Evening star., 1921-05-23
Editorial Digest
Patronage and postma asters.

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President H.rdings executive order
modifying the rules for the appoint
ment OF first. second and third class
postmasters, while It has been called
a return to the spoils system by few
| writer's and a step forward" in efti-
cheney by few others. on the whole
meets with a. 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-
| tion gives a 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
crea sed latitude in selection-oppor-
tun1ty for the man whose practical
experience may more than make up
Sheet-is scoffed at by the Minnesota
star Independently, which declares
that the real intention is "a return
10 the spoils system" and tho Colum-
bia Record (democratic) says that
with one stroke of the pen President
harding has restored patronage
opening the way for the postmaster
ships to fall to the pap-suckers." or
as the New York World (democratic)
expresses 1t. putting this office back
into politics. and making a farce of
the merit system The change was
made. says the Roanoke Times (dem-
ocratic) lin 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 MIR. Harding turn
ed the clock back" and tho Memphis
Even if we look at the matter in
it's most favorable light we cannot
out say that the new admin st ration
mas taken a step backward in the
matter of civil service reform"
The other side of the case is pre-
Journal independently. which believes
that 'on the whole" the step Will "be
accepted as beneficial" and the St
Louis Globe-Democrat (republican)
brands 1t as sound policy" The
Rochester Herald Independently says:
president Harding has not com
piled with all the desires of the Civil
Service 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
thcr in emancipatinS 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 independcnt), for
practically the man who stands third
in an examination Is as likely to per-
~f oaS
ciently as the man standing first"
Republican writer's also call attention
to the fact that the Wilson order was
not put into effect dntll most of the
postmasterships were filled with de.
serving democrats and so if the re-
will be hardly definite change Of
policy.
That much depends on the Postmas-
ter General the Detroit Free Press
independently admits, but believes
since he has shown none Of the ear
liberty which the rule gives may re-
suit in a better average of ability" in
the men chosen. The Hartford Times
(democratic) finds the modification
by no means unjustifiable" and con-
siders that President Harding main
predecessors friendliness toward the
merit system.
The Norfolk Virginian-Pi Gnde-
pendent democratic) is also able to see
its good side. for. it remarksHif the
action must be construed as a conces-
sion to the patronage demands Of the
party stalwarts." still 1T is also a
result of the demand for clean
sweep of all democratic officeholders."
If administered "conscientiously" the
Sioux City state Journal (republican)
feels that this method of selection
ought to result in the raising Of the
three classes of postmasterships to a
high degree of efficiency" The San
Francisco Chronicle independently re-
fuses to take the question very seri-
ously. 1t laments the step toward
any plan which would keep the rich
plums'' from the "deserving' and
asks: Shall we take all the JOY out
of politics."
Most of the activities toward cur
failing patronage the Lincoln State
Journal independent republican,
puts in the category of ring around
the rosy" and concludes that reform
in the selection of postmasters "-AI
very like the game of disarmament
where Everybody is for it providoA(
10 Union he on ton