The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-22
More Money Expended This Year than
Was Appropriated by Congress
for the Purpose.
DUE TO BAD ADMINISTRATION
FOR WHICH SUPERINTENDENT MA
CHEN Is HELD RESPONSIBLE.
General Payne's Statement
Salaries of Indiana Postmas-
ters Increased.

be asked at the opening of its next ses-
sion to make an appropriation to cover de-
ficiencies in both the regular free delivery
service and the rural free delivery service
of the Postoffice Department Postmaster
General Payne to-day announced that this
deficiency now aggregates exactly S22l,3Oo,
of which SOS, 200 is in the free delivery
branch and $l21 600 in the rural free delivery
service. The postmaster general said he
very much regretted the existence of the
deficit and for the first time publicly criti-
cised the administration OF A. w. Machen,
the general superintendent of the free de-
livery system, who is out on indefinite
leave of absence.
This is not the first time that a def
cheney has occurred in the free delivery
service said Mr.. Payne, but 1 regret it's
existence. At the opening of the last Con-
gress Mr.. Machen pointed out that with
tut additional appropriations no more
routes could be established beyond those
ready to be installed Jan. 1. He said,
however, If Congress appropriated 100000
for the purpose the work could be con-
This appropriation was promptly made,
but 1t was exhausted. Despite this fact
the Office (the free delivery office) was go
ing on increasing the deficiency and IL we
had not taken steps to curtail the expendi-
lures and suspend the establishment of
routes until the beginning Of the next fiscal
year. the deficit would have been much
larger 1t was not good administra ton
Continuing, the postmaster general said
that part of the deficiency was discovered
before Mr. Machen was given his leave
of absence. He reported a part of it him.
SELF" Mr.. Payne added. First Assistant
Postmaster General Wynne recently report
ed to me that $4,000 deficiency existed in
the rural service and Mr.. Wynne and 1
hot nv fho
department might eliminate that. suppose
that was the amount reported to Mr..
Wynne."
Immediately following that report the
postmaster general sent the following letter
to Fourth Assistant Bristow, dated May
8: lon the 7th inst. General Wynne ad-
vised me of the probabilities of deficit of
$4,000 in the rural free delivery accounts
and that if the activity of the department
is kept up in the work Of preparing to in
stall additional rural free delivery routes
until July l. this deficit would be largely
increased. 1T is my wish that there should
be no deficit Congress at its last session
made an additional appropriation of $500 900
for the rural free delivery service making
the appropriation Immediately available
and we should so conduct the business Of
the Office so as not to exceed this appro-
pration. / have therefore to request that
you will investigate the situation promptly
and curtail expenditures that if it is pos
sible we will not have the deficit at the end
of the fiscal year. In ACCOMPLISHING this.
should be taken not to suspend the actual
investigation of proposed rural free de-
livery routes more than is absolutely neces-
sary. / should think it entirely practical
to bring about economies in other branches
OF the bureau which would accomplish the
result desired
postmaster general with a detailed state
ment showing that the amount aggregated
1927 900 in round numbers. Mr.. Payne said
it was not feasible to cripple the service by
tanned and that a deficiency appropriation
would be asked from Congress.
Postmaster General Payne tonight, In
discussing the big deficiency in the free
delivery service said:
1T is reprehensible for bureau officer
to have deficit of 100000 rolled up on the
LIST day of May. A bureau Office should
postmaster general. I cannot stand for
that kind Of administration and 1 do not
approve Of 1t. 1 do not say that there was
Mr.. Machen's action. 1 believe. however,
that Congress will quickly vote the money
to cover the deficiency" Mr.. Payne said
that Mr. A. w. Machen, the general SUI
perintendent, would be given an oppor-
tunity to be heard on the subject.
Superintendent Machen, when told to-
night of the postmaster generals criticism
about the free delivery deficit said there
had been no intention on his part to de-
ceive his departmental superiors. He said:
IT forwarded to Mr.. Wynne at the close OF
April statement OF the denclt then eX-
listing. Those figures were on routes al
ready established. The figures for routes
to be established on May / and May Is
and June / and June Is had not been then
put on the books by the bookkeeper There
fore the deficit of $4,000 was not mis-
representation of the actual condition Of
the appropriation at the time. / should
have asked Congress" added the free de-
livery superintendent, "for larger sum
than $4,000, which was voted on at the
last session for the present fiscal year
The pressure for more rural routes was
very strong and / yielded to it beyond
what the appropriation really provided
The same thing has been done in years
gone by and Congress has always readily
voted the money necessary to make up the
deficit"