The true northerner., 1888-10-31
DONS POSTOFRICES.
A Government Department
Turned Into a Political
Machine
Worst Postal Service the
Country Has Ever
Known

The New York Tribune, IN a recent
editorial, gave large amount of fun
diluted truth" from which IL taken the
following:
The fmpudent pretences of the post
master-general about the fraudulent use
OF the mails on the part Of the Democrats
campaign COMMITTEES call for blunt state
ment of some notorious facts:
l. With the full knowledge and conniy-
ance OF the postmaster-genera the whole
postoffice system has been turned into q
campaign agency for Cleveland and "Re-
form.
Q. Postmasters have been urgently So
licited to contribute money wherever DOS
sible, and to use their influence rs public
officials to further the Democratic inter-
est.
8. Postmasters have been encouraged
and induced TO delay the mails in order TO
insert Democratic documents In Republi-
can newspapers, a shameless violation of
law, and otherwise TO promote the circu-
lation Of such documents.
4. The Democratic Committee has been
sending packages Of It's campaign docu-
ments to postmasters throughout this
state for these purposes.
The Tribune gives half q cv,en more
accounts Of about the same character In
its indictment.
The Detroit Tribune was recently
moved by its own experiences to make
the following comments on the same sub
iect:
Never before In the history of this coun-
try was the postal service 90 execrable az
II is at present or so openly aud shame
lessly used for partisan purposes. Tho
experienced and faithful employees have
nearly all been dismissed from the rail
way mail service and their places filed by
incompetent Democrat workers and
heelers. There Is not Republican news
paper in the country that does not receive
more complaints on account of inefficient
postal service every week than formerly
came In during whole year. The
majority of the Democrat postmasters in
Michigan evidently regard service of the
public and observance of postal regula-
tions as secondary considerations. They
consider their places as held simply to do
the political work of their bosses. No
such ''pernicious political activity and
offensive partisanship," was ever known
before as these officials have practiced
during this campaign.
Postoftices are simply Democrat recruit
ing stations, and the law Is daily violated
and mail matter tampered with. Repub-
lican campaign committees have been
compelled, as far as possible, TO aban-
don the use of the mails and use
express companies and private messengers
for transmitting documents and letters.
Tribune subscribers have repeatedly COM
planned Of receiving scurrilous Democrat
campaign documents folded in their
papers, and instances Of delays and wilful
Interference with this papers circulation
are frequently reported.
The Tribune well understands that
complaint to the postoffice department Of
such offenses Ia useless. Such practices
are apparently sanctioned by the present
administration-at least they are not con-
demned. The Tribune, however, desires
to give word Of warning to those jealous
servants Of Mr.. Don NJ. Dickinson, who
take such delight In tampering with the
mail Of Republican newspapers. While
their action undoubtedly commends them
TO the favor OF their supertors, the United
states statutes classifes their tricks as
crimes, punishable In the United States
courts by fines and imprisonment.
Gen. Alvin p. Hovey, the Republican
candidate for governor In Indiana, has
Just published q notice TO the public, over
his signature, In which he says:
Hundreds of letters and documents
mailed by me and directed to ex-soldiers
and comrades, have never reached their
destination. There can be no doubt that
some of the postmasters or their clerks
have been withholding the mail from
those to whom such speeches have been
sent. Not stopping at such illegal actions,
they have opened somo Of the envelopes
and inserted private matter not frankabls
under the act Of congress.
The newspapers OF the country have
| frequently made similar complaints. Tho
truth is that no department Of the govern
ment was ever before so loosely run so far
as the interests of the general public are
concerned, nor prostituted so uniformly to
partisan purposes as the postoffice depart
| ment Is now.
And yet this Is claimed TO be Q reform
| administration