Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-02
END OF TULLOCH'S CHARGES.
Letter from Former Post. Gen. Smith
Settles Whole Matter.

Washington, June 1.-Postmaster
Geenral Payne has made public the
reply of former Postmaster General
Charles Emory Smith to the charges
of Former Cashier S. w. Tulloch of the
Washington city post office, regarding
the postal administration. Mr.. Smith
says that he invested the allegations of
irregularities when they were made
and that the evidence adduced in most
cases was believed to be a justification
of the transactions complained of, add
ing that the criticisms betrayed a lack
of knowledge of conditions incident to
the Spanish war and the measures nee
essary to meet the requirements. Mr..
Payne said, today, that Mr.. Smiths
letter practically closes the Tulloch in
cident. although other documents on
the subject will be made public later.
The first answer of Mr. Smith to the
TullOch charges will not be made pub
lie. Mr.. Payne explained, today, that
Mr.. Smith had forgotten about Mr..
TullOCh'S charges and the investigation
he ordered and until the papers We're
accidentally found by Francis w.
Whitney, secretary to Mr.. Payne, it
was not known that the charges had
been Investigated at the time. These
papers showed that Mr.. Smith had
divided the charges into groups, noting
directions for investigation as to each
group and subsequently recording
against each group the results of the
investigation. These results constitute
the exhibit to which Mr.. Smith re-
fers in his letter. Mr.. Payne said that
Mr.. Smith in his prior letter had entire
ly forgotten the Tulloch charges and
did not recall the name or the fact that
he had investigated the charges.
Mr. Smiths second letter, in part
follows:
philadelphia, Pa. May 81 1903.
Henry c. Payne, Postmaster General,
Washington, ID. c.
Sir am in receipt Of your letter OF
the 10th inst, enclosing copy of letter adj
dressed to YOU by S. w. Tulloch, respect
ing the conduct of the post office depart
ment and the Washington city post office
during the years 1898 and 1899.
I'm reply | leg to say that the allega-
tons OF irregularities made by MI Tulloch
on his retirement from the position of
cashier of the city post office We're duly
examined at the time They We're taken
up item by item and the facts in each
case were ascertained The result of that
examination was embodied in a full ex-
the explanations in each instance. which
is on file at the department. To this ex-
hiblt | refer as embracing particular
and detailed answer to Mr.. Tulloch's state
ments
without undertaking to repeat here its;
specific and minute evidences, let me say
in general terms that in most cases it pre-
SCENTS what was believed to be a juStiiica =
ton of tie transactions complained of.
The transactions mostly grew out of the
conditions incidental to the opening of the
Spanish war and the criticisms betrayed n
want of knowledge both of the conditions
and of the methods adopted to meet their
requirements. The war was declared
April q, 1898. Within few weeks an
army of 100000 men was raised and or
SjtnizCd in camps 1t became necessary
to provide at once for the prompt hand
ling of the mail of this large body of sol
diers and their million friends at home.
In meeting the demands of the service
and in making good out of one fund what
had been temporarily and involuntarily
drawn from the others, changes and trans
Ter and special employments We're made
which might not be understood by those
who had only an incomplete knowledge OF
the facts.
1T was found expedient as a matter of
practical administration to treat the
camps and afterwards for a time the of
fees of Porto Rico as branches of the
Washington office, as those of Cuba We're
treated as branches of the New York Of
flee. This involved the enrolment of the
Washington roll For a time some of the
extra help needed in the department was
provided for in the same way. Out of
these facts ignorantly grew some of the
of Irregularities.
During two years Congress appropriate
ed $5OO,O00 for the military postal service
to be expended at the discretion of the
postmaster general. OF this amount $249.-
6G,j.55 was spent and the remainder, $50, :
3:l3 49, was converted back into the treas
ury.
Some reference has been made to the
fact that few machinists appeared to be
enrolled on the clerical roll. After exam
lining the subject determined to cut down
the annual rental of cancelling machines
used in the post offices of the country to
an extent which effects saving of about
s1oO,0 600 year in the aggregate to the gov
eminent. In consideration of this large
reduction the department agreed to take
care of machinists They required three
or four machinists and direction was Civ
en- that the machinists already familiar
with the work should be employed. l am
frank to say that do not now recall just
how they were enrolled, but it was
thought that 1t could be lawfully done in
places and no more red tape of
form was allowed to stand in the way of