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Show BOURKE ADVOCATES CHANCETN ' I ELEECTI OF POSTMASTERS I Thlnkg Each Community Should Have a Voice In Who Shall Handle U. S. Malls Washington, Jan. 20. Business men, who nro the principal patrons or tho postal bcivIcc, will bo interested inter-ested In n plnn advocated by Hon Jonathan Bourne, Jr., to provldo Tor tho election not only of postmastors, but ot other Fedoral ofllcers In tho several states, such as U. S. marsh nls, district attorneys, collectors and ,H appraisers or customs, collectors of BH Internal revenue, and registers and H receivers ot land offices. H Every business man knows tho ovlls or tho present system of polltl- MB cal nppointment. Men nre chosen as Pfl postmasters not becauso of their par- H tlcular fitness ror the position or their M facilities ror rendering service, but becauso or party loyalty and activity m In politics. Bfl Merchants havo seen post ofTlccs ro B moved from ono end of town to tho M other In spite of popular protest, In H order to Iocato tho ofllco In a build- M ing owned by an active supporter ot B tho party In power. They havo scon H individuals not desired by a majority 1 or tho peop'.o or tho community ap- M pointed to conduct tho ofllco. B Former Senator Bourno belloves fl that postmasters should bo selected Vfl regardless of what party may happen M to bo In control of tho national a'd H ministration thnt the peoplo or tho H country may liavo a Democratic or H Republican administration, ns they H may choose, but that tho peoplo ot H each community should havo a post- H master of tholr own solcctlon io- H gardloss ot politics. H Post olllces aro established and H maintained ror service, not as poll VJ tlcal rewards, and tho peoplo ot'each community aro tho best Judges or the kind or servlco they want and tho meli most likely to render It. Bourno argues that If a postmaster must do- I pend upon tho volco ot tho peoplo ot his community ror his retention In ofllco rnthor than upon his effectiveness effective-ness In politics or his "pull" with I political leaders, ho will give moro I tlmo and effort to lmprovo tho character char-acter ot servlco rendered. Moreover, popular election ot postmasters and other Fedoral officers, will tnko away tho principal power ot tho nntlonnl 4 ' political machlno which, through that "' Instrumentality, is ablo In bo many Instances In-stances to dlctnto local party po'ltlcs. i Bourno proposes to strike nt tho root or tho matter by a constitutional constitution-al nmendment divesting tho Prcsl dent of his appointing power nnd ro- lloving the Senato or Its duty and i responsibility of confirming such np- B polntmcnts, nnd leavo tho whole H I problem to tho several communities, which nro chiefly and directly Inter B ested In the character or servlco to Bj ! bo rendered by tholr public servants. Bj J U this suggestion appeals to you H as wlso, wrlto to your Senator or H , Congressman and tell him that you , Bj I favor a constitutional amendment Bj which will give you a volco In tho bo- H lection of your postmaster. Bj |
