The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-05-22
HUGE DEFICIT
SAID TO EXIST
Postofice Department Is Shy
Over $500, 600.
BLAME is LAID ON HACHER
CONGRESS WILL BE ASKED 10
MAKE IT GOOD.

III ASHINGTON. Nay I.-Congress
W will be asked at the opening OF
its next session to make an ap-
preparation to cover deficiencies in both
the regular delivery service and the
rural free delivery service OF the post
Office department.
Postmaster General Payne announced
today that this deficiency now aggre-
gates exactly S224. 467, Of which S105,000
is in the free delivery branch. The
postmaster general said ne very much
regretted the existence OF the denclL
and for the first time publicly criticised
the administration Of A. W. Aacheni
the general superintendent of the Iree
delivery system. who is now on IN
definite leave OF absence
Not the First Time.
This is not the first time that a def
lett has occurred in the free delivery
service" said Mr.. Payne but regret
its existence. At the opening Of the
las. congress Mr.. Machen pointed out
that without additional appropriations
no more routes could be established be
yond those ready to be installed jan l.
He said however, if congress apprJ-
priated $500 600 for the purpose the
work could be continued during the
rest OF the fiscal year. This approprla-
ton was promptly made, but II was
GAllauSLGl LGSAlAL- -A2ao A1-~-s --A- 1--AA-
(the free delivery Office was going on
increasing the deficiency, and If we
had not taken steps to curtail the eX-
penditures and suspend the esta bllsn-
ment of routes until the beginning oE
the next fiscal year. the deficit would
have been much larger. 1t was not
good administration"
Machen Reports Tt.
Continuing, the postmaster general
af 1rr Of Il nfer0T~-
cred before Mr. Machen was given his
leave.
He reported a part of it himself
Mr.. Payne added First Assistant
Postmaster General Wynne recently
reported to me that SO, coo deficiency
existed in the rural service, and Mr..
Wynne and I agreed that by econom-
iCaI measures the department might
eliminate that. L suppose that was the
amount reported to Mr.. Wynne."
Immediately following that report the
postmaster general sent the following
letter TO Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General BristOw, dated Nay g:
Orders to Bristow.
"On the eth inst. General Wynne ad-
vised me o. the probabilities of a DEF
icit Of S20,OO0 in the rural free delivery,
and that if the activity Of the bureau
] was kept Up in the work of preparing
( 10 install additional free delivery
/ largely be increased.
1T is my wish that there should be
no deficit. Congress at its last session
made an additional appropriation OF
100000 for the rural free delivery serv-
I ice, making the appropriation immeoi-
ately available. and we should conduct
/ the business of the Office so as 10 not
I exceed this appropriation.
Economy Suggested.
81 have, therefore. to request that
you viii investigate the situation
promptly and cUrtaiI the expenditures
/ so that if it be possible we viii not
! have a deficit at the end of the fiscal
{ year. In doing this. however, 1t is ad-
( visabl that care should be taken not TO
] suspend the actual investigation Of
! proposed rural free delivery routes
more than is absolutely necessary. Z
should think it entirely practical to
bring about economies in other
/ branches Of the bureau which would
/ accomplish the result desired
Mr.. BristOW subsequently reported to
/ the postmaster general with a detailed
/ statement showing that the amount in
numbers aggregated S227,000. Mr.
Z Payne said that 1t was not feasible TO
/ cripple the service by suspending any
/ of the service now maintained, and
| that a deficiency appropriation would
/ be asked from congress.
( Payne's Statement.
/ Postmaster General Payne tonight in
l discussing the big deficiency in the free
( delivery service. said
"It is very reprehensibIe for a bureau
! officer to have def1clty Of 100000 rolled
! up on the lst Of May. 1t was bad, very
. pad ADMINS Lratlon A bureau officer
should not incur a deficit without con-
sulting his superior officer. the pOstmas-
] ter general I cannot stand that kind or
administration and do not approve of IL.
I An official must be held 10 a more strict
6 accounting I do not say that there was
] 10 In
I Mr. Machen's action. but il was certainly
I loose administrat ton, and he should have
I l.eEe, however, that congress VIII quickly
/ vote the money 10 cover The deficiency
Ar. Payne said that A. W Machen. the
general supeI-ill e@.ae Ell. would be given an
/ opportunity 10 be heard on the subject
/ The entire nap work Of the rural free
/ delivery service has been suspended and
/ no more maps viii be made before The
/ beginning Of the next fiscal year. funds
( for this purpose being exhausted
Machen's Explanation.
Superintendent 0Iachen, when told to-
( iciSm about the free delivery deficit, said
. there had been no intention on his part
to deceive his departmental superiors- He
, said:
4 forwarded to Mr.. Wynne at the close
I of April a statement of the deficit then
/ already established The figures for
I routes 70 be established MAY i and Nay
10 and June and June Is had not then
] been put on the books By the bOOkkeeper-
/ Therefore the deficit OF $4,000 was not
| a Misrepresentation Of the actual c0noi-
ton of the appropriation at that time.
/ Il should have asked congress, added
the free delivery superintendent. for a
larger sum than $4,000. which was voted
at the last session for the present fiscal
/ year. The pressure for more rural routes
/ was very strong and I yielded TO II be-
I yOnd what the appropriation really pro-
1 Vided- The same thing has been doae N
years gone by, and congress has always
readily voted the money necessary 20
I make up the deficit
NEW NATIONAL BANK
Special to The HeraId.l