The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1874-02-19
POsr oFFItk MATTERS.
Hew 2 Aa..as CengrcssDa. Has IL 81.
APPSinte8 Po.fnasf And Rev ehc res"
once - GoRdDgtsA by the S0a,


lFrom the La Cygne Journail
For years the Journal has refrained from say
ing anything respecting the postofice In TINS
city aud its management, for the reason that
there has occurred no opportunity for serving
the public interest by telling the truth in the
matter.
But evidently, the time has come when de-
cent respect for the public sentiment demands
that should lift the veil, and permit The stain,
which at present blackens the reputation of this
community, to rest ~ here il belongs. And in do
ing so, we are sactuuted by no unkiml feelings
toward any ore residing here. neither have we
any personal interests to advance in any way,
shape or manner.
In the first place, the appointment of Eli Lowe
to the Office of postmaster IN La Cygne, through
heintinencc of his p-fither-our present mrnI-
Der of Congecs5-wss Insult to this city and a
conteIsptible outrage upon the whole commnni-
ty, and no one better knew this fact than did the
Hon. ID. p. Lowe himself. Mr.. Eli Lowe was
not a resident of this city at the time of his APP
pointment. hadn't n dollars interest here, and
according to the rules which usually govern such
matters, no earthly right to the Office whatever,
but was imported here after his appointment;
which was given him simply because lie a
step-son of Judge Lowe. This was where the
insult" and "outrage" came in; for there were
plenty of worthy citizens of La Cygne, who had
come here, invested their money, aud were doing
all in their power to build mp the town and
community; men who were competent tO fill the
position, deserving Of what public patronage be-
longed to us, or of any position the government
might see fit to confer upon them. And simple
instce demanded that one of our citizens should
be appointed tn the only Office in the city that is
snppor .ed by the general government.
The manner in which the affairs of the Office
have been conducted since Mr.. loves appoint
meut, has been only an additional outrage npon
the people of this vicinity. For weeks and
months in succession, the Office has been without
n postmaster, deputy paid clerk abont it, du-
ring many of the bnsiress hours of each day,
subjecting the people to continual delay and
annoyance in obtaining their mail. OF the hab-
its of the post imaster and his places of resort dn
ring hnsiness hours, and until late at night, the
people here do not need to be told. We believe
it to be true, and we think it can be proved. that
in his last years settlement with the depart
ment there was a deficit of several hundred dol
lars, which The Hon. ID. i. Lowe went down into
his own pocket and paid; and then continued to
insult lis by keeping his app0intee in oiice. In
the settlement of his accounts this year, it was
evidently somewhat doubtful whether father
would make mp the Shortage" and a robbery
became necessity. And a .'thinner' never
was planned or more bunglingly executed as
will be- proved should the matter ever be investi-
gated.
We would respectfully ask the Hon. D. r.
Lowe to inform the people of Kansas whether
such leneDcy would have been shown to a twice
drfauliing postmaster in this State who received
the appointment through his influence, had that
defaulting postmaster not-heen one If his own
family? Please answer by return mail.
We repeat, we make this expose of out post
office matters in unkimd spirit tn any
siding here; and we should have spared the ex-
postmaster any pain that this article may cause
him, if we cpuld have done conSs emily with
datyaSj urnasts; for he is 10 be itiel fn his weak
ness, his inability TO overcome evil habits that
have led him to his present position in this cont
munity. But for Judge Lowe we bave only the
utmost contempt. For the wicked" part of this
whole transaction belongs to him. The pcnple
of this community hope they are done with him
forever Certainly the government will never
appoint man to the highest office i'll this Stnie
wLn will thus tolerate, hide and perPetuate in
his own family, a fraud uPOn the government
and an outrage upon the people.