The Washington times., 1903-06-27
CHARLES EMORY SMITH
OFFERS HIS DEFENSE

Tic loIAIeT nave some recollection, as
it was the only one of tho cases that
was appealed TO me. Larner had been
appointed a military postal clerk for
Porto Rico by the First Assistants Blu
rCau. He went under a promise from
the bureau OF compensation at the rate
o. S1.4OO a year.
About that time I fixed the general
compensation OF clerks in Porto Rico
as I was empowered TO do by law. at
81. 200 a year When Larner returned he
refused 10 settle his unsettled account
on that basis, and appealed to me. He
insisted that he had been promised
$1,000, and I found on inquiry that this
was true. l ordered that he should be
paid what he had been promised. as
lac a right to do. Out of that question
Of rate and out of the question OF the
actual length of his service grew the
whole story of alleged irregularity,
which takes up one-quarter of the in
spectors report, except as it involves a
few items of his expense account. One
of the questions at issue in the latter
was the question whether in the special
Porto Rico service "seidlitz powders,
pills. pennyroyal and calomel" should
be treated as a personal expense CT as
cbargcable to the Government.
Charges of Irregularity.
VIII - the charges of irregularity were
made. my duty was plain. 1t was to
have them examined. and. If there were
irregularities. 10 havs them corrected.
This is exactly what was done. The ex-
plantations we're reported. and to me
most of them seemed satisfactory.
was the more assured in this judgment
from the fact that the Comptroller OF
the Treasury, who made a searching in
vestigation at the time and thoroughly
examined all the vouchers. allowed all
except $3.50 in total amount.
The same report of the inspector.
made in 1899. states at the conclusion
that during the course Of the inspec-
ton. he, Beavers. requested the inspec-
tor to inform the charge
that when he struck the names of the
charwomen off the stations IL would be
we'll not TO mention them in his report.
as they we're personal appointments of
the Postmaster General
Il do not know whether this statement
was made or not, but the fact is that OF
all the appointments referred 10 in the
report l had personal knowledge of AMI
personal interest in only one. That
was the case of most estimable news
paper woman. long a successful Wash
ington correspondent, whom had known
for twenty-five years, and who, through
misfortune. was In much distress. Know
ing her need and being able 10 help her.
l should have been brute If had failed
to do so. AS she was not on the roll Of
eligibles, and could not be made
clerk, l requested that a place should be
found for her on the roll of laborers.
Enrolled as Cleaner.
Months afterward 1 learned, TO my
surprise, that she was enrolled as a
cleaner. and, though a refined lady of
education, had conscientiously been do
ing a cleaners work. Immediately 1
sought TO find a place more suitable 20
her position and antecedents and hap
PLY succeeded. That was absolutely
the only case of all involved in which
had any personal part. II anybody
know the number of cleaners and
whether they were all at work, l have
nothing to say.
General Bristow is entirely right in
saying that he spoke to me at the
time about the inspectors report. His
statement would have been complete If
he had added what l stated in my let
ter Of May p. as follows:
About the same time Fourth AS
sistant Postmaster General Bristow in
formed me that inspectors bad found
the same apparent or actual Irregular
ties IN the Washington Office ad-
vised him. according TO my recollection,
o. the investigation which the Comp
troller OF the Treasury had made, and
of the steps which were being taken TO
rectify any wrong.
7 wish to accept the largest measure
OF responsibility which belongs TO me
in connection with all thes matters.
but IL seems due to fairness to state
certain facts. The war against Spain.
declared three or four days later, was
dated back TO April q, 1898. That was
the very day on which l was sworn In
as Postmaster General. Ny first duty.
before even familiarizing myself with
the department. was 10 make immedi-
ate provision for the letters OF the
scattered army of $50. 900 men which
was promptly raised, followed by pro-
vision for the full mail of the islands.
No Records Made.
The Administration had been INSTALL
ed for more than a year. The depart
mcnt force had been organized. and. OF
course. il was properly accepted as Il
was found. When tho immediate duty in
hand was taken NJ. II was discovered.
curiously enough. that there were abso-
lutely no records OF the military pos
tai service In the civil war. There we're
no known presidents. We had nothing
10 guide us. We had 10 make our own
plans. The determination of the general
plan and policy devolyed on the Post
master General. The execution OF the
details devolved on the First Assistant
bureau. We had AT first no special ap-