Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1903-05-29
POSTOFFYoE DEFICIT GROWS.

FUS1OFfICE DEFICIT GROWS.
A dispatch from Washington dated thu
2lst instant says; Congress will be asked al
the opening Of its next session to make an
appropriation to cover deficiencies in both
the regular free delivery service and the ru
raj free-delivery service Of the Postofice
Department
Postmaster General Payne announced thai
this deficiency aggregates 1927 300, Of which
$1O5,7OO is in the free delivery branch and
1921, 600 In the rural free delivery service
Mr.. Payne, for the hrst time, publicly criti-
cized the administration Of A. W. Machen,
the general superintendent oil the free de-
livery system, who Is on an indefinite leave
of absence.
"This is not the first time that delcien-
cy has occurred in the free delivery service"
said Mr.. Payne, "but regret It's existence.
AT the opening Of the last Congress Mr.,
Machen pointed out that without additional
appropriations no more routes could be es-
tablished beyond those ready to be installed
January /. He said, however, II Congress
appropriated $4,000 for the purpose the
work could be continued during the rest Of
the fiscal year. This appropriation was
promptly made, but 1t was exhausted. Des-
pite this fact the ee.delivery Office was 60
ing on increasing the deficiency, and II we
had not taken steps to curtail the expendi
lures and suspend the establishment Of the
routes until the beginning of the next fiscal
year the deficit would have been much lar
ger. 1t was not good administration
Continuing, the Postmaster General said
that part Of the deficiency was discovered
before Mr.. Machen was given his leave Of
absence.
HE reported part of II himself" Mr.
Payne added. "First Assistant Postmaster
General Wynne recently reported TO me that
$4,000 deficiency existed in the rural ser
vice, and Mr.. Wynne and l agreed that by
economical measures the department might
eliminate that. l suppose that was the
amount reported to Mr.. Wynne."
Immediately following that report the
Postmaster General sent this letter to Fourth
Assistant Bristow, dated May O.:
"On the 7th instant General Wynne sd
vised me OF the probabilities Of deficit o
$4,000 in the rural free delivery accounts
and that il the activity Of the bureau is kept
up In the work Of preparing to install ad
ditlonal rural free delivery routes until July
this deficit would be largely increased.
at is my wish that there should be no de
flcit Congress al it's last session made al
additional appropriation Of $5OO,OOO for thu
rural free-delivery service, making the ap
preparation Immediately available, and W,
should so conduct the business of the off1c
as not TO exceed this appropriation"
Mr. Bristow subsequently reported to tn
Postmaster General with a detailed state
ment showing that the amount aggregate,
1927 900 in round numbers. Mr.. Payn
said that it was not feasible to cripple tn
service by suspendlDg any Of the servic
now maintained and that a deficiency ap
preparation would be asked iron Congress
Postmaster General Payne said, in speak
ing further of the deficiency:
at is very reprehensible for bureau Off
Ger to have deficit of 5000, 900 rolled up OF
the LIST of May. 1t was bad, very bad al
minislration. A bureau officer should no
incur deficit without consulting his supe
rior officer, the Postmaster General. canno
stand for that kind OF administration, and
do not approve OF ii. An official must b
held to more strict accounting. do nj
say that there was anything criminal no
anything wrong in Mr.. Machen's action
but il was certainly loose administration
and he should have had his business NOR
in hand. believe, however, that Congres
will quickly vote the money TO cover tn
deficiency"
Postmsster-Genera Payne was asked
number of questions as to the effect of th
discovery OF the deficiency on the status @
Mr.. Machen, but parried all the questions
lie said that the question would be locke
into and a communication might be sen
later to Mr.. Machen asking for an explans
ton OF the condition of affairs.
The above statement is from the head {
the Postotilce Department and clearly ind
Gates gross Encouragement, at least, in III
affairs OF the postal service.