The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-14
1 s:: s . B:s@s S 9sa t.; g. ~ CO.. e.
NO TURNING BACK.
No Guilty Man to Escape in
POstofiice Department.

Washington, April 14.-Postmaster
General Payne has given out a state
ment in which he announced that the
investigation of the affairs of the post
Office department would be continued.
and that any parties found guilty OF
wrong doing would be dealt with sum-
marily. The statement is as follows:
During the months Of January and
February information and reports
reached me which I deemed it for the
public interest to investigate, and /, per-
sonally, gathered such information and
facts as would enable the proper officers
of the department to undertake d
thorough investigation as to the truth
or falsity of these reports.
I directed Fourth Assistant Post
master General RrlstoW to take the
proper steps to institute the necessary
inquiry, using for that purpose the
postoff1ce inspectors division and such
other methods as would thoroughly as
certain the truth or falsity of the
charges or insinuations made. and he
was instructed to proceed promptly and
with vigor during my absence. Since
my return this morning / have not seen
General BristoW, so that I am not adj
vised of the progress made The inves-
LEGATION viii continue. and if any
wrong-doing is disclosed the parties
guilty Of such Wrong-dOing will be sum-
marily dealt with If the system or
method Of doing business in the depart
ment is faulty. the proper remedies Will
be applied without fear or favor. I in
augurated the investigation with the
determination that it should be ex-
haustive. 1t is proper for me to add
that / laid before the president the in
formation which I had in my possess
sion, and that he fully approved of the
action proposed by me-
The whole administration of the post
office department is made subject to the
investigation under the postmaster gen
erals direction. and every division viii
be probed thoroughly, and the inquiry
be made as thorough as the depart
ments most expert inspectors can make
At the same time Mr.. Payne's purpose
/ IS TO give fair and just treatment to all
1 concerned and not to act arbitrarily
and with undue haste. For that rea-
son, it can be stated that no immediate
changes of Importance in the personnel
of the service are now contemplated
and congress viii depend largely on the
/ report to be made by Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General Bristow on the in
vestigation, although developments
meantime may necessitate some devia-
ton from this policy
The Office Of the assistant attorney
general for the postoffice department is
among the bureaus included in the gen
era1 inquiry, and until the investigation
of affairs generally is completed it is
probable that no successor to Assis slant
Attorney General Tyner will be named.
/ Postmaster General Payne did not
reach the department until o'clock
in the afternoon. A score of newspaper
men were awaiting him with queries
concerning the postoffice investiga
/ but he parted all questions with re-
marks on his trip to the West Indies.
Mr.. Payne later summoned a number of
the officers of the department and held
short consultations with them respect
ing postal affairs. About an hour later
he gave out his statement. Suisse
quently he held quite an extended in
terview with Fourth Assistant Post
master General Bristow-
It is learned that it will be several
weeks before the postohice inspectors
will be able to complete their work
When they have finished. Fourth As
sistant Postmaster General Bristow will
prepare a comprehensive report on the
I whole subject. 1t is probable some
parts of the report viii be withheld
from publication.
Postoffice Inspector F'osnes, of the
northwestern division, who was director
general of posts of Cuba from the time