The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-01

include the replies Of former First AS
slstant Postmaster General Heath and
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow, the report on the former in
VestigatiOn of the TuiIocn charges, to
which Mr.. Smith refers, and the re-
ports Of the postoffice inspectors and
civil service representatives who in
vestigated the Washington postoffice.
Owing to the great volume of the
documents, Mr.. Payne said that all of
the documents, except Mr.. Heath's re-
ply, will be briefed, although the docu-
ments themselves will be open to pub
lis inspection, if wanted.
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 investiga-
ton he ordered, and until the papers
We're accidentally found by Francis E.
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 di-
VIded the charges into groups, noting
directions for investigation as to each
group and subsequent recording
against each group the results of the
investigation. These results constitute
the exhibit to which Mr.. Smith refers
in his letter. Mr.. Payne said that Mr..
Smith, in his prior letter, had entirely
forgotten the TullOch charges, and did
not recall the name or fact that he had
investigated the charges.
Mr.. Smith, in his second letter. saws:
The transactions complained of most
ly grew out of the conditions incidental
to the opening of the Spanish war. and
the criticisms betrayed a want Of
knowledge both of the conditions and
OF the methods adopted to meet their
requirements. The war was declared
April II, 1898. Within a few weeks an
army Of 100000 men was raised and
organized in camps. It became neces-
sary to provide at once for the promnt
handling of the mail of this large body
OF soldiers and their million friends at
nome. Any failure to do so would
justly have excited universal condem-
nation. At the outset no special ap-
preparation was available and the
means had to be provided from the
general postal appropriations. After
wards congress made q special aDpro-
priatiOn for the military postal service
10 be expended entirely at the discre-
uon or the postmaster general In
meeting the demands Of the service
ana in making good out of one fund
what mad been temporarily and I'M
avo1dably drawn from the other.
changes and transfers and special en-
Payments were made, which might not
be understood by those who had only
an incomplete knowledge of the facts
1t was found eXpedient as a mat
ter of practical administration. to
treat the camps and afterward for a
time the offices of Porto Rico as
branches of the Washington office, as
those of Cuba were treated as branches
OF the New York office. This involved
the enrolment Of the men employed
Tor Porto Rico on the Washington roll.
For a time some of the extra helm
needed in the department was proyid
ed Tor IN the same way. Out of these
Iacts 1gnorantly grew some of the al
legations Of irregularity
Compared with the magnitude of
the mllltary service many new appoint
nents were made. 1t was the policy
or the department to select trained and
experienced men already in the serv
Ice and detail them for the military
ana island work. During two wears
congress appropriated $500, 900 for the
military postal service to be exnendod
at the discretion of the nostTna stor
general Of this amount $244,666 was
spent, and the remainder, $25O,333.45.
was turned back into the treasury.
some reference has been made to
the tact that few machinists appear
ed to be enrolled on the clerical roll
IHIS may possibly nave grown out of
one OF my acts. After examining the
subject, l determined to cut down~tha
annual rental of canceling machines
used IN the postoffices of the country to
an extent which effected a saving of
about 100000 year in the aggre-
gate to the government In considera-
ton of this large reduction the de-
partment agreed to take care of the
machinists. This required three or four
machlnlsts who should travel from
ONCE to Office for the purpose and d.
rection was given that the machfnists
already familiar with the work should
be employed. 1t is frank to the Mr..
Tulloch to say that 1 do not just now
recall how they were enrolled. but If
was thought they could be lawfully
done in exempted cases and no more
red tape or form was allowed to stand
In the way of what was believed to be
for the good Of the service.
ut is proper for me to add that Mr..
Tulloch's allegations were the subject
OF an independent and searching invas-