislation.