New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-08
OPINIONS OF FRANK HATTON.
THE CHARGES AGAINST MR.. PEARSON.
WHAT THE RECENT PosrMAsTER-GENERAL THINKS
OF POST OFFICE MATTERS.

SIR: The Nec- York Times as the special
champion of the recently appointed Democratic Post
master, Mr. II. G. Pearson loses opportunity to
abuse and msrepresent every official of the Post Office
Department who may have been suspiconed OF not hav
Ing agreed with The Times In its estimate Of Mr. Pearson
mat paper vndctivey and shamelessly pursued this
course toward Postmaster General Howe than whom no
purer or ADLER man presided that Depart
meiq. The Times never had decent word to say OF
Dir Howe but, instead by innuendo and coarse abuse
IL ought to bete him in the eyes of his fellowcitzens
AS the newly baptized OF the Democratic party
me Ii"es has recently printed columns of slush com
mendng two Cabinet officers for dispOslng ofdepartment
carriages, the appropriation for which has been
made for years by Congress- Of which the two
economical Cabinet officers members, and
yet 1t is not reported that either Senator Gar
land or Senator Lamar raised objection to
such appropriation that either cast his vote against It,
When Mr. Howe entered the Department he naugurated
reform that has been followed by his which
mas am ounted TO saving OF money far in OF that
saved by the reform recently instituted by The 7mes
Democratic friends. The Department warrants, which
are used by thousands bore the handsome face of his
immediate predecessor. Mr. Thomas L. James. The
practice had been change the of the with
change OF PostmasersG eneral, discarding the por
trait OF the old officer and substituting that or the
at cost OF several hundred dollars for each change.
This practice OF tomfoolery Mr. Howe dispensed
with by ordering that the blank warrants should
For this reform and for this economy The Times had
word OF commondation. only allude to this to show
that all ability. all honesty. all purity aud all omy
dd not cease in the Post Office Department when The
Illness postal god retired to his reward the heaven
prepared by william II. Vanderbilt and also 10 show
that In giving and Withholding abuse The Times reforner
ahd purst that claims TO be- is actuated by the same
motives that move the ordinary political organ.
In referring to the two-colunn plea OF Mr. Pearson
for reappontment at the hands OF President whose
election he opposed, unless he abandoned his party ai
atoms OF years standing, and whose administration,
politically he cannot believe In II he still be Re-
publican The Times takes occasion alude the De
plrmcn IN such cali for notice. As
an official cared for that papers criticism of my
official acts. believe In the largest liberty for the
press in criticism OF the public acts OF public men. and
it. abuse rather regarded honorable decoration.
Referring to the statement Of the recently appointed
Democratic Postmaster, he Times edtorally says:
II forms shameful chapter In the history OF the last
Administration. showing how AT "A time when the In
nuence Of Mr Frank Hatton dominant in the Post
were nothing less than dastardy To drive out Of the
Vice the most conScuousy successful and efficient post
master In the country.
In its eXtmvagaut admiration for the recently APP
pointed Democratic Postmaster The Times has persistent
y attempted TO make II appear that conspiracy existed
IN the Department at Washington against the and
good Mr. Pearson IL Mr. Pearson believed this, he mag
nihcd himself lie really did occupy much OF the
time thoughts Of the officers Department The
I'Hes seems to imagine. The recently appointed Demo
cratic Postmaster OF dfty-one thou
sand other pOstmastvrs who had business relations
with the Department aud far know stood where
the law placed him on exactly the footing with
tho othels II may have been. and may still be- unfort-
innate for the country that the law is but that Is
matter for Congress 10 consider.
The attempt OF The Iimes. of Mr Pearson, or OF
Mr. Pearons friends TO make 1t appear that Mr. Pearson
goblin OF terror the Department and for that
he being punished and Disseminated against
by tho Department is species Of babyism bordering on
| the rubber ring period.
when / entered the Department as first assistant I
| found the law imposed certain duties upon me. and
that far a. those duties concerned. 1t made
df, renee between Pearson Of NewYork and Jones Of
] Jonesytle And never made any difference, and the
statement Of The the statement OF any ono else
To the contrary unqualihcdly false. When complaints
were made against the NewYork Postmaster, ana there
were many Of brutal and nhumau treatment OF subor
ddaics OF the arbitrary removal Of men, coupled with
absolute refusal Ia let them be- heard I'm their own behalf
"a The Tpes should have been done the
the recently appointed Democratic Postmaster OF New
York OF Mr.. Pe,Ison's connection with private postal
companes-a charges against Mr. Pearson we're treated
| Just charges against any other postmaster were
! treated.
The investigate into the private postal company af
fair made by corps OF In specorsany one of whom
Mr Parsons equal In ability honesty, efficiency and
general manhood The report Of any OF them with a
recommendation for the dismissal OF country posuas
ter would have been followed by removal Just a the
recommendation OF Mr. Pearson for the removal OF car
hers office followed by removal The practice
the department IN that respect just tho same as II
| was under the administration OF the distinguished
fathcrinaw oi the recently appointed Democratic fOst
| master OF Ncw-lok unless an exception was made In
case Of the NcwIork Post ONCE during the James adj
mnistratiou' which do not say Was the case; when
Mr. Pearson made application for allowances his appl-
cation was treated just as all others were treated
When Congress would not give the Dtpartment an u
wanted. the department could not always allow the
amount asked by po,tmasters These cases were set
ted on their merits without reference to the importu.
| mites. the whims the conces. or the natural
So far AS the rrappointmsnt of Mr.. Pearson is con-
! cerned care nothing. have always borne testimony
York Post ONCE. A. his superior officer | may have
differed with him. but II 50, 1t from sense OF duty
name, or that he deserved any more an appointment
from Democratic President because OF either ability
%htIrG OF tinrin9atl mr iiaidekooper, Of phadei
?hia aud "A OF others. Is absurd. and s impu-
| Times. any Of Its friends to claim that
official Mr. Pearson is the superior OF any OF the
gentlemen named. lie Is not. and Mr. Pearson Is IN "A
position know 1t II The times does not As TO the
other motives. II there were any, that induced the
President to make the appointment know nothing ana
| care nothing | do think, however, that me IimeS
should be content with dragging Mr. Pearson INTO the
| Democratic party without abusing all who may have
happened serve In the Department IN whose service
Mr. Pearson his ancestors ana ms breyel i"'
A few words IN regard to the Post once Department
IN. nh,ifrto, OF President Arthur The records OF
the Department show that during seven years ehdlhg
June 80 1854, over S26O.0O0OOO was collected from
the forty to nifty thousand post offices throughout tho
country with total loss OF only S21OOO during inc
administration OF President Arthur postage was reduced
from three to cents. AT the close OF ffcslueht
Arthur administration the deficiency III the
was hut little greater with twOcent postage tha IL was
at The beginning OF his Administration with hreecent
| postage. Fast mails were established :. petwe
| York. Chicago and st. fhu NsW iorh \,
| Chicago and Omaha, NewIork and Jacks0nvihe
and New York and NewOreans. The unit OF WEIGHT vi
letters was increased from half an ounce 10 an ouos
Newsnan.r nostage was reduced one hundred per cent
The free delivery service was extended 10 al put' Va
the country. After the passage OF the tVl oe'tee nv
| not single appOintment was maze III thc
Department, either directly or Indirectly, IN @ H
of the law and every officer OF the Department gave he
Ciyil service Commission the most earnest support o
Times can call It's friend Dornnn H. Eaton as withess
to this statement opine the people VIII not cohpin
A. JIs T;ae.'s now in power make rs good u