The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-07-02


statement and the inspectors report
are practically identical. At many
points the language is exactly the
same. It is as If they were written
by the same hand. The Tulloch state
ment was submitted to me. The in
spector's report was submitted to the
fourth assistant. It was the business
of the inspector to find whatever
seemed to call for explanation; it was
left to the postmaster general to find
the explanation and the truth. This
was done by probing the Tulloch state
ment when it was presented. All of
the transactions described as irregular
were examined and report was made
to me which took them up item by
item and groups Of items and gave
the facts and explanations in each
case. To this report I direct particu-
lar attention. If its statements are
correct, then on most points its ex-
planatio.s are satisfactory. It's ac-
curacy in all its special ayerments has
never been impeached in any quarter.
On the main points it is believed to be
d b. q
Main Points Summed Up.
"These main points may be thus
summed up, each in sentence: First,
names Of military postal clerks were
put on the general roll till the mill
tary appropriation became available;
then they were transferred to the
military roll. Second, the bond premi-
ums of military clerks were paid for
good reasons which are plainly set
forth and which had the approval of
the comptroller. Third, the purchases
of Porto Rican supplies were made.
from the regular department CON
tractors named under competition and
at regular contract prices. Fourth,
the vouchers for expenses of depart
ness were made. as required by the
auditor. Fifth, the lease Of the Wash
ington post office was shown to be
entirely justified. Sixth, the appar-
emily double payment of those en-
ployed in examining letter carriers
claims is fully explained. These points
embrace all that are specified in the
charges, except the items relating to.
appointments, including the individu-
al cases of Larner and o. II. Smith,
and thus,the matters open to question
are reduced to the appointments
which all told involve 10 clerks and
seven cleaners Even this is not an ir-
reducible minimum, for several of
these appointments were perfectly
right and beyond any question.
OF all the appointments referred to
in the report Of the post office inspec-
tor on the Tulloch charges Mr.. Smith
declares he had personal knowledge
Of only one, and that was in the mat
ter of Washington young woman,
formerly engaged in Journalism, whom
he found in dire need and appointed
on the roll of laborers, and who, he
says, took her place and did her work
until he made better provision for her
wants. His letter goes onSas follows:
Accepts Responsibility.
II wish to accept the largest meas
ure Of responsibility which belongs to
me in connection with all these mat
tersA but 1t seems due to fairness TO
state certain facts. The war against
Spain, declared three or four days
later, was dated back to April 81. 1898.
That was the very day on which Iwas
sworn in as postmaster general. Ny
first duty, before even familiarizing
myself with the department, was to
make immediate provision for the LETT
tiers OF. the scattered army of $4,000
men which was SO promptly raised,
followed by provision for the full mail
Of the islands. The administration
had been installed for more than a
year. The department force had been
organized. and, Of course. it was prop
erly accepted as it was found. When
the immediate duty in hand was taken
up, it was discovered, curiously
enough, that there were absolutely no
records of the military postal service
in the civil war. There were no known
precedents. We had nothing to guide
us. We had to make our own plans.
The determination of the general plan
and policy devolved on the postmas-
ter general. The execution Of the de-
tails devolved on the first assistants
bureau. We had at first no special APP
preparation and SO had to meet the
requirements out of the regular APP
preparation. Afterwards when the
special appropriation became availa-
bic we had to recoup the general app
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