Middletown transcript., 1903-06-13

by it; he returns to Washington with q
keener appreciation of the needs of the
great nation for whose welfare he is SO
largely responsible, and a greater love,
if that were possible, for the country
which has greeted him on every side
with unbounded enthusiasm. In a word,
Mr.. Roosevelt returns to Washington in
closer touch with the great American
people. That he feels this is evident
from remarks he has made to several
friends.
~
As Mr.. Roosevelt again takes up the
reins of government he finds no easy
task before him. An appalling scandal
has developed in the Post Office Depart
ment during his absence, scandal which
he feared, even before he left Washing
ton, but which no political considerations
induced him to attempt to smother. Re-
gardless OF the fact that the country was
approaching great election, an election
which would determine his own political
future, he gave orders to probe the irreg-
ularities in the Post Office to the bottom,
to hew to the line with but one end in
view, the publication of the service.
Warm political friends urged him to per-
init existing conditions to remain undis-
turbed until after election but he refused.
Theodore Roosevelt is alone responsible
for the relentless investigation into Post
Office methods now bring pursued and it
Is with bad grace that partisan papers at
tempt to cast reflections on an admins
tration which has dared to uncover the
sore that it might be healed.
| ~
August W. Machen, former General
Superintendent of Free Delivery, stands
to-day indicted by grand jury on nine
separate counts and evidence of other
criminality sufficient to secure many
more indictments is in the hands of
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow and his inspectors. Thomas w.
McGregor and C. Ellsworth Upton, two of
Machen's subordinates and intimate
friends, have been arrested for stealing
from the Post Office Department SIS, 900,
their methods having been similar to
Machen's. They purchased mail bags in
Baltimore, worth less than so cents each,
and paid for them 80 cents, receiving
commission from the maker of 40 cents
on each. Postmaster General Payne, who
was himself reluctant to believe that there
existed what he would consider actual
dishonesty, that is maladministratio for
personal gain, has been forced to admit
that the conditions which the inspectors
are daily uncoverin2 are appalling" and
it is believed that the ramitications of
Machen's dishonesty will eventually lead
the inspectors into the homes of men
prominent in state and federal political |
affairs. The grand jury is now consider
ing the case of Croft brothers, the men
who paid Machen a commission on the
letter box fasteners, and their conviction
is confidently expected. Smith, the man
who sold the mail bags to McGregor and
Upton, will be prosecuted, and in every
instance as earnest an effort will be made |
to meet out justice to the bribe givers as
to the bribe takers.
~
There is rejoicing in one division OF the
Post Office Department, however. The
District OF Columbia Court of Appeals
has just rendered decision which makes
1t possible to exclude from the mails a
great class of publications which it was
never intended should have the privilege
OF the pound rate of postage, accorded to
newspapers. This class is composed OF
books published in serial form as, for in
stance, the Lakeside Library. the Summer
Library, etc. The publishers have been
in the habit of complying with the tech
nical provisions Of the law, and when
finally denied the one cent rate they ap-
pealed to the courts with the result above
noted. Another class of publication
which will I've barred from the newspaper
rate is composed of alleged magazines
made up of sheet music. TIE most i'm
portant feature of the decision in this
latter case is the affirmation, by the
court, of the Postmaster Generals con-
tention that his decision as to what is
not entitled to newspaper rates is "min-
isteral act" which cannot be reviewed by
the courts.
~
Authoritative information has reached
your correspondent of the organization
of the Wall Street and trust interests in ,
New York with the hope of defeating
President Roosevelt in the next election.
These men say they will support any can
didate the Democrats put up and advise
the Democrats to nominate free silver .
man SO as to be sure Of capturing the ,
Bryan vote. This does not mean, of .
course, that they have been converted to i.
free silver or free trade but they have !,
found President Roosevelt unyielding to :
the pressure they have presumed to exert :
and they believe that Democratic can !
didate, whose election was accomplished !,
by their money, would feel so deeply un-
der obligations to them that he would be
as putty in their hands. Even though
the election of such man might result
in the election also of a Democratic a
House of Representatives, they appre- n
ciate that not for many years would it be f
possible to change the political complex p
ion of the Senate and there would be, +
therefore, deadlock in Congress if the F
Democrats attempted to enact any law t
other than the routine appropriation I
bills. That such combination can COM F
nand sufficient votes to elect President Ii
is not regarded as probably, but that it P
may succeed in making trouble for the A
is possible. q