The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-03-13
CONGRESSMAN RAGE
ABOUT POSTMASTERS
PLACING THEM UNDER CIVIL
SERVICE is DENOUNCED BY
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS Eff
FECTIVE APRIL IST.

Postmaster General Burleson has
announced that after April l the ap-
pointment of all postmasters of the
first, second and third class would
be subject to competitive examina-
lions. Nominations will be sent to
the senate as in the past, but in MAX
ing selections the president will be
guided by the results of examinations
and will send in the names at the
head of the lists.
Whether the civil service commits
sion, under which fourth-class post
masters are now named, will conduct
the examinations has not been deter
mined.
The presidents forthcoming order
will provide for a term of modified
civil service classification under
which all vacancies, whether caused
by resignation, removal or death, will
be filled by competitive examination.
Those already in the service will con-
tinue without examination until the
expiration of four years term begin
ming with their last appointment, and
will then, it is understood, have to
undergo the competitive test.
Hornets Nest Stirred Up.
A hornets nest was stirred I'D bv
the announcement at the capitol,
where scores of members were in
their offices preparing to leave for
home. The order was roundly de-
nounced by some of the democratic
leaders and several members con-
strued it as move to get combined
democratic and republican support in
a politically uncertain house.
Representatives Rainey of Illinois.
Carter of Oklahoma, Harrison of
Mississippi, Wilson and Aswell of
Louisiana, Vinson of Georgia, Carlin
and Glass of Virginia, Dixon of In
diana, Rouse, johnson, Kincheloe and
Sherley of Kentucky, Decker of Mis-
souri,, Gray of Alabama and Sims of
Tennessee were in a group of demo-
Gratis who called on the postmaster
general and who were told about the
plan. Democratic Leader Kitchin, of
the house, delayed his departure for
North Carolina to go to the post
Office department to register his pro-
test.
One southern member asked if the
postmaster general had called them
there to ask their views, or to tell
them what had been done.
Il am telling you what is going to
happen" he replied.
Too Late for Protest.
The postmaster general is quoted
as having told them that it was too
late to protest, as the order had
been determined upon and would be
carried out.
Another member suggested that
the order would put many republicans
IN office, as many of the more active
assistant postmasters are republicans
retained by the democratic postmas-
tiers, and still another wanted to know
what would happen if the one man
certified from the examination were
a negro. The postmaster general, ac-
cordlng to those present, replied that
the examinations would have to take
place, and there would be ''no special
privileges to any one"
In the discomfort voiced by mem
bers after the conference some of
them complained that the order would
take out of political life some of the
most active supporters of the repre-
sentatives in congress.
A majority of the republicans join
ed with democrats recently in reject
ing a proposition for putting all post
masters under the civil service, when
an amendment to that effect was of
fered to an appropriation bill in the
house, although Republican Leader
Mann and few others favored it.