The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-30
Has Pursued Him Personally, in Sea-
son and Out, Says Mr.. Heath, with
Nc Intent to Do Justice.
HARD SERVICE IN WAR TIMES
NECESSITY OF MAKING PRECEDENTS
FOR MANY THINGS.
Most of the Scandal Developed Since
Heath Left Ofice-Capable Men
UnjustIy Criticised.

SALT LAKE, Utah. Nov. 29.-When for
mer First Assistant Postmaster General
Perry S. Heath, now the proprietor of the
Salt Lake Tribune, had read the report of
Mr.. Bristow and the comments of the Pres
ident tonight. he said:
II shall not hesitate to publish in the
Tribune tomorrow morning every word of
this report, and also every word of this
memorandum of the President, although
there is not a syllable In them, except Of
fetal comment, so far as pertains 10 my
self, that is news to the public. L hope
my enemies, as well as my friends, will do
me the justice of reading it all carefully.
The newspapers have been kept informed
and have been publishing it all during the
past year. That which has hitherto been
generally regarded as newspaper criticism,
1T is now revealed, was official criticism in
disguise.
1T is no surprise to me to see the de-
nunciation of me in this report. The au-
thor of Ii, from the time he entered the
Postoffice Department up TO the present mo-
ment, has. in his official capacity, pursued
me personally, in season and out, as every
one who has been in public life In Wash
ington during the past six years knows. In
nuendo is artfully contrived and malice ill
concealed throughout the entire document,
as everybody familiar with the facts may
see. Its very opening pages attack my
friend, ID. w. Louis, an honest gentleman,
as the report itself is compelled to admit
him to be. and 1t closes with impairment
and intrusive animadversions on my adj
ministration. The author seems to have
studiously avoided mentioning the impor-
tant fact that many, ii not a large major
ity. of these ~offenses occurred after l had
left the service.
Nor is the slightest reference made to
another important fact that l had placed
upon me ten times as much administrativ
and executive work by reason of the Span
ish-American war as / should have under
taken, or the fact that during the time most
or the onus OF performing the military pos
tai duties fell upon me. together with the
distribution OF much of the patronage OF
the service in the way of appointments, and
that we had TO establish precedents, as we
had no military postal laws; and lastly, the
fact that If any one conjured with my name
for corrupt purposes / could not know II
except somebody told me. No intimation
or the kind ever reached me till lately
Men like Louis, whose supplies were
purchased through a committee of three
appointed by the postmaster general, by
public advertisement n the direction OF
the postmaster general, he being merely
the distributing clerk, are cenSured and
made to suffer for responsibilities they
never had.
when Louis entered the service he found
his division in a demoralized condition. The
tremendous increase in the regular postal
services required the filling of thousands OF
new orders in new Offices as well as old
ones and the military postal service neces-
STATED the supplying of thousands of Offices
In newly-acquired territory.
Because L cannot be ~truthfully accused
or ever having received any reward, In
cash, bonos. stocks, presents or other form
while / was in the department., or since
left 1t, my acts while in the government
ing to the author of this report. But since
much of the report is occupied with the
cases of men who have been tried and ac-
quilted, 1 am willing to trust the public to
draw its own conclusions. / welcome the
opportunity to publish it In its entirety tx
the columns of the Tribune"