The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-18
Mr. Payne and Mr.. TulloCh.
The Attitude of the Postmaster General
Doesn't Inspire Confidence.

Doesn't Inspire Confidence.
And so Mr.. Tulloch's statement is
nothing but stump speech" That,
at least, is what Postmaster General
Payne says it is. It's full of glitter
ing generalities," "a lot of irrelevant
matter little more than stuff"
Let us see what Mr.. Tulloch asserts
with great ''ponderosity of particu-
lal1ty," and which Postmaster Gen
eral Payne says he couldn't ask any
clerk in the department to copy"
much less request the 'boys"-as such
appear to his parental eye the re-
porters who daily gather in his office
to record for the benefit of the public
the distilled wisdom of the great man
to publish.
Not for the world" says he,
would [ ask you to print all that
stuff"
Mr.. Tulloch asserts that an inves-
tigation of the New York and Wash
lngton postoffice by an expert ac-
countant OF the Treasury Department
was stopped at the instance of Comp
troller Tracewell, and he produces a
copy of the official order, signed by
Traeewell, to prove the truth of the
charge
MIR. Tulloch gives names and fig
ures to demonstrate the correctness of
his contention that a number of peo-
ple-the proteges of certain politi-
cians-were sent as "inspectors" to
Cuba and Porto Rico, ostensibly to
report on the workings of the new
postal system established there, but in
reality for the purpose, only of fur
nishing an excuse for creating sine
cures.
Mr.. Tulloch charges he gives
again names and figures how the
payment of bill for furniture was
ordered before the furniture had been
delivered to the Government. or even
manufactured.
Mr.. Tulloch charges improper ma
nipulation of pay contrary to
law whereby favorites were enabled
to draw salaries without performing
work which the vouchers called for.
Here, too, he goes into details as TO
names, dates, and figures.
Mr.. Tulloch charges that First As
sistant Postmaster General Heath's
election as director of the Seventh
National Bank of New York was fol
lowed by a transfer of the postal
funds from the Chase National Bank,
where they had been kept for ten
years or more, to Mr.. Heath's con-
Germ, increasing the daily balance of
that bank by from 100000 to $780,
900.
Mr.. Tulloch charges that the Wash
ington city postoffice was made a
mere bureau Of the General Postoffice
for the purpose of turning il into a
convenient Office for the liquidation
Of political obligations, and his state
ment fairly bristles with details to
support that charge
All this and much more Postmaster
General Payne disposes of by calling
it stuff" 'glittering generalities,"
and a stump speech" A stump
speech ii is, to be sure, but not in the
sense Mr.. Payne means. It is a stump
speech which will drive MIN from of
flee, if he continues to treat ii. as
lightly as he seems disposed to treat
it now Mr.. Tulloch is either a phe-
nomenal liar or else there is "some-
thing rotten" IN the Postoffice Depart
ment. Unfortunately, too much has
leaked out already 10 gainsay the lat
ter assertion. And calling Mr. Tul-
loch names or ridiculing his charges
will not in the eyes Of the public
make him the liar Mr. Payne wishes
us to believe he is.
Mr.. Payne's attitude in this whole
matter of investigating the charges
made against the management of the
Postofiice Department, notwithstand-
ipor hiS FRAGRANT assertions to the CON,
trary, has been one of reluctance and
hesitation. He started IN January by
saying there was nothing IN it," IN
March he was forced-we say this adj
visedly-into sanctioning an investi-
CATION Today he amuses himself by
directing his feeble shafts Of wit and
sarcasm at an old employe of the de-