The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-08-29

PRESlDENI ANDREW JAChSON.
(The First Man to Reform the Post Office
Department.
By the time the proposed annex can
be completed it is estimated that there
will be upwards of $4,000 post offices.
By the way, while this development of
the postal service indicates national
prosperity, it must not be overlooked
that the other executive departments
are likewise showing increased bust
ness, although not to such marked
extent as in the postal service.
The auditor for the post Office de-
partment, although an official of the
treasury department, must have his of.
fees in the same building with the
post Office department., for conven-
fence in the transaction of public
business. This official has under his
direction in round numbers 600 en-
ployes, and they require great deal
of space.
In all ages of the world there has
been disposition to dishonesty on
the part of government employees. An
anias and Sapphire were not the first
nor was Cassius the only Roman
'reputed to have an itching palm
Previous to 1886 all postal accounts
were received, recorded and settled in
the post Office department. Under this
practice scandals arose and president
Jackson requested the congress to in
vestigate them. The congressional in
vestigations resulted in a law estab
fishing an auditors bureau, as a sep.
arate institution, free from the infu.
ences of the postal service. In accord.
ance with that law President Jackson
appointed c. X. Gardner, of New Jer.
sey, on July 2, 1886, and the postal &C.
| counts have ever since been audited
by treasury officials, the present au-
ditor being Henry A. Castle, of Mime
sofa, who has occupied the position
since may II, 1897. Previous to assum-
ing the duties of this great Office, Capt.
Castle had been postmaster at St.
Paul, Mimi, where he made careful
study Of postal laws and regulations
In 1886 the total transactions of the
office were less than $6,O00,000 an.
nually. For the last fiscal year the
aggregate transactions amounted to
$SO3, 1853, SOC. Isn't that tremendous
business? The sale of every stamp
and postal card is watched by the au-
ditor's office. Not penny must be
misdirected in all of the more than
36,OOO,0OO domestic money orders
| which are issued every year. Every
money order ultimately comes to the
auditors office as a voucher, where it
is handled five times and checked
twice, by different officials. Without
counting them, the total weight OF
money orders received here has been
upwards of 5000 pounds in one month
In his official report the auditor
says: "Not only are we obliged to
keep correct accounts of all branches
of the postal service, for the purpose
of our own settlements with postmas-
ters, but we are almost daily called
upon for information by the post office
department which is used as founda.
ton for proceedings against postmas
tiers and other employees, or for deter
mining their status and efficiency
The official tenure and even the per
sonal liberty of the postmaster ma,
depend upon the statement of his &C
counts at a specified date, furnishe,
by this Office"
Previous to 1890 there were alwav,
thousands of delinquent accounts :.
postmasters every year. In 1892 a new
, system of auditing was ipaugurated
: In the third quarter of 1894 there were
} only 35s delinquents. For the quartz,
: ended June 80, 1901, when there were
: 10000 postmasters, there were only
. nine delinquent postmasters in the
United States proper, twn in Alaska
and three in Hawaii This is regarded
as the best bookkeeping in the void.
The postmaster general is very
= much i'll earnest in the matter of Sc
curing an additional building for the
transaction of the work of his depart
: ment. 1t is believed by the audito,
, and the officials that the secretary o,
: the treasury will also desire the cree
: ton of additional quarters. IN tina
2 event, with two members of the cab
I met recommending the sane thing, a
t a necessary business proposition, it i,
S fair to presume that within anotha,
: year we shall see the beginning of o :,
4 other handsome departmental build
a ing in this city.
a SMITH n FRY