Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1905 — MERIT FOR POSTMASTERS. [ARTICLE]

MERIT FOR POSTMASTERS.

Civil Service la Extended to Cover the Mail Handlers. President Roosevelt is making sweeping extensions of the operations of civil service. A Washington correspondent says it is learned definitely on the authority of the Postmaster General that the policy of the new administration with reference to postmasters of all classes, from presidential down to fourth class, is that changes are to be made only for cause. It was announced after a recent cabinet meeting that eight years of postofflee service would riot be a barrier to continuance, but .until—new it was not-4»nown and, it might be added, not dreamed by the politicians that the policy would be so radical as to demand the filing of charges susceptible of investigation and proof to accomplish a change of postmasters of the presidential class. Congressmen are just beginning to learn of the broad scope of the new’ rule and of the fact that their recommendations for postmasters will no longer “go” unless supported by charges that will meet the test of a searching investigation. Naturally instances are few in which a Congressman would be willing to jeopardize his political influence by filing charges or countenancing the filing of them. Some of them are saying that the rule is too impracticable to be rigidly enforced.