The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-27

ety of the transactions. These question: able transactions consisted for the most part of placing on the roll a few persons the need of whose services was not clear ly shown. When these facts developed the proper officers were instructed that every proceeding which could not be jus tifed should be remedied and stopped"
 The same report of the Inspector made in 1899 states at the conclusion that dur ing the course of the inspection, ''he, Beavers. requested the Inspector to in- form the Inspector-in-charge that when he struck the names of the charwomen off the stations it would be we'll not to mention them in his report. as they were personal appointments of the Postmaster General"
 do not know whether this statement was made or not. but the fact is that of all the appointments referred to in the report I had personal knowledge of and personal interest in only one. That was the case of a most estimable newspaper woman. long a successful Washington correspondent, whom I had known for twenty-five years. and who. through mis- fortune. was in much distress. Knowing her need and being able to help her, I 
 to do so. As she was not on the roll of eligibIes. she could not be made clerk and requested that a place should be found for her on the rolls of laborers. Months afterwards I learned, to my sur prise, that she was enrolled as a cleaner. and, though a refined lady of education. had conscientiously been doing a cleaners work. Immediately I sought to find a place more suitable for her position and antecedents, and happily succeeded. That was absolutely the ony case of all in- volved in which had any personal part. If anybody thinks the Postmaster-Gen- CT al should know the number of cleaners and whether they were all at work, have nothing to say.
 General Bristow Is entirely right in saying that he spoke to me at the time about the Inspectors report. His state- ment would have been complete if he had added what stated in my letter of May 2. as follows:
 About the same time Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bristow informed me that inspectors had found the same ap. parent or actual Irregularities in the Washington office. I advised hiI&. accord ing to my recollection. of the investiga- ton which the Comptroller of the Treas ury had made, and of the steps which were being taken to rectify any wrong"
 Had No Precedent.
 wish to accept the largest measure of responsibility which belongs to me in connection with all these matters. 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 21. 1s9S. That was the very day on which I was sworn in as Postmaster General. My first duty. before even fa- miliarixing myself with the Department. was to make immediate provision for the letters Of the scattered army of 250.oo0 men which was promptly raised, followed by provision for the full mall of the is- lands. The administration had been in- stalled for more than a year. The De- partment force had been organized. and, of course, 1t was properly accepted as 1t was found. When the immediate duty in hand was taken up, 1t was discovered, cn- riously enough. that there were absolute Iy no records of the military postal ser vice 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 details devolved on the First Assistants Bureau. We had at first no special appropriation and so had to meet the requirements out of the regular appropriation. Afterwards when the special appropriation became available we had to recoup the general ap- propriation in order that the regular ser- vice might not suffer. These things were effected in part through the Washington office. and orders were given which subor- dinate officials neither did nor were re- quired to understand. and out of 1t has crown a vast deal of unnecessary ulisuns derstanding.
 It is my purpose to address you respect ing the letter of the Civil Service Com- mission on the subject. but that will more properly form a separate communication. The minor and unimportant report of In- spector Little made in 1900 shall deal with in a different way
 Respectfully yours,
 Charles Emory Smith