New-York tribune., 1903-06-01
POSTAL IRREGULARITIES.
THE TULLOCH CHARGES.
Ex-P0stmaster General Smith Er
amine3 Them-4cts Justified.

nostal administration. Mr.. Smith says that he
investigated the allegations Of Irregularities
when they made. and that the evidence
adduced in most cases was believed to be =
justification of the transactions complained of.
adding that the criticism betrayed lack Of
knowledge OF conditions incident to the Spanish
war and The measures necessary to meet the
requirements.
Nj Payne said to-day that Mr. Smiths letter
practically closes the Tulloch incident, although
other documents on the subject will be made
rpblic later. These include the replies of for
r7er First Assistant Postmaster General Heath
snd Of Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Rristow. the report the former investigation
os -be Tulloch charges 10 which Mr Smith re-
fers and the reports of the postoffice inspectors
and Civil Service representatives who investi-
gated the Washington Postoffice. Owing to the
great volume of documents, Mr- Payne said that
Gil If the documents except Mr.. Heath's reply
vould be briefed although the documents them
selves Will be open TO public inspection, IL
wanted. The first answer of Mr. Smith to the
Tuuoch charges viii not be made public.
Nj. Payne explained to-day that Mr.. Smith
hes forgotten about Mr.. Tulloch's charges ana
The investigation he ordered. and until the pa
,e-s were accidentally found by F. W. Whit
77ev secretary to Mr.. Payne. it was not known
that the charges had been investigated at the
.t,,a These papers showed that Mr.. Smith had
divided the charges into groups, noting direc-
-fors for investigation TO each group. and
subsequently recording against each group the
results Of the investigation These results con-
e,i+,,-e the exhibit 10 which Mr. Smith refers
9, his letter. Nj Payne said that Mr.. Smith
,n his prior letter had entirely forgotten the
Tunoch charges and did not recall the name
or The fact that he had investigated the charges
Mr. SMITHS EXPLANATION.
NJ. Smiths second letter in full follows:
Philadelphia, May p. 1903.
,,-,, = ps,-na Postmaster General. Washington
Sir: am in { GeGePf f letter m to You By
inst l4cI0ss Dop5 ~ ~. ccr1dI1cr of the Post
once Department and the Washington City Post
u renIy beg TO say that the allegations Of ir-
~eFllarities made by MIR. Tulloch on ms reure
nf7ce were duly examined at the time They we're we're
tsKen Perned eP 1Itl IRE result OF that examination
Vas embodied in a full exhibit Of the alleged T iI-
stance which is on file in the department To TINS
exhibit refer as ne em4T%GS Is sRfafeent anu
7S minute eTidences let say in general terms
hat IN most cases it presents what was believed TO
m ius+iGaon of netT 5he gTew omI Of the con-
ditious incidental TO the opening OF Ihe 9LdIsI I
adopted meet their requirements Inc l nSF "S s5
sr15T Of 80 coo men was raised and organized in
aTn&Ps & -romef II oesg BINDING Of the ms of this large
rodv Of soldiers and their million friends at rome
Arv failure TO DO would justly have e&clted uni
Tersai as Condemnation. -,o..,., ,-..
a; The OUTSET & no sPeoai g to Be groSded from
the general postal approprlations AZ nv ilifsT
i ostSI SCI ~ he Fostmasfer General In meeting the
sn5s I Of the service and in making good out
of one fund what had been tenporaTlly ana and un7
transfer 1nd special epoygGentfss Zen fsose Were Who haG
c-}y an Incomplete knowledge Of the facts
MEETING WAR CONDITIONS.
r was found expedent matter of practical
administration to treat the camps; ana
Of the Washington office as those OF una TeTe S,e
rea{eo as ~, % niSent Of Ibe men employed for
Porto Rico on the Washington roll For a .de rlIne
vas provided for in the same way. Out Of these
facts ignorantly grew some or the aHegaUohs u
E6mpared with the magnitude Of the military
ts p6t f6e se poev ne Of sRe departmenf 70 Select
}nS9 an sno ,b3 for the military and island work
During years Congress aprroprlated SGSoo & 6a
discretion Of the Postmaster General or tins
amount s24s666 50 was spent ana a. me 4 PeIdlioe'
some reference has been made to the fact that IT, a
clerical T0 Ihis nay eTannfng the subject
q one ot M a1- & he eniiaI rental of ca n
5i5tS coInt1z, 20 an extent which effected saving
oF about Scoooo a year in the aggregate 10 the
government. In consideration Of TINS Iarge reaIo-
cfines Gr This required three four mlacninists
zl7r tray
pose and direction was given that me n1aeliiSos @
already familiar with the work shoula pc eln-
te f1st how they were enrolled. but it thought
that it could be lawfully done in exempted places
in the way Of what vas believed TO he for the gooo
TIE Examination of the alleged irregularities in
the connection Of the department with the Nash--
Inn should not he altogether candid if did
say that in Some cases was not eonvlnceo el
1qe TSese oestonabe transsctions consist the
most ef placing on the ron rev persons n 1
when these facts developed. the proper officers
were Instructed that every proceeding whlch couid
rot be justified should be rernedied and stopped.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATED.
It is proper for me TO add that Mr. Tulloch's al,
legations were the subject Of an INDEPENDENT ana
TreasIIry who made a minute examination of the
vouchers and Of the authority for expenoiture IN
disailowance amounted TO Ss32. considerable part
Of which sum was 2fter%aro aLlo~o tin on vas
rsiiy apprised -.... 1,o..-
,nasfer General Brisfow informed me that IN;
spectors had found the same apparent or acfua,
Irregularities in the Washington office ! i adviseo
him according 10 my recollection Of the nvestiga,
tion which the Controller OF the dTeesn5g Ken % 10
~ Nra ruiiochFs letter he does not repeat his
earlier statement that when he made his repre-
sensations i dc nothing Ee does however. SAY
the matter PREPARED with perhaps other ,,tb ev
dene ad before 9o TeneseS the
anyointnert Of con1nssen to lnyesrgsse re
Tas was refused by Mr. snliti. who Locked upon
xssn ], as r.a9Res paqR HeasF and Mr BriEtow
In reply refrain from making the covious con- IN
ns aa .Sa3 General 5ristow made any such
request and that Refused IT. is entirely untrue
cry 'esi'eci'unS CHARLES EMORY SMITH
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bristow
has recommended TO Postmaster General Payne
shat the order directing the posting Of names Of