The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-06-02
worth while replying in detail to the

lcSNuSu lloih ChS oDllNlou VI bnS
sanitary service dump. In doing so
we adopt the course of citing official
authority against the officious pro-
duction Of temporary employee
unknown to the public. For this
issue we take the experts reference
to the Postal Bureau, and append
an interview had with Mr.. f. Wun-
denberg, formerly Postmaster-G en-
eral, which leaves nothing further to
be said on this part of the subject.
Mr.. Low found the books in perfect
order," but the balances contrary
to the first principles of bookkeep-
ing" He also gave instances, ac-
cording to the Star, "as to where a
pretended power of attorney figured
in transaction of $25OO and where
an account of John f. Cramer with
the bank was 'doctored and fixed in
the books" On these points Mr..
Wundenberg was questioned. He
replied to question as to the viola
ton of the first principles of book
keeping in the Post Office as fol-
lows:
"All stamps required for the use
of the Postal Bureau are drawn from
the treasury (where they are deposit
ed for safe keeping), and when thus
received for issue are charged to
Stamps Sales account merchandise
and credited to Stamp Stock account
(Finance Department.. The balance
of stamps on hand must always show
equal to the Or. balance of stock and
the DR.. balance of sales. The method
was evidently too advanced for Lows
comprehension.
Ellis assertion that the balances
are contrary to the first principles OF
bookkeeping, etc, show his utter in
competency as an expert. For in
stance, the balance of stamps stock
as shown on page Is, P. M. u. report
1892, shows a Or. balance of 500,
1910 and represents the amount re-
ceived in stamps by the ?. o. from
the Finance Department, which is
credited with said amount and OF
course sales account debited with it
This must be clear to any novice
and just why Mr.. Low wishes the
order reversed is simply incompre
hensible."
"Were the books fixed in this re
spect?"
"That question can best be an
swered by comparing the withdraw
ais of stamps from the treasury with
the P. O. returns in cash and bal
ances on hand, as verified by Mr.
Low himself, and any insinuatior
like that of the books being fixed
is simply an attempt to injure those
who in the faithful discharge O
their duties have a right to be pro
tected from such libels, especially
when they are based on such ques
tionable authority as Mr.. Lows ad
mittedly meagre and unsatisfactory
report. Moreover, the corrections
suggested by Mr.. Low were no
adopted by the Finance Committee
to whom his report was made anc
he was subordinate. The sugges
ton that the books were fixed i'm
plies that it was either with the
knowledge of that committee, O.
which Hon. HI. P. Baldwin wa:
chairman, or that they suppressed
the fact.
'Riight here, Mr.. Logan, I woulC
point out a gross injustice to EN-
ployees of the Government through
the appointment by Legislative com
mittees Of would-be experts, who
instead of confning themselves te
the legitimate duties assigned them
write partisan reports, which il
many cases are grossly unjust to EN-
ployees who are powerless to defent
themselves. 1 would say that tn
present system of keeping the ac
counts of the P. O. was inauguratet
by myself and Mr.. A. B. Scrimgeour
the bookkeeper of the General p. o
in 1886, and has been continued eve
since. In arriving at practica
method the advice, assistance ant
suggestions of such men as Messrs
j. o. Carter, j. A. Hassinger and r
5. Scrimgeour were solicited ant
obtained, in the face of which fact
| think, it is superhuous to commen
further, Mr.. Low notwithstanding
"What about the Cramer matte
and the bogus power of attorney?
The Cramer matter was thor
oughly explained to Mr.. Low, VIII
without having been told by P. G
employees would never have know
anything about it. The books wer
not 'doctored and fxed,' as state,
by Mr.. Low. Cramer was on a spre
and making frequent withdrawal
from his account in the Saving
Bank, and late one afternoon he pre-
sented his pass book and requeste'
$500. The clerk in charge made ou
a cheque for $500, which Crane
signed but was only paid $500. Th
entry in the pass book was for $30(
On Monday morning Cramer return
ed and protested. The clerk in ques
ton then changed the pass boo
from $500 to $500 and also change,
the cheque to $500, not, however, til
after the amount of the first entr
had been entered in the ledger
Later on, the matter was discovered
the ledger showing an overdrawal O
500, which the clerk was made t.
pay, being at the same time prompt
ly discharged from office. Wit
this narration of the facts it will b
seen that the matter was brought t.
Mr.. Lows attention by the p. {
authorities and was not discovers
by him.