Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1921-06-01
AND PosTMAsTERs
washington Evening Starr

President Harding's executive order
modifying the rules for the appoint
ment of first, second and third class
postmasters, while it has been called
return to the spoils system by few
writer's and "step forward" in eff
cheney by few others, on the whole
meets with as much approval as dis
approval. While admittedly the abil-
ity to choose the candidate from three
candidates securing the highest
marks in the civil service examina-
ton gives chance for politics to
enter into the appointment, most
newspapers seem to think that this
will not. greatly interfere with the
merit system.
The official explanation of the in
creased latitude in selection-Oppor-
tunity for the men whose practical
experience may more than make up
for lower grade on his examination
sheet is scoffed at by the Minnesota
Star independently, which declares
that the real intention is "a return
to the spoilsE system" and the Column
bia Record ldemocratic) says that
with one stroke Of the pen President
Harding has restored patronage,
opening the way for the postmaster
ships to fail to the pap-suckers," or,
as the New York World (democratic)
expresses it, putting this office black
into politics" and making farce Of
the merit system" The chance was
made, says the Roanoke Times (dem-
ocratic) Sin response to the strong
demand from party leaders every
where that the civil service rules be
amended to give the republicans a
chance at the post offices" The Har-
risburg News independent demo-
cratic) thinks that Mr.. Harding turn
ed "the clock back" and the Memphis
Commercial Appeal (democratic) says:
even if we look at the matter in
it's most favorable light we cannot
but say that the new administration
has taken a step backward in the
matter of civil reform"
The other side of the case is pre-
sented by such papers as the Flint
Journal independently, which believes
that ION the whole" the step will 'be
accepted as beneficial" and the st.
Louis Globe-Democrat (republican)
brands it as "sound policy. The
colchester Herald independently says:
President Harding has not COM
piled with all the desires of the Civil
Sercice Reform Association that have
been made manifest to him. But in
issuing the order modifying, though
in the main confirming, President
Wilson's order regulating appoint-
ments of postmasters of the first
three classes, he has gone much fur
Their in emancipating the postal serv-
ice from partisan politics than either
the partisans or the reformers ex-
pected."
Indeed, the Harding modification"
impairs the purpose of the Wilson
order Slightly, If at ALL" says the
Sioux City Tribune independently, for
practically the man who stands third
in an examination is as likely to per-
form the work of postmaster eff
GENTLY as the man standing first"
Republican writer's also call attention
to the fact that the Wilson order was
not put into effect until most of the
misunderstanding were filled with de
serving democrats" and so if the re-
publicans are now given a chance it
will be hardly a definite change Of
policy.
That much depends on the Postmas-
ter General the Detroit Free Press
independent admits, but believes
since she has shown none of the ear
marks of the spokesman" the new
liberty which the rule gives may re-
suit in better average of ability in
the men chosen. The Hartford Times
(democratic) finds the modification
"by no means uniustifiable" and con-
siders that President Harding main
tains the advantage gained by his
predecessors friendliness toward the
merit system.
The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot Cinde-
pendent democratic) is also able to see
its good side, tor, it remarks, if the
action must be construed as conces-