This blog post was composed by graduate assistant Ricky Shull, a master’s student in the Journalism Department.
![Image of a post office building](https://blogs.baylor.edu/poagelibrary/files/2022/04/Rockdale-Post-Office-300x247.jpg)
It is perhaps the most obvious responsibility of a legislator to vote on and write legislation that will have an impact on their constituents. Members of Congress do much more than write and vote on legislation, and their responsibilities extend beyond the House or Senate buildings. This post will look at items from the Constituent Correspondence series, a part of the W. R. Poage Congressional Papers, and explain Poage’s responsibility to his district by way of the Post Office.
The Post Office has seen significant changes over the years, but for a long time it was the responsibility of each district’s Representative to appoint postmasters and rural carriers and to petition the Post Office Department to act on issues that affected the mail service their constituents received. During Poage’s first term in Congress, the law was changed so that postmasters and rural carriers would serve permanently, until retirement or death. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Poage was tasked with many postmaster appointments as the terms of previous appointments expired. There were two ways in which a Representative could make an appointment: either re-appoint the incumbent postmaster for a permanent term, or hold an open competitive exam administered through the Civil Services Commission.
Making the correct appointment for a rural carrier or postmaster position was important for several reasons, but for Poage it meant having eyes and ears on the ground. He often relied on his district’s postmasters to take the pulse of their town on politics, current events, and elections. Early in Poage’s congressional career, he battled efforts from his previous seat and political rival, Oliver Cross, aimed at undermining Poage’s position. Cross, or the “Old Gentleman,” would try to solicit the support of his old post office appointees and other citizens to vote against Poage in elections. Postmasters across the district would let Poage know of the Old Gentleman’s movements, so that he could mobilize friends and supporters to bolster his campaign. Postmasters would also report other political or local developments to Poage. During WWII, Poage received correspondence about a postmaster in Coryell City, who had been informally accused of being a Nazi sympathizer. Poage relied on correspondence from other postmasters to aid the Post Office Department and make the correct course of action for the accused.
The relationship between a Representative and their district’s post offices could be beneficial to both, but often the responsibility runs a fine line that must be carefully navigated.
Wonderful research!! Mr. Poage would like this very much. Fowler West