Thursday, June 18, 2009
Page No.: 11
REMINISCING (Column)
Groff Applies for New Job: Los Angeles Postmaster
By ROGER M. GRACE
With the four-year term of the postmaster for Los Angeles set to expire Feb. 15, 1900, Lewis A. Groff came into contention in late 1899 for appointment to that position—though it can hardly be said it was a “natural” for him. His background was as a lawyer in Nebraska, then a judge there, commissioner of the U.S. General Land Office, a lawyer in Los Angeles, a drafter of a proposed city charter that failed at the polls, and most recently, as dean of the law school that had just linked up with USC.
The selection was largely in the hands of a freshman member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Russell J. Waters. Why would the task be entrusted to a neophyte member of the Los Angeles delegation? Waters was the only congressman for Los Angeles County. In fact, his Sixth District also included the counties of Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Santa Cruz.
If Waters’ choice met with favor by U.S. Sen George C. Perkins (a former California governor), it stood to reason that President William McKinley would make the appointment. California’s other solon, George Hearst (father of publisher William Randolph Hearst) had no influence on the nomination; he was a Democrat, while the president, like Perkins, Waters and Groff, was a Republican.
The partisan-political spoils system. which Groff had labored to thwart at the city level through provisions of a proposed charter, was now serving in his favor in connection with a Post Office spot to which a Democrat could not aspire.
Despite there being rival contenders for the appointment who had ties with political insiders—one applicant was the brother of a federal official, another a brother-in-law of a higher-up in federal government—Waters on Jan. 3, 1900, recommended the selection of Groff.
A report on that recommendation appears in the next day’s issue of the San Francisco Call—and in the same story, there’s a comment on Los Angeles’s mounting influence.
Before quoting from the article, I should mention that while a “cashier” today is simply a clerk who takes in money at a counter, in 1900 it connoted someone in charge of funds. It says:
“The Postoffice Department to-day established the office of cashier for the Los Angeles postoffice. Since his arrival in Washington Congressman Waters has been laboring to bring this about and finally has succeeded in convincing the Postmaster General of its necessity. When it is known that not more than fifteen or twenty cities in the United States are considered of enough importance to maintain this office, its establishment in Los Angeles may be considered a great triumph and a full recognition of the commercial importance of the city.”
A Jan. 3 editorial in the stalwart Republican Los Angeles Times comments:
“The succession in the Los Angeles postoffice, which has been causing no little interest in local circles, squares and triangles recently, is about to be settled by the President upon the recommendation of Representative Waters….
“Judge Groff is a man of charcter, integrity, and ability, and an official of experience and success in responsible positions....
“Judge Groff’s Republicanism has borne the test of years; and we predict that, in the lower sense of mere party expediency, the appointment will also prove to be a wise and acceptable one, for true it is that ‘he serves his party best who serves his country best.
“It is learned that the recommendation was practically settled upon, without being promised to anybody however, by Mr. Waters some time ago; but with characteristic consideration, courtesy and patience, the Representative held the matter open to give all rivals a fair chance. Judge Groff’s backers are his home people in Los Angeles, where the duties of the office are to be discharged at the appropriate time.”
The president made the nomination a week later.
It looked as if Groff would gain swift Senate confirmation. But then the unexpected happened: a U.S. senator from Iowa took action to delay confirmation.
A Jan. 26 article in the Iowa Daily Capital recounts:
“The nomination was sent to the senate and the postoffice committee asked Senator Perkins if he had any objections to offer to the confirmation. The senator had not and expected Groff’s name to be promptly reported for confirmation. But there was delay. The senator made inquiries.
“ ‘We have received a telegram from Senator [John A.] Gear asking that action be delayed until he can be heard,’ said the committee.”
What was behind opposition by a senator from Iowa to a seemingly non-controversial appointment to a federal post in Los Angeles? That’s next week’s topic.
Copyright 2009, Metropolitan News Company