Evening star., 1903-07-02

tract for printing money order blanks for
the next four years beginning September 4.
This action was taken by Postmaster Gen.
eral Payne after a searching investigation
into all facts connected with the bidding
for the contract.
man was given a final hearing before the
postmaster General and First Assistant
postmaster General Robert ]. Wynne in
order that he might have an opportunity to
reply TO some charges that had beeen made
at the hearing held earlier in the day and
give additional information concerning his
relation to the contract. Mr.. Herman fur
nished an affidavit that he had been en-
ployed by the present contractors for near
ly ten years and had no idea of competing
with them when he left their employ which.
ne said, was before the specifications were
taken up. He made search for work. and
says that he concluded he had been prac-
ucaliy blacklisted in the trade, and there
upon decided to start out for himself on a
nnancial backing proffered by an intimate
friend He submitted other evidence to
snow that he was not a STRAW bidder" as
alleged and swore that he has not directly
or indirectly, assigned any interest what
ever in the contract. He testified that the
trm which objected to his securing the con-
tract oHered to re-employ him, after the
bids had been opened at an increa sed
salary provided he would withdraw his bid
which offer he rejected Mr.. HalIenback
Herman said, offered him. if he would with
draw his bid, $50 week and a large part
of % per cent of the net profits of his busi
ness, Whch he would guarantee to be at
!east 5000 year, in addition to his salary
he said Mr.. Tooker Of the Metropolitan
PRINTING Company offered to pay him So. 600
y, ne would agree to execute the contract
IN that establishment and let them share
IN the contract and to make a contract for
hve years to pay him $10O per week salary
Inese propositions he rejected.
Ihe New York concern that has lost the
contract held 1t sixteen years.
Office Of Physician Abolished.
Postmaster General Payne has issued an
order abolishing the position of physician
in post offices at the close of business June
30 1903 This order wipes out a small list
OF officials whose employment, without
specific authority of law, has caused wide
discussion In connection with the post Of
nee investigation. Some, at least of these
omces paid SLIGO year. The Office finally
was abolished here and recently the Post
master General held that the employment
or physicians should be allowed only at
offices in cities of 10000 or more popula-
ton. The post offices employing physicians
up to the close of the fiscal year, which ex-
pred tuesday night, when the Postmaster
GeneraIs order took effect, are New York
Chicago, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Bos-
ton.
Proposed Free Delivery Routes.
AS result of the investigation of the
postal service change in the methods of
investigating routes for proposed rural free
delivery service has gone into operation by
order of Postmaster General Payne. I'm
der the new scheme routes will be investi-
gated by states, irrespective of congress
sional district lines as heretofore. This is
IN line with the recent declaration Of
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bris-
tow that petitions for routes will be inves-
tlgated In the order of their filing the old
est petition receiving the first considera-
ton In every state There are now 1900
petitions for additional routes pending in
the Post Office Department, and substan-
TALLY every representative in Congress is
being pressed by his constituents to secure
expedition in their investigation and estab-
lishment. The matter of taking up peti-
tons according to states instead of the
narrower political lines of districts within
a state has been discussed between postal
officials and a score or more representa-
tives in Congress, and many Of the former
have agreed that it is an equitable way of
handling the business, and that 1t will re-
ieve both them and the Post Office De-
partment of considerable embarrassment.