Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-13
COOL UNDER A ROAST.
Postmaster General Wanamaker
Keeps His Temper Admirably.
HE STICKS RIGHT TO HIS TEXT
While on the Stand in the Baltimore
Postofice Investigation.
WHAT HE DOESN'T KNOW OF HIS WORK

| WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE House
Committee on Reform in the Civil Service
to-day resumed the investigation of charges
that certain Federal employees in Baltimore
have violated the civil service law without
incurring punishment.
| Postmaster General Wanamaker appeared,
bringing with him, at the request of the
committee, the report of the Postofice In
spectors, giving the result of their investi-
cation into the Baltimore postofice. He
said he desired to correct his former testi-
mony, so as to say that he regarded the
| question presented to him as single ques-
tion, and not as "small question" refer
ring to the question of veracity, which of
course he would not so characterize. He
had been informed that E. c. Perrine, rec
| commended for removal, had never testified
before the commission.
Also, he desired to say, in view of the
comment upon the time that elapsed be-
tween the Investigation and the denials of
the employees, that more than four months
had elapsed after the commissions investi-
CATION before the report reached the Presi-
dent, so that the men had had no oppor-
tunity to make an earlier answer to the
charges. The Postmaster General said: 81
men, but there were complaints arising, and
I cannot personally investigate these cases.
turn them over to the proper officers, and
must be governed by their reports
Guilt at One Time Admitted.
Mr.. Boatner-It appears that these par
ties were before the commission authorized
their guilt, and the postmaster, whose duty
it was under the law to dismiss these men
because of their confessed violation of law,
took no action at all, and when the matter
came to you, instead of acting upon the con-
fessions of the parties, you instituted
another investigation for the purpose of en-
abling these people to deny what they had
already. admitted
The Postmaster General moved his hand
in remonstrance while Mr.. Boatner was
putting this question, and then replied: 81
respectfully protest against the statement
that the investigation was instituted for the
purpose of having these men deny. 1t is
not the truth"
Mr.. Boatner-But the report of the Civil
Service Commission
The Postmaster General-It does not man.
age the Postofice Department.
Mr.. Boatner Not to Be sidetraoked.
Mr.. Raines requested that the Postmaster
the statement he had prepared, but Mr..
Boatner would not be diverted, and insisted
that the committee wanted light upon the
point he had suggested. The Postmaster
General had sent two inspectors to reinves-
tigate the matter, and, acting upon their
report, had declined to dismiss the men.
The postmaster had admitted that the men
had confessed their guilt, and to exculpate
himself had said that he was not response
BILE for it.
'cNow," said he, 'T wish to know why
this department ignored the recommenda-
tions of the commission and accepted the
statements of these men, made IN exonera-
tion of themselves as having greater weight
than the statements exculpating them"
Mr.. Raines protested against this con-
struction, and he and Mr.. Boatner had some
words upon this point, but the latter in
sisted that no matter how Mr.. Raines un-
derstood the matter, he (Mr. Boatner) was
stating the understanding of the committee.
Mr.. wanamaker Quietly Firm.
The Postmaster General quietly remarked
that he had no information on the subject
that he was not willing and anxious to lay
before the committee. "But it is not true,"
said he, 'that any attempt was made to
shield these men, or that any unusual course
has been pursued"
The Inspectors report upon which Mr..
Wanamaker based his action in the Balti-
more case was made by Chief Postofice In
spector Wheeler and Inspector Sharp, No
vember "a, 1891. "We are of the opinion"
says the report, ''that the facts do not
Justify the dismissal of the 81 men named,
nor any one of them, for violation of the
civil service law, as charged. The state
nents of witness before Mr.. Roosevelt, and |
Upon which his recommendations were |
based, were taken at time, under circum-
stances, and in manner that justify us in |
aging that they were not proper material |
lpon which to base recommendations for |
dismissal or severe criticisms" It further |
ays that the evidence taken and accom-
'anying MI. Roosevelt's report itself shows
N its face that the investigation was unfair
nd partial in the extreme