The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-04-16
ADMINISTRATION
ROTTEN TO THE CORE
How Roosevelt is Breeding
Fraud, Corruption and
Rapine
Special to DAILY Leader.

Special to Daily Leader.
Washington, D. c., April 16.-The
scandal in the postoffice department
is one of the most fragrant examples
of Republican administration furnish
ed since the war. The charges-and
they are well fortlhed-disclose a
colossal scheme of jobbery and rob f,
berry. Several officials have resigned.
Others don't dare Several Of the
high officers of the department seem
to have plundered right and left In
view Of the millions annually spent
for the postal service it is readily
seen how venal officials could rake
off" enormous sums yearly
The jobbery apparently grew up
under Hanna's man Percy s. Heath
who as first assistant postmaster gen
eral was a politician if nothing worse.
We department was administered like
a Chinese province and whether or
not Heath was a direct beneficiary
his methods bred up the rotten sys
tenn now being ptch-forked to the
sunlight.
And this sort of thing has been gD-
ing on while letter carriers. postoffice
clerks and railway postal employees
are uaIerpaid and overworked.
Ii the contracts for carrying the
mails over the railroads were as eco
nomically let as they should be and
could be, and the purloined millions
were saved to the government, the
postal employees could be paid de-
cent salaries and there would be
money left over besides.
Exposure in this case came as re.
suit of a row among officials. Robert
j. Wynne, who believes in having his
authority respected, got mad at some
of the wel-intrenched officials who
were amused at Wynnes efforts to
direct Wynne was recently appoint
ed first assistant postmaster general.
The other fellows had been in their
Jobs for years and we're rated as ex-
perts
So Wynne resorted to the familiar
device OF starting a fire behind his
enemies ead the disclosures resulted.
Bellairs. the swindler and convict,
who as an Associated Press rcpresen-
tauve, sent the news Of General
Leonard Woods marvellous success
as an administrator in Santiago first,
and subsequently in Havana as gov.
ernor general, has been exposed He
is now known as a man named Bal
lentine, from Norfolk county, England
He is in the New York rogues' gallery
He is described by Byrnes as the most
successful confidence man of the
world He was convicted of forgery
in Florida and three years after the
expiration of his term he was under
the name of Bellairs, informing the
American public of Cuban affairs. He
was Woods guide, counsellor and
friend. He was on, It is seriously as
serted, three distinct Cuban pay rolls
sent 10 the Philippines and for two
years the Philippine news came tt
this country filtered through this
moral sewer.
Exposure came to him through his
book. in which he denounced Cover
nor Taft and ezto'led Wood and de
clared that Wood should be sent tc
replace Taft Tafts friends expose,
Bellairs. If the Republican "grafters'
fight frequently enough we may learI
ALL the truth about this administra
tion. but they're not likely to- Com
mon cause will assert it's influence
Bellairs. however brilliant as
swinaier he may be, is only an Incl
dent What of Wood the president
great friend? What Of the charge
against Wood so lightly dismissed b.
Secretary Root? Did Wood know o
Bellairs real name. record and char
acter? DID not some army officer
denounce Bellairs to Wood and di
not the latter despite that fact. cor
tnge his association with Belairs
Why was the administration OF Cub
50 expensive under Wood? Palm
has governed more firmly; NOR
quietly and much less expensiyell
How about the gambling monopol
Wood fastened for ten years o
Havana We do know that he dl
get from the stockholders Of thii
gambling monopoly a $4,000 seryic,
and it is said that he admitted tn
service into Cuba free OF duty fou
days before its presentation. Ho'
about the contracts let and franchise
granted nv XVoodo