Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1903-04-16
[CoMMUNIcATED.

paFtment Is one OIL the most Hagrant
examples of republican administra-
tion furnished since the war. The
charges they are well fortified
disclose a colossal scheme Of job
berry and robbery. Several officials
have resigned. Others don't dare.
Several of the high officers Of the
department seem TO have plundered
right and left. In view Of the mil
lions annually spent for the postal
service il is readily seen how venal
officials could "rakeoff" enormous
sums yearly.
The jobbery apparently grew up
under Hanna's man Percy s. Heath,
who as First Assistant Postmaster
General was a politician If nothing
worse. The department was admin
istered like Chinese province and
whether or not Heath was a direct
beneficiary his methods bred up the
rotten system now being pitch fork
ed TO the sunlight.
And this sort of thing has been
going on while letter carriers, post
Office clerks and railway postal en-
ployes are underpaid and overwork-
ed.
II the contracts for carrying the
mails over the railroads were as
economically let as they should be,
and the purloined millions were saw
ed TO the government, the postal en-
ployes could be paid decent salaries
and there would be money left over
besides.
Exposure in this case came as a
result Of a row among officials.
Robert ]. Wynne, who believes in
having his authority respected, got
mad ut some of the well-intrenched
officials who were amused at Wynne' s
efforts TO direct. Wynne was re-
Gently appointed First Assistant
Postmaster General. The other fell
lows had been in their jobs for years
and were rated as experts.
So Wynne rcsorted to the familiar
device of starting a fire behind his
enemies and the disclosure resulted.
Bellairs, the swindler and con-
vict, who as an Associated Press
representative, sent the news of
General Leonard Woods marvel
Gus success as an administrators in
Santiago first, and subsequently in
Havana as Governor General, has
been exposed. He is now known as
a man named BaleEtine, from Nor
folk County, England. He is in the
New York Rogues' Gallery. He is
described by Byrnes as the most
successful confidence man of the
world. He was convicted of forg-
cry in Florida, and three years after
the expiration of his term he was,
under the name Of Bellairs, inform
ing the American public of Cuban
affairs. He was Wood s guide. coun-
sellor and friend. He was on, it is
seriously asserted, three distinct
Cuban payrolls. He then, after
making Wood" was sent to the
Philippines and for two years the
Philippine news came to this coun-
try filtered through this moral sew
or.
Exposure came TO him through
his book, in which he denounced
Governor TAT: and extolled Wood
and declared that Wood should be
sent to replace Taft. Taft's friends
exposed Bellairs. IL the republi-
can "grafters" fight frequently
enough we may learn ALL the truth
about thisadministration, butthey re
not likely TO. Common cause will
assert It's influence.
Bellairs, however brilliant as q
swindler he may be, is only an incl
dent. What of Wood, the Presi
dents great friend? What of the
charges against Wood solightly dis
missed by Secretary Root? Did
Wood know of Bellairs' real name.
record and character? Did not some
army officers denounce Bellairs to
Wood, and did not the latter. de
spite the fact, continue his associa.
ton with Bellairs? Why was the
administration of Cuba so expensive
under Wood? Palma has governed
more firmly; more quietly and much
less extensively. How about the
gambling monopoly Wood fastened
For ten years on Havana? We do
know that he did get from the stock
lholders Of this gambling monopoly
J 5000 service. and it is said that
be admitted the service into Cuba
rec of duty four days before It's
presentation. How about the con-