The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-07-31
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, d. c., July 21th.

,|rags on under the most unfavorab}e
circumstances. Robert j. Wynne, First
Assistant, is acting Postmaster General
but is under such orders that he dares
not say word as TO the progress Of the
investigation nor even discharge employees
found to have been guilty of actual dis
honesty. Postmaster General Payne is
away form Washing ton, cruising about on
a Government revenue cutter, but so
restricted are the powers OF acting Post
master General Wynne that Mr.. Payne
left the signed discharge Of Charles
Hedges when he went away so that If
the result of Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Bristow's investigation proved
dishonesty on Hedges part he could be
gotten rid of without awaing Mr.. Payne's
return.
Charles Hedges, superintendent of city
delivery, has been summarily dismissed
for classifying his pay account. While
the charges against Hedges are ample to
warrant his dismissal it is noteworthy
that an old case, over three years old. was
dug up and made the ground for his dis
missal when there were far more serious
grounds of recent occurrence on which
his discharge might have been based.
The reason for going back SO far and
taking up a comparatively insignificant
charge is that Hedges subsequent irregu-
larities involved II. II. Rand the conf
Dental clerk of the Postmaster General
whose pecadillces it was not desired to
reveal. Nevertheless, Mr.. Bristow has
now taken up the case of Rand and is in
vestigatng the numerous charges against
him. Mr.. Bristow's position in the matter
is very delicate one and there is some
doubt as to whether he will have the
courage to make a report recommending
pet employee. George W. Beavers has,
since my last letter, been indicted for
accepting commissio rs from the Brandt
Dent Automatic Cashier Company but
has not yet been arrested. 1t has long
been believed by the postal officials that
Beavers was guilty Of serious delinquent
cies although his tracks were so cleveriy
covered as to make their proof in court
very difficult. Several more indictments
by the grand jury Of the District of Col
umbia are anticipated within few days
and some new indictments have been re-
turned by the Brooklyn grand jury
although it is not positively known
against whom they were rendered.
President Roosevelt has found himself
in an extremely delicate position in his
relations with organized labor. Public
Printer Palmer recently discharged Will
liam Miller, an assistant foreman of the
bookbn ding department, because he had
been expelled by the union. Miller ap
pealed to the president and to the Civil
Service Commission with the result that
the latter found his dismissal was unlaw
full and the President ordered his rein
statement. The union promptly held
meeting at which it was determined t.
file with the President charges against
Miller and to declare that the bookbind
ers could not work with a non-union
man, but would be compelled to go
on strike If Miller resumed his duties.
Miller is expected to return to work and
the outcome is awaited with interest. The
local union of bookbinders has a peculiar
rule whereby the amount CT work which
each man is allowed to perform it limited.
Miller insisted that the men perform more
work and so incurred the displeasure of
the union Mr.. Roosevelt has issued
declaration that in the departments of the
government there shall be no discrimina-
ton between union and non union labor
In other words, the union of the states is
still supreme. The charges of the union
against Miller the President has refused
to consider, shifting all further response
bility on Public Printer Palmer.
A report comes from Oyster Bay to the
effect that Speaker to- be Cannon, after a
conference with the President, agreed to
withdraw his opposition to the considera
ton of all financial legislation at the next
session of Congress. There is come scep
ticism regarding this report, however.
Persons who know Mr.. Cannon we'll de-
clare that he would never have receded
from his position without some very val
able promises from the President. Of
course if Mr. Roosevelt was ready to
place considerable amount Of patronage
at the disposal Of the prospective Speaker
he could obtain from the latter promise
to do or not to do anything at all. On
the other hand it is pointed out that
promise from the Speaker to withhold
opposition means nothing because the
Speaker does not have to oppose legisla-
ton. His mere neglect means its defeat.
Mr. Roosevelt's sudden interest in fnan-
cial legislations is taken to indicate his dc
sire to regain popularity with Wall Street
and it is interesting to note that his inter
est and advocacy of such legislation dates
entirely from a long conference at the
White House participated in by the Presi
dent, Senator Hanna and G.. W. Perkins,
a partner of J. P Morgan & Co.
The news comes from Indiana that the
republicans Of that state are anxious to
have Senator Beveridge made vice prcsi-
dent so as to make room for Governor
Durbin whom they wish to send to the
Senate in place of the "boy orator" of
whom his colleagues have grown very