The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-07-29
OF APPOINTING
= REPUBLICAN POSTMASTERs

erS are appointed IN 0emocraLlc states
under republican administration:
Mrs. Estelle Tribble, Acting Chair
man, Lake City Woman's Club.
Dear Mrs. Tribble: Your letter of
the 1st received. Believing that the
members of your club would be inter-
ested in learning how postmasters
are selected under this administration,
] am taking the liberty of explaining
the procedure in some detail.
Under the provisions of an order is
sued by President Wilson, when va
cancy occurring in the position of
postmaster at first, second and third
class offices, the postmaster general
certified the fact to the Civil Service
Commission, which held an open COM
petitive examination to test the fitness
of applicants to fill such vacancies,
and when such examination had been
held and the papers in connection
Herewith rated, the commission certi-
fed to the postmaster general the
name of the person who attained the
highest eligible rating, and the post
master general recommended to the
president the appointment of such
eligible, unless it was established that
the age, character or residence of the
person disqualified him for appoint
ment.
Under the provisions of that order
many republicans and persons with
no party utilization, as well as DEM
ocrats, were nominated by the presi-
dent and confirmed by the Senate.
Under the provisions of an order is
sued May 10, 1921, by President Hard
ing, the Civil Service Commission GER
titles to the postmaster general the
names of the highest three qualified
eligibles, and the postmaster general
recommends to the president for ap-
pointment the name of the eligible en-
dorsed by the local and state repub-
lican organizations of Florida. Ii
there is any conflict between the local
and state organizations, the postmas-
ter general regards the endorsement
of the state organization.
Neither the republican organization
in Florida, nor the present postmaster
general, invites the views of the pat
rons of the office, or representatives
in Congress from Florida, in the mat
ter of selecting postmasters; ane
democrats are not appointed to office
unless the republican organization de
termines that there is no qualified re
publican to fill the position.
Objection to the selection of an.
particular applicant should be file'
with the Civil Service Commission ant
the postmaster general, for the com
mission determines the eligibility O
all applicants and the postmaste
general determines whether OR no
the eligibles certified to him by tn
commission are qualified as to char
acter of residence.
You will understand, therefore, tina
after the president has submitted t.
the Senate his nomination of an ap
plicant whose qualifications and elig
Utility have been favorably passe
upon by the Civil Service Commissio
and the postmaster general, it is quit
impossible to have the committee
the committee on postofices and pos
roads, composed largely of republi
cans, disregard such nomination, I'm
less it is satisfactorily shown that tn
nominee is unfit or ineligible to per
| form the duties of postmaster; an
such. evidence must be conclusive; an
even before a nomination is rejecte
by the committee the nominee is give
an opportunity to refute the charge
that he is unfit or ineligible to serv
as postmaster.
The republicans have a majority Q
| twenty-five in the Senate, and, as yo
may imagine, confirm nomination
that are favorably reported by tn
committee, even though democrati
senators may object-as did the sen
ators from Tennessee object to fiv
nominations just recently, yet tn
nominees We're confirmed by the Ser
ate. Sc
| Once in a great while the nomina
ton of a person is submitted to tn
Senate, who is personally objection
able to a senator, j. e., has spoken dis
respectfully of or concerning the sen
ator, tending to bring him into dis
repute or belittle him in the eyes Q
the public, or otherwise, in whic
event that senator may openly stat
that the nominee is personally objec
tionable to him-giving his reason:
4 and in such case the Senate reject
the nomination as matter of courtes
to the Directing senator.
It has not been necessary durin
my thirteen years of service in tn
Senate to have occasion to defeat tn
nomination of any person by maxim
known to my colleagues that the nom
inee was personally Objectionable t
me; and I sincerely trust that it wi
never be necessary for me to be com
PEELED to make such statement.
You will understand from the abov
that it is incumbent upon those VIII
object to any particular nominee t
| furnish satisfactory evidence on thei
own behalf that the person is unfit o
ineligible to fill the position.