The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-06-01

VINO naQ only an incomplete knOWie0ge OF
the facts.
It was found expedient as matter OF
practical administration 10 treat the
camps and afterwards for a time the Of
fees OF Porto Rico as branches Of the
/ Washington offices, as those of Cuba
were treated as branches Of the New
YORK oI1ice- rms involved the enrolment
81 the men employed in Porto Rlco on the
W Washington office For some time some
4 extra help needed in the department was
provided for in the same way. Out OF
allegations Of irregularities.
Compared with the magnitude Of the
ments were made. IT was the policy OF
/ the department TO select trained and ex-
perienced men already in the service ano
detau them for the military and island
work. During two years congress ap-
propriated $4,000 Tor the military postal
service to be expended at the discretion
amount S-54.656o3 was spent and the re
mainder. $3.50 333.45. was covered back into
the treasury.
Smiths Own Act.
Some reference has been made to the
fact that a few rnaehfalists appeared to
be enrolled on the clerical roll. This
may possibly have grown out OF one OF
my acts After examining the subject 1
81 canoeing machines used IN the post
offices of the country to an extent which
aIIecLeo a saving OF ABOUT SlOO.DeO year
IN the aggregate TO the government. In
consideration Of this agreement the de-
pan tment agreed to take care of the ma
chln1Sts. This required three OF four ma
chlnlsts who should travel from office to
O!Ilce Ior the purpose. ana erection was
given that machinists already familiar
with the work should be employed. ] am
frank to say that l 90 not now recall just
now they were enrolled, but IL was
thought that il could be lawfully done IN
exempted places, and no more red tape Of
form was allowed TO stand in the way OF
what was believed to be TOR the good of
the service.
Some Irregularities.
The examination of the alleged trregu-
laritles in connection with the Washing
ton office. as already stated, justified
most of them. / should not be altogether
candid if 1 did not say that in some cases
I was not convinced OF the necessity or
prOprieUy of the transactions These ques-
uonable transactions consisted for the
most part Of placing on the roll a few
persons the need of whose services was
not clearly shown. When these facts de-
velOped the proper officers were instruct
ed that every proceeding which could not
be justified should be remedied and
stopped
1t is proper for me to add that Mr..
TullOchs allegations were the subject Of
an independent and searching investiga-
ton by the comptroller of the treasury.
who made a minute examination of the
vouchers and authority Of the eXpend-
lture OF the several cases the result OF
cd TO SS32- A considerable part OF the
sum was afterwards allowed on further
inquiry. OF the results Of his inveStfga-
ton / was fully apprised.
About the same time Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General BristOw informed me
that inspectors had found the same APP
parent or actual irregularities in the
w ashinGtou office i advised him, ac-
cOrding to my recollection, of the inveSu
cation which the comptroller of the
treasury had made and of the steps which
We're being taken TO rectify any wrong
In Mr.. TullOch's letter he does not repeat
his earlier statements that when he
made his representations 1 did nothing.
He does, however, say:
Allegation Denied.
Il was creditably informed at the time
that the matter so prepared with, per
haps. other evidence, was laid before
Postmaster General Smith by Fourth AS
Slstant BrlStOW, who requested the APP
pOintment OF commission TO investigate
the office of the first assistant pOstmas-
ter general. This was refused by Mr..
Smith. who looked upon ii as another
manifestation of the relations between
Perry 5. Heath and Mr.. Bristow.'
In reply, l refrain from making the OBJ
VlOuS comment, and content myself with
saving that the statement that General
BTiStOW made any such request and that
refused it. is entirely untrue. Very
CHARLES EMORY SMITH.
Assistants Disagree.
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow has recommended to POstmas-
ter General Payne regarding the post
ing of names of residents on rural free
delivery routes in the pOstOfices on
those routes be rescinded. No action
has yet been taken on the recommends
ton. First Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral Wynne and Fourth Assistant Post
master General Bristow disagree on the
question. The order was issued by Mr.
Wynns as acting postmaster general
and was approved by Mr.. Payne when
he returned from the West Indies Mr.
Payne said today that he believes that
the publicity attained through the or
der would add 81, 600. 900 d year to the
postal revenues and in this way would
help to make the service self-supporting
and that he believed the publicity was
in line with the doctrine Of 1.-The great
est good to the greatest number"
Mr.. Payne said that the objections
to the publicity given the names of the
patrons came from the country news
papers, which are made more subject
TO competition from the large papers:
from the country store. which loses by
the invasion of the aggressive adver-
Using Of the large mercantile houses in
the cities, and the wholesale stores of
the cities from which the country
stOrekeepers get their stock. the mail
order houses invading their field
Mr. Payne said today that he would
welcome an intelligent public discus
sion of the question.