The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-09-24

NEELN's SPONSOR.
There has heretofore been an element
7 81 doubt o. to how Charles r. " Neeiy
OF Mnncie Ind managed 70 SCI into tho
cuban postal service, That h. so, In. aud
being 30 proceeded 20 heap himself Hher-
ally % thr funds belonging 20 tbe service
are facts known OF an rnsn. Indeed. he
proved himself one Of the srnoothest and
most touching Of al the carpet bagRers
that ever held office under the patronage
of the powers ~ Washington But uuu
within thc plEt frw days it has been praf-
teaily Impossible 20 account for Ne,ly
Oh "a satisfactory manner some light
howeyCr b. thrown upnn thc beginning OF
his onicc-holdinr career ~ Washington
Dispatch published Ia tho Ncw York Even
ing Poet Tho dispatch 10 question quotes
10. following letter.
Postonice Department. First Assistant
Postmaster General. Wellington. Dec
l1 lNs My Dear Mnj1f ] intended 60
say 20 you when you were hsrs tnat there
is ore man. Mr Chaflsr D W Neely. 81
Muncie Ind. who wautH 20 30 into the
Cuban mail service so whom ! am more
interested than ans other man among
Thousands % applicants Tor positions %
that character. Re g. "a w-paper writer
and publisher, and about g. years % age.
splendidly educated hustler a msu with
The very best habits. and az loyal al iot-
atty Itself He would maxi. grand cone
ndentai man for YOU viii write and
ask him % ~ and see you. This b. man
sou will warm up 90. and would like 90
have az COMPANION a. vel as 40 execu-
tive officer
Yours faithfully Perry s Heath
First Assistant Postmaster General
Mal +. q kathbou.. Hamilton. o.
Assuming that the letter D. authentic
and it app,ars "a a newspaper whose re-
liability is generally coueeded-a food u
light IS lct Ia upon M official genesis o.
Nicely aud incidentally upon the character
Of al least some Of the men called 20
Washington % hold high office Under the
Mckinley administration For h is strain
ing no point - say that Perry $ Heath.
formerly First Assistant Postmaster Gen
crsl. and row manager OF tho Republican
campaign literary bureau. Is a man rep
resentative Of the administration politi-
clans.
II is not reasonable 70 suppose that
Heath would have given Neely any such
recommendation unless ne knew his man
well Heath b. a disbeIiover tn and an
opponent Of the merit system in the gov
eminent service. lie D. an advocate OF
the doctrine OF "conadential rels ions" be-
tween employees and be ads OF departments.
and the administration.
That be had correctly estimated Nicely
e. apparent from subsequent Developments.
As hustler" Nicely has few equals
We had not been In the Cuban postal SER
vice many weeks before he began 10 'hus-
lie" for the 'rake-off. or the "sWag."
or whatever else the results OF official
p,culation may be called 10 the vernacu-
lar. That Rathbone warmed up to- him
Is also evident. from the manner In which
the director general OF Cuban posts
20. KID" his bills and accounts. and per
mitted him fun swing while the stealing
was good. A a confidential man. he
was no doubt grand" as the First A.
sistsnt Postmaster General said he would
b.. Heath's idea Of personal selection
as superior to selection for merit must
have been vindicated.
Neciy. the protege OF Hfath, IS now I'M
der indictment for stealing public funds.
Rathbone. Hoath's friend 90 whom Neely
was 50 highly ana oonhdentially recon-
mendod for his companionabie qualities,
Is involved IN the Nicely scandal And
Perry Heath IS IN Chicago engaged In
campaign work. urging voters 20 vlndicats
the administration. which includes a vim
dicatiou OF himself ana his recommcnda-
tious