Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-22
A LARGE DEFICIT
In Regular and Rural Free Deliveries
,'tf":' Payne on Machen.

Washington, May 21.-Congress will be
asked at the opening of it's next session to
make an appropriation to cover the delic-
icncies in both the regular free delivery
service and the rural free delivery ser
vice of the post office department. Post
master General Payne, today, announces
that this deficiency now aggregated exact
~ $227 ,467, of which $lO5, 200 is in the free
delivery branch and $l2l, 500 in the rural
free delivery service.
The postmaster general for the first time
criticised the administration of A. W.
Machen the general superintendent. of the
Lite leave of absence.
This is not the first time that a de-
cheney has occurred in the free delivery
service,' said Mr.. Payne, but | regret its
existence. At the opening of the last Con
GresS, Mr.. Machen pointed out that with
out additional appropriations no more
routes could be established beyond those
ready to be Installed, this year, He. SAID
however, if Congress appropriated $500,00t
for the purpose the work could be contin-
ucd during the rest of the fiscal year. This
was exhausted. Despite this fact the Of
flee (the free delivery Office was going on
increasing the deficiency, and if we had
not taken steps to curtail the expenditures
and suspend the establishment Of routes
until the beginning of the next fiscal year
the deficit would have been much larger.
1t was not good administration.
Continuing, the postmaster general said
before Mr.. Machen was given his leave OF
absence.
lie reported a part of it himself" Mr..
Payne added First Assistant PoStmaS-
that $4,000 deficiency existed in the rural
service and Mr. Wynne and l agreed that
by economical measures the department
might eliminate that. | suppose that was
the amount reported to Mr.. Wynne."
Postmaster General Payne, tonight, in
discussing the deficiency of $227,300 of
which S1U5700 is in the free delivery ser
vice, said: 1T is very reprehensible for
rolled up on the first of May. 1t was bad,
very bad administration. bureau officer
should not incur deficit without con-
sulting his superior officer, the postmaster
general. ! cannot stand for that kind of
administration and | do not approve of it.
An official must be held to a more strict
accounting. do not say that there was
anything criminal nor anything wrong in
MIR Machen's action but it was certainly
loose administration and he should have
had his business more in hand be
lcve, however, that Congress will quick
~ vote the money to cover the deficiency.
Mr. Payne said that A. W. Machen. the
general superintendent, would be given an
opportunity to be heard on the subject.
later to Mr.. Machen asking for an eXpla-
nation of the condition of affairs. The
entire map work of the rural free deliv-
cry service has been suspended and no
h'oit maps VIII w IIlIlteu Deloit tlle ne
ginning of the next fiscal year. The funds
Tor this purpose have been exhausted
Supt. Machen when told, tonight. of the
postmaster generals criticism about the
free delivery deficit, said there had been
no intention on his part to deceive his de-
partmental superiors. He said:
II forwarded to Mr., Wynne at the close
of April a statement of the deficit then eX-
listing. Those figures were routes already
established. The figures for routes to be
established. May and May Is and June l
and June IS, had not been then put on the
books by the bookkeeberS. Therefore the
deficit of 100000 was not a miSrepreSenta-
ton Of the actual condition of the appro-
prfaticn at that time
81 should have asked Congress" added
the free delivery superintendent, for a
larger sum than $500.0O0 which was voted
at the last session for the present fiscal
year, The pressure for more rural routes
was very strong and / yielded to it be-
Nond what the appropriation really pro-
vided. The same thing has been done in
years gone by and Congress has readily
voted the money necessary to make up the
deficits