Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-04-09

has left in my hands 80 far as it may be
done, independently of the senate,
to protect the interests of
the government. to vindicate the
laws which have been enacted for
the regulation OF the postal service and
to impress upon federal Office holders the
fact that no indulgence will be granted
by the executive to those who violate
the law or neglect public duty. This
postmaster, under section 4,044 of the
United States revised statutes and regu.
lstlons OF the postoftice department, was
required to transmit to the department
weekly Q report of the business done by
him in the money order branch of his
office. 1t tappears from the official report
OF an inspector of the postoffice depart
ment now before me, and which was sub.
mitted to the committee of the senate,
while the proposition to remove this
official was before it, that an examina.
ton of his Office was ordered on the 26th
OF January, 1885, in consequence OF the
fact that no such weekly reports had
been made since the 9th of December,
1854. 1t further appears from this re-
port that such examination developed
the most dlsgraceful confusion in all
that pertained to the accounts and fnan.
eial condition OF the Office; that there
had been no entry in the money order
cash book since July, 1884, and that, az
might have been expected, there was
deficiency in the money order account
of more than $500, and in tho postal &C.
count Of more than $40O. There is, 1
think, no dispute touching these facts
The deficiency has been refunded to the
government, uader an arrangement with
one OF the sureties of the delinquent
| official, and he attempts to excuse the
wretched condition Of his Office by alleg.
ing that his assistant had entire charge
OF the money order business, as we'll 90
other details of the Office. In making
such excuse this officer aimits, it seems
to me, a violation of plain duty in turn.
ing over the operations of his
Office to an assistant without
any prete1t of sickness or un.
avoidable absence Of the postmaster,
which is contrary to reasonable con.
struction of section 4031 of the revised
statutes, which provides that "in case OF
sickness or unavoidable absence of the
postmaster of any money-order post.
office he may, with the approval OF the
postmaster.general, authorize the CHIEF
clerk or some other cler k employed there.
in to act in his place and discharge al
the duties required by law of such post
master" By the claim now made thai
the assistant, having had full charge ii
responsible for the delinquencies ant
irregularities complained of. the post
master also appears to contradict hi
own sworn statement made to the de
partment as late as September 80, 1884
to the effect that he himself had per
formed for the preceding quarter th,
money order business in his Office, ,excep
, when necessarily absent. shall do al
0 that is in my power to rid public servic
3 of officials who exhibit such loose idea
I of their duty to the government. Th
fact that have before me document
signed by many of the residents of th,
city where this postmaster is located
and who belong to both political parties
asserting their entire confidence in hil
honesty and fidelity, demonstrates the
unfortunate facility with which suct
papers may be obtained, and gives rise
to an unpleasant suspicion touching ,
too prevalent standard of politica
honesty. II cannot remove this delin
Quent postmaster can surely suspend
him. This l have determined to dt
promptly, and desire you at once t,
, present to me the papers necessary TO
that purpose, with designation O
James B. Corcoran to perform the dutie
, of postmaster in place of the official thu
? suspended. Yours truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.
9 At an interview with the postmaster
q general he stated to q reporter of th,
Associated Press this afternoon that th,
senate committee had asked for and hat
sent to them the papers in the case, in
cluding the inspectors report, and tn,
8 reason for their declining to approve tn,
proposed removal was unknown to hin
and could only be surmlsed. The fact,
are plainly shown, he said, by the ofticia
: report of the inspector, made during tht
, term OF President Arthur and open Il
no suspicion of partisan or personal un
friendliness, and are such indeed al
hardly admit of explanation. The presi
dent, in his letter, has only mentioned
those in respect to which no opportuni
ty for question was open. The remova
was not proposed for any other purpose
than to improve the service, and the nom
inee is man against. whom no just Oh
lection could lie. The postmaster gen.
eral added that the present time would
be good opportunity to say that from
some evidence before him he believes The
motion to be prevalent and the practice tc
be general accordingly; that postmastert
should have allowances for clerks suffi
cient to enable the business of their off
ces to be transacted chiefly by them
while the postmaster himself, though he
10 best paid, should be required to give
no personal labor beyond general SUPER
vision. This case illustrates what NAV
happen from such q practice, if the ex
cuse of the Rome postmaster be true ir
: tfact, and in every case of default thu
clerk or assistant will be made the sospe
goat. 1t is the intent of the department
to make careful scrutiny of these al
lowances and reduce them whom neces
sary, materially requiring the postmast
er to give his personal time and attep
tion to the duties of his Office and assis
in their performance except in those fev
larger Offices where his time NAV b,
necessarily required in general supervi
sion. 1t is believed that by such
course the public would be, much bette
served and considerable reduction j,
the annual expenditures of the depart
ment be realized.
THE POSTMASTER EXPLAINS.
Syracuse, N. T., April 6-The Star
dard tomorrow will publish letter ad
dressed by Postmaster Palmer, of Rom,
J this state, to President Cleveland. i
which Palmer claims that his remoyf
Was based upon q report of charge
which he never bad an opportunity I
deny. That chance for defending hin
aelf had been promiaad. and the sonat