The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-06-27
Results in the Postal Investigations.


From The Philadelphia Ledger (Rep.) June 10.
The report of the Civil Service Commits
sion. through its Chairman, Mr.. Proctor,
of its investigations into the conduct OF
the Washington City Postoffice abundantly
confirms the charges made by Mr.. Tulloch,
and reveals new and startling inlqultieS.
The Postmaster General ridicuIed Mr..
Tullochs allegations Mr.. Bristow inyes-
tigated them, and his report was suppress
ed. The Civil Service Commission inves-
tigated, and it was no longer possible to
keep the facts from the public.
Mr.. Proctor's report shows that the
Washington Postoffice was packed with
fayorites whose duties were nominal, and
that these persons were put on the payroll
in an irregular and fraudulent manner
Though appointments in the Washington
office are regulated by civil service rules,
these persons never passed any civil ser
vice examination. The practice was to
appoint man or woman whom for pollti-
cal or personal reasons it was desired to re-
ward to position in small, uncasslhed
postofice somewhere in the country, or
nerhaps as a laborer in an office about to
be taken under the civil service rules. lie
or she was then transferred to the Wash
ington Office and covered into the civil ser
vice. The appointee was then eligible TO
high salaried positions in the Washington
office or elsewhere.
Thus, for instance, the report says
and this is no longer the irresponsible
charge of an individual. but the language
of the United States Civil Service Com
mission
"a case in point Is that Of lady who was
nomiuallv appointed in the Moorestown y.
] postoficr. but never left the Washington
postoffice who owed her appointment 90 the
classification transfer method was promoted
from September !. 1900. 10 July |, 1901. from
5000 to $1,000 per annum by direction OF the
department. and is doing the work formerly
done bv an employe who received compen-
satiou Of only $1,000 per annum.
The interest the country in General has
in the Washington Postoffce scandal arises
from the fact that the guilt disclosed in It's
operations goes back to officials IN the
Postofice Department The local Post
master was mere igurehead, 50 far A.
appointments to positions in his office were
concerned. He obeyed the orders he re-
ceiyed from Mr. Perry ;. Heath, former
First Assistant Postmaster General and
now Secretary Of the Republican National
Committee On has part, Mr. Heath on
" did what he was expected 10 do, what
he was put into his high Office for the ex-
press purpose Of doing The language Of
the report on this point Is.
The investigation seems 70 show clearly
that most OF the irregularities herein s-t forth
we're directed bv the Department or requested
or suggested by high department officials, and
in either case came to the Postmaster with az
the force Of direction.
The Washington PostofFiee ], a compar-
atively small one The opportunities for
It's use in crooked work are nothing Ike -
great a. in such officss a. those in NewYoFk,
Baltimore. Boston and St Ions, IN all
which Heath is known 10 have been busy.
or. indeed. in twenty other uthce> where
much larger forces are employed than IN
the Washington City Office There IL
every reason 60 believe that Investigations
elsewhere will reveal even more serious
oiFenses, and DO much to lay bare the work
ings Of the machine. which il j. uow com
mon knowledge, used tie Postoihoe Depart
meut as vast clearing house for the pay
ment of political and personal debts Ten
inspectors begin work in the New York
city Office this morning, il ought NOT 20
take them many days to draw the lines
around notorious offenders there.