Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-08-09


that party. freely accord to every
man the right to join which ever
party he sees proper and to select
his own companions, and If there
are suitable individuals in their own
ranks, it Is their privilege to select
them for political offices. Neither do
| quarrel with the powers that be for
appointing them.
''The appointee in this instance,
Joseph w. Tolbcrt, is unsuited, by
nature, ky training and by habits.
and is wanting IN every prope" man.
ner tho qualities to fulfill the duties
Of tho high and responsible office to
which the President has named him.
81 will not mention some unpleas-
ant matters that will throw no par
ticular light OH the subject, but will
only call to the minds of the people
a few facts which confirm my opin-
ion in the matter.
"Mr. Tolbert poses as a large far
mer, whereas the record in Green
wood county shows that he does not
pay a cent Of taxes, except 81 poll
tax, and the records in the munici-
Pal, State and the Federal courts
both on the civil and criminal side
show that his record is an unenvia-
bic one. l do not mean 10 say that it
is necessary for a man to own prop
erty to hold office; far be it from me
to take any such position, but Tol-
bert is sailing under false colors.
"Mr. Tolbert's conduct since he
has been appointed referee has
shown him to be Il spokesman Of the
worst class. For instance, under the
practice Of this administration III
selecting pOStmasters, the civil ser
vice commission sends to the Post
Office Department the three names
making the highest marks, and this
department delegates to Tolbert, the
referee the right to select which
ever he chooses. These officers are
rot political ones, and in our State
the patrons are not one per cent Re-
publicans, and the Offices should be
kept out Of politics. However, under
party rules, where they have a COM
petent person, it is their privilege to
appoint them, and we have made no
objection.
"In these matters Tolbert has
ruthlessly ignored the spirit OF the
civil service and has refused to rec
ommend the parties making the
highest marks, except in very few
cases. He has almost universally ig-
nored the claims of ladies and ex-
service men. Under the spirit Of the
civil service rules, ex-soldiers should
receive The preference, but. ,his has
had no weight with Tolbert, even
who're they make the highest marks.
HC has cudeavorcd to- turn lady post
masters out where they have heed
in office many, many years, and
where they have made the highest
marks. Moreover. he has turned out
many faithful officials, some who
have served in this department for
practically forty years, and he named
persons who were totally without
CXpcricncc--~and those not Republic
cans. either.
''lN other words, he has run rough
shod over our people and seems to
be drunk with the power Of little
authority.
'Worst Of all, under previous ad-
ministrati0nS, am informed that
The referee in our state sold patrou-
agc. and that the universal charge
was onc-hali Of the first years sal
&ry, and it Is now claimcd--and gen
crafty believed that this practice
is in vogue; the proof presented to
me is unqucationablc on the subject,
and is convincing beyond the pcrad-
venture OF n doubt. The practice is
TO divide the state into dis tricts and
have some one in each district to
look after this part Of the rcfarious
business. | am told Of amy in
stances where the offices were sold
ono bringing seven hundred and fifty
dollars, another two thousand, and
different sums all around the state
where there was competition. a re-
cent case was reported where twelve
hundred dollars was paid, and the
party failed to get the office, and af-
hCD1DIRI