The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-10

| railway mail service; NJ c. Fosnes. in
| spector. and VI. A. Macdonald. clerk-all
| men of long training In different branches
OF postal work and all from the classified
civil service.
The committee spent two months in
Cuba examining the conditions, gather
| ing information. and considering the re
quirements, and as the result of its labors
presented full and intelligent report
setting forth the facts of the existing SER
vice and recommending a plan of reor-
ganizing IL on American lines. The plan
| which came with this sanction was adopt
ed. 1t provided for administrative bu-
reaus modelled on those of the Unit ed
States, and while experts could not in all
cases be found willing to leave sure iaces
| here for uncertain places in Cuba, yet
/ experienced and trusted men from the
| classified service were put at the head
of most of the bureaus.
The auditing side of the system was
worked out with equal care. II was de-
| signed 10 make il entirely separate and
| Independent Of the administrative branch.
Just as the auditing i'll the various de-
partmen;s at Washington is wholly dis
| tinct and independent For this purpose
the Secretary of the Treasury. upon re-
quest, detailed Mr.. a. l.. Lawshe. deputy
auditor Of the Treasury for the Postofiice
ganize the auditing bureau He remained
TWO months engaged in that work and rem
/ dered excellent and valuable service, as
he did at a later period, after the frauds
were discovered, in probing, reviewing,
and reauditing all of the accounts.
The system thus instituted under the
eye Of experts provided such checks and
! safeguards as seemed adequate. The De-
partment of Posts was responsible for the
I ,tc.s,.
ditor. presumably entirely independent
and appointed by and responsible to diff
ferent authority, passed upon all accounts
| and applied the checks; and the money,
! deposited and received in the island treas
ury was paid out only on warrants coun-
| tersigned by the Governor General.
Defence of the system.
1T turned out that this system. after
| disregarded and thwarted through fail
ure to handle the moneys and keep the
accounts as originally planned. But this
was the crime of the agents and not any
! fault of the system. The system was such
that the frauds and peculations could not
have been committed by any one official
however dishonest. They were made pos
sible only through the collision of officers
who should have been check on each
other. and who entered into a conspiracy
! by which the safeguards dependent on a
careful plan of checks were thrown down.
at was not to be expected tina, men
representing different branches of the
Government. chosen by different author
tiles and responsible to different depart
mants, should all go wrong. Rathbone was
appointed director upon record of pre-
vious service III the department which
was believed to justify and commend the
selection: Nicely was appointed by the
director and was well recommended: and
the auditor was selected by the chief of
the auditors Office because, with twelve
years experience and good reputation
in the classified service. he was thought
to be peculiarly fitted for the trust
Besides the precautions already in
dictated there was another, AS the postal
service in Cuba. was for the benefit of
Cuba, it was deemed just that SO far as
it was any charge at all it should be a
charge on the island. and that if the ex-
penditures exceeded receipts the excess
should be paid from the general island
revenues. Carrying out this principle,
the President issued the following order
to the Governor General:
July 20, 1890
To Brooke. Havana:
The postal service in Cuba must bc sustained
from the revenues OF the island. In event postal
receipts are inadequate, YOU are directed, upon
the rcquistion of the director general OF posts
approved by the Postmaster General, 10 make up
The deficit from the general revenue. II is de-
sired far possible to make the postal service
self-sustaining. which it is hoped by economies
10 be enforced, can soon he done.
This order was also communicated TO
the Director General of Posts with explicit
instructions as TO its observance. Ii di-
rected that all acquisitions upon the isl!
Don't drink the muddy Potomac River water if
YOU want TO be in good health, but drink lieu-
rieh's Maeizen. Senate. or Lager. Phone 63I.
Arlington Bottng Co. for OF Hcmich's
and drink bottle with every meal and you