The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1921-05-14
FEDERAL PATRONAGE IN GEORGIA
Is TO BE DISPENSED THROUGH
NATL COMMITTEEMAN.

Washington, May by Order OF
the Harding administration promul-
gated by the pOstofhce department,
all eligibles for appointment to py.
masterships IN Georgia and all cligi-
bles for appointment to rural mail
carrier positions in Georgia, these
constituting in the bulk OF the feder-
al patronage in that and all other
states OF the union, will in the flu
= ture be referred directly and only
! to Henry Lincoln Johnson, the Re-
| publican Natinoal Committeeman from
that state. While the order has not
| yet been issued as to GIN inspectors,
whose appointments are made through
the department of commerce, il is
understood that they will take the
same course.
This action settles definitely the
policy of the administration as to
the minor appointments in Georgia,
and whether or not it will hold as
to the first, second and third-class
postmasters. which are now also un-
der the civil service and subject to
appointments from eligible lists,
} depends upon whether or not the
postoffice department ignores the
executive order of President Wilson
placing presidential postofice also
under civil service.
, FOurth-class postmaster. rural mai
carriers and gin inspectors are al
, under the civil service by statute
The law provides that after the eX.
aminitions have been made for APP
D pointment to any one of these posi-
D tions, that the three highest candi
D dates shall constitute eligible lists
D and from such lists, the appointe!
are named.
- Heretofore and until now. thes
8 lists have been furnished in thei
D regular order to the congressman il
D whose district appointments are t.
U be made.
U This congressman has made tn
y recommendations from the "eligibl
U lists and sent the same to the de
1 partment of commerce, and such rec
U concentrations have been invariabl
y recognized by commissions. 1t ha
" been the order to recommend tn
y man making the highest examination
/ average, but not mandatory. The ne'
order is to the effect that all sue
q eligible lists for appointments in con
q gressional districts throughout tn
United States that are represente
= in congress, by democrats shall b
II withheld from such democratic cor
% gressmen and sent direct to tn
N national committeeman of the stat
20 for his recommendation.
ie When the point was made direct
= to the attention of the chief clerk {
i, the first assistant postmaster gener;
by members of the Georgia delegi
c ton that the national committeema
- in Georgia was Colored, and whetht
!, or not any exception had been mac
1 to this, in the general administr;
70 ton order, the reply was specif
:, that these lists were now being SCI
n, to Johnson.
w This situation having developed
ID acutely, therefore, puts to an ell
at all speculation as to a board
sd referees to be named in Georgia fl
~, the distribution of all federal patrol
81 age, and verifes the predictions mae
n that there would be no refrees
10 Georgia, and that the factions won
40 not be recognized as such by Il
20 administration.
~ Henry Lincoln Johnson, the n
~ tional committeeman, has thus |
-, virtue of his office, been made pra
m tically the appointive power of fe
~ eral patronage under the civil Sc
q. vice act as far as jurisdiction go
under the law.