Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-25

Irregularities in the handling of Fed
eral patronage in the South have been
brought sharply to the public's atten-
ton recently through Investigations by
n Senate committee and activities OF the
Department of Justice. 1t Is contended
that the practice of levying upon pres
ent or prospective officeholders Is one OF
long standing and by no means new
with the individuals now in the lime
light
"Subiecting Southern postmasters to
the process elegantly described by the
late Senator Quay Of Pennsylvania as
irving the fat seems to be regional
not a party practice" says the New
Bedford Standard Republican,. There
is no question but that Republican poll
ticians who control, or are believed 10
control. patronage in the Southern
states have been assessing poStmasterS
for political purposes. Assessments nave
run as high as 5 per cent of the salary.
The man who has the job Is expected
10 pay. and the impression given Is tnat
none of them believes he can saIely
refuse" AS to the use OF the money IN
the South, where 1t Is collected, the
Standard frankly Is mystifed, OBSERVING
that If postmasters turned IN tnen en-.
tire salaries the Republican party could
not carry a single county" Bearing on
this point is the comment of the Savan-
nah press Democratic that private.
not campaign. spells system has oeeh
disclosed.
..The official admission that Georgia
poStmasters contribute FUNDS 10 the re
nublican organization OF that state, III
the ouinion of the San Francisco Bulle-
charging that the Democrats pursue the
same policy when they are IN power.
TWO wrongs do not make a right and
there is something both wrong and rot
ten I'm the system of collecting pontlcaL
campaign contributions from poStmaS-
ters That postmaster Is BEST
who Is not known for politics or ms
nolitical Affiliations. and In whose hands
a most card is as sacred and conndentiai
whether il be written by Democrat OF
a Republican. 1t is playing the potillcai
game down pretty low when poStnlaSteFs
are held up for party contributions az
the risk OF losing their JOBS. Getting
contributions from men that expect 10
become poStmastefs Is grait ana o''o-
cry, -.,. .. .,,.
$50 tn rough and systematic IS the
system In Georgia" says the Atlanta
Constitution tDemocrattc). that caro-
index is kept with the monthly or other
periodical payments entered upon each
Officeholder'S card as made. so tIat lne
patronage lobherS may thus know what
n postmaster or other Federal emptoye
has contributed during fixed period.
Replying TO the argument that Demo-
cratic officeholderS made voluntary con-
tributions, the Lynchburg Advance
1Democraticl remarks that Democrats
afsar Fri
A Republican organization. nor would
Republicans make voluntary contrtbu-
tons to a Democratic organization.
Maintaining that 1.-The Senate COM
mittee will find that such q system mas !
been In vogue In every state III the
Union. that it has existed as prac-
tice for more than half a century, II
not for full century or more, the
Charleston Daily Mail ,lndependent
Republican, asks What shall We do
about IL? Recognize the principle
have the Government control eontribu-
tons by arranging n maximum rate and
making il a penal offense TO contribute
more than the prescribed amount. and !
thus prevent the ofiiceholder from being j
the unhappy victim of blackman by a
more or less disreputable party boSsS
Or whatp"
"That the eommercialization OF poll !
ties should have many phases, and that !
In divers instances 1t should be crude, |
Ii perhaps To be expected because Of !
conditions and the past lack OF etfec- |
tive effort for correction" thinks the !
st. Louis Globe Democrat tindepend- I
enO. while advising: Preparation OF /
the commereialised system would be /
sadly discouraged for time at least /
IL both parties to a large number OF !,
once ~hartering transactions should be !
sent 10 the penitentiary !
A suggestion which comes from the !
Grand Rapids Press independently Is /
that there seems 10 be only one way /
to kill the patronage referee system, |