The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-08
EXPOSURE MAY SERIOUSLY INIURE THE ADMINIsTRA

need to be exposed for the good of the
4 service.
All the high political influence which the
officials OF the department under suspicion
could bring TO bear had no effect on the
President or the head OF the Post Office
Department. Mr. Wynne showed sufficient
evidence Of suspicious acts and dealings on
the part OF officials in his department to
warrant the investigation. and It was not
only ordered, hut the Investigators were
told to do 1t thoroughly without fear or
favor.
CRIMINAL ACTS
The first result was the resignation OF
General Superintendent George w. Beavers
Of the division OF salaries and allowances.
who left the department summarlly and
while under fire. To what extent criminal
acts. il any. were discovered in this diyi-
sion no one connected with the investigation
Will state. The Postmaster General is out
Of town. and reports from time to time Will
be made 10 him as soon as he returns.
The latest charge to be filed against the
division OF supplies was submitted this aft
ernoon by +. L Bingham OF Philadelphia
Of the firm OF Bingham * Co.. rubber stamp
manufacturers In this charge he states
that there Is collision between Superintend-
ent Louis OF the supply division and the
local firms which have for years been fur
nishinE rubber stamps FOR the department.
The contract amounts to about $1,000
each year. and. although Bingham does
not charge directly any officials with re-
ceiyins u money consideration. he insists
that there is an understanding with the To-
cal firms Of such q character as u exclude
all other firms from receiving consideration
in the matter Of bids
SUPPLY SCANDAL
It is already known that correspondence
with POstmasters in various parts OF the
country has developed what appears 10 be
a scandal in the supply division. Many Of
these POStmaSteTS IN reply to inquiries
have written that unnecessary supplies
nave been forced on their offices against
their protests.
Some OF the charges against this division
involve contracts for letter boxes and other
post-orlce paraphernalia in ali parts OF the
country. Charges in the tree-Ceiivery ser
wee involve the managing OF strong ana
well-cOnStructed boxes TO less seryIceable
and cheaper affairs AT the old price.
one instance brought to light in a South
eru State shows that while the Government
was paying 81 cents FER the painting Of each
one Of the rural free delivery boxes The
it for 3 cents each. The effort OF the in
vestigators is now TO find just who II was
that obtained the difference.
1t can readily be seen that much money
could be mad. in this manner when con-
tracts are let for the painting Of thousands
Of boxes IN all parts Of the country These
are only incidents OF the far-reaching inves-
LEGATION that have so far come 10 the sur
face High officials in the department, ac-
quainted with the circumstances. say that
enough is already known TO warrant the
prediction that before the end comes the
scandal will reach enormous proportions
CONGRESSIONAL INFLUENCE.
Among other things It is said that both
Beavers and Machen, through fayors to
Senators and Representatives. built up a
congressional influence stronger than any
that ever stood behind any department Of
ficials. Since the resignation of Beavers
Machen has received scores OF letters from
Representatives. some Of them high in
party councils. all advising him TO fight the
case to a finish. and giving assurances OF
all the congressional support he needs
As one result Of the administrative in
yestigation being conducted by Acting POST
master General Wynae. IL is announced
that the auditing Of special accounts in the
Post-Ofice Department VIII no longer be
by courtesy. as has been the case in the
past. II has been disclosed that this sys-
TEN. in which certain accounts were always
given the Benefit OF the doubt when II came
to a close construction Of the law. will no
longer prevail. Instead. the auditors office
has been instructed to scrutinize carefully
each item.
In this way it is expected to curtail largely
the lavish expenditures which IL Il alleged
have marked the operation OF certain a.
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