Milford chronicle., 1903-04-17

eral Weeks Before Inspectors Com
plete Their Work.
Washington. April IA. - Postmaster
General Payne gave out a statement in
which he announced that the investi-
CATION of the affairs of the postoffice
department will be continued and that
any parties found guilty of wrongdoing
will be dealt with summarily. The
statement follows:
During the months of January and
February, information and reports
reached me which I deemed it for the
public interest to investigate, and l,
personally, gathered such information
and facts as would enable the proper
officers of the department to undertake
a Thorough investigation as to the
truth or falsity of these reports.
directed Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Bristow to take the proper
steps to institute the necessary inquiry,
using for that purpose the postottice
inspectors division and such other
methods as would thoroughly ascertain
the truth or falsity of the charges or
insinuations made, and he was in
structed to proceed promptly and with
vigor duriag my absence. Since my
return this morning 1 have not seeh
General Bristow. so that l am not ad-
vised Of the progress made. The inves-
tigation will continue, andif any wrong
doing is disclosed, the parties guilty
of such wronSooing will be summarily
dealt with. If the system or method
of doing business in the department is
faulty, the proper remedies will be ap-
piled without fear or favor. l inaugu-
rated the investigation with the deter
mlnation that it should be exhaustive.
It is proper for me to add that laid be-
fore the president the information
which had in my possession, and that
he fully approved of the action pro-
posed by me-"
The whole administration of the
postofice department is made subject
to the investigation under Postmaster
General Payne's directions, and every
charge will be pushed thoroughly and
the inquiry made as thorough as the
departments most expert inspectors
can make it.
At the same time, Mr.. Payne's pur-
pose is to give fair and just treatment
to all concerned. and not to act arbi-
trarily and viii undue haste. For this
reason it can be stated that no imme-
diate changes of Importance in the per-
sonnel of the service are now contem-
plated. and changes will depend largely
on the report to be made by Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General Bristow
on the investigation, although circum-
stances may necessitate some devia-
ton from this policy.
1t is learned that it may be several
weeks or more before the postoffice in
spectors will be able to complete their
work. When they have finished, Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General Bristow
will prepare a comprehensive report on
the whole subject. The report neces-
sarily will embrace matters as to which
publicity may not be warranted, so it
is probable some parts of the report
will be withheld from publication.
An Alleged Promotion Syndicate.
New York. April 14.-No arrests
have as yet been made as a result Of
the investigation said to be in progress
of the charges that an alleged promo
tion syndicate had been operating to
secure payment from employees of the
New York postoIice for increase in
salaries. Postmaster Van Cott said
that he had heard nothing official from
Washington as yet concerning the al
legged postofice scandals. He is still
loath to believe that any such alleged
syndicate could operate in the New
York postoffice without his knowledge,
and he cannot see by what agreement
the men were induced to part with
their money, If such were really the
case.