Great Falls tribune., 1922-02-20
THE POSTOFFICEs.

THE POSTOFFICES.
WOODROW WILSON put the
w appointment Of all postmasters
on 4 civil service basis, providing
by executive order that the candi-
date who passed the highest exam
ination percentage should have the
appointment in the filling Of all
vacancies. It is said by the repub-
licans that President Wilson did
not do this until his second term
when all the places in first class
offices had been. filled by demo-
Gratis. The statement is not with
out truth. But, Of course. If his
order had been permitted to re-
main intact, these places would
eventually have been filled by both
republicans and democrats on
non.partisan basis unless we arc TO
assume that ono or the other OF
the political parties have the most
competent men for the job IN It.
We would, Of course, also have to
assume that the examination mark
ings were fairly taken and that they
revealed the comparative fitness OF
the candidates. We are by no
means ready to concede either OF
these propositions, but we suppose
a civil service reforner would
readily concede both Of these prop
ositions.
President Harding had great pres
sure brought on him to repeal the
civil service order of his predeces-
sor and turn the pestoffice appoint
ments back to the congressman as
political patronage. He did not do
that exactly. He compromised, as
usual. He modified the order OF
his predecessor, President Wilson,
so that the postmaster general couio
select any one Of the three highest
marked applicants, and he cancelled
the ruling that ex-soldiers should
have any preference rights IN the
appointment. The postmaster gen
eral. in turn, turned the names OF
the three highest candidates over
to the congressman for the district
+o select his favorite and appointed
him. In this way a republican had
three times as much chance to land
the lob as a democrat had, provided
the examination was fairly con-
Quoted. But, even in the exarnina-
tion. there is considerable chance
for the examiners to exercise thel'
discretion, for they arc allowed te
give a very large percentage to
executive ability" and If the ex'
aminers are republicans they car
influence the markings very ma
terially in favor Of the man their
congressman wants to have get the
Job. =.
There has been considerable crit
lcism on the floor Of congress ove1
the new method Of selecting post
masters, especially where veterans
of the late war were displaced by
republican politicians. In conse
ouence the administration Leaders
have given publicity to these tig
ures: "Out of 1e6 first class vacan
cies. g. or about so per cent hav'
heen filled from No. ] on the ell
aible list. In 500 second class va
cancies, 2s7, or about 81 per cent
were filled from the No. Is; Will
ont of 2,756 third class appoint
ments, 1856, or about o4 per cen
were men who stood at the head o
the civil service list. The e57 pro
motions include l8 in first clas
offices. IS in second class and 80
n third class. Some of the larges
offices in the land, Philadeiphl
and Providence, have been filled b
promotions of those already IN tn
service. The denominations hav
been few, not totaling sco.e.'
It was a democratic preslden
old Andrew Jackson, who origir
ated the phrase "to the victors b'
long the spoils." But that is on
democratic doctrine to which tn
republican party politicians, as
rule, give hearty assent and SUI
mort. 1t is to be noted that onl
about 20 first class postmaster
have been reappointed. Assumir
that most of the postmasters who's
terms expired were democrats,
would appear likely that the dem'
Gratis have generally been elimina
ed and republicans put in the
places. Of course, if that be tru
Il the democrats once more ele'
4 president, the pressure will
equally strong from the politician
on his side OF the fence to ellmi
- rAn,,hIicans and Suppla