New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-19

UNNECESSARY SOLICITUDE.


The solicitude which some of the Washington
dispatches attribute TO Postmaster General
Payne for the fame of President Mckinley
seems unnecessary If any one Wlsnea 10 ut
tack the memory of the late President he might
he expected to make Just that suggestion that:
THE charge of Mr.. Tuloch is in its essence
against President Mckinley and Postmaster
General Smith
OF course the Postmaster General has no
such thought but the suggestion attributed 10
hin, NAV be interpreted as hint that the lines
of inquiry indicated by Mr.. Tulloch SHOULD not
be further followed, lest they reflect upon Pres
ident Mckinley. Even if that were to De the
result of an investigation, it should still be MI
pavne's sole concern to unearth whatever was
improper in the department, punish all wrong
doors who had not secured immunity under the
statute of limitations, and expose them 10 pup
lie reprobation as warning Tor the Iuture
even if there were no possibility any longer OF
criminal prosecutions. 1t is not question OF
deIving into the records of a former admins
tration. but of following to the end, no matter
where they lead the present clews TO wrong
doing and of not permitting the chase after
rascaIs whom study of the Tulloch charges
might possibly bring in view to be stopped by
the invocation of great name. The Iulioch
matter it is said, was long ago closed, but II
men still have influence who have cnealed the
government, the people ought to know IT. ana
we do not believe that Mr.. Payne will concern
himself on their account. He is not the custo-
dian of apybody's reputation.
If as nobody believes an investigation would
disclose anything dscreditable to President NC
Kinley the prospect of the disclosure would
not make the detection of crime against the
government any less a duty. If, on the other
Sbp mic
do that while President Mckinley was busy
with questions of national and international
Importance and oppressed with many cares
subordinates had done wrong in matters of de-
tail about which he knew nothing, nobody
need have any fear that the love and respect of
the American people for their lamented Presi-
dent would he lessened in the smallest degree.
The people do not for an instant suppose that
the head of the nation can know about all the
ramifcations of government business. Neither
can a Postmaster General keep track OF petty
purchases and appointments and other details
of Postoffice administration. He is largely at
the mercy of his trusted subordinates, who give
minute attention to different branches of the
service When officials seem to be shoulder
ing off on President Mckinley and Postmaster
General Smith responsibility for the irregulari
ties which Mr.. TulIoch exposed, they may per
| haps be thought to wrong them for the benefit
of their subordinates, who were directly re-
sponsible, and whose authority to force I'm
proper and Illegal actions was ample, as was
likewise their power to represent those actions
| in a favorable light to the President and Post
master General who trusted them. Chief among
| these was ex-First Assistant Postmaster Cen
| eral Heath whose part in the Washington Post
| Office irregularities. as charged by Mr. Tuloch,
/ does not, in the light of the reports Of Mr..
| Bristow and the Postofice inspectors, seem to
wear an aspect so favorable as to warrant pass
| ing him unnoticed and laying the burden at the
feet of his dead chief
| Anybody who is disposed 10 hush up any
| phase of this investigation should remember
| that if the party in power does not go to the
| end, wherever it is. the opposition party will
Any hesitation through fear of disturbing hon
| ored regulations would only invite the Demo
| Gratis to push in where Republicans feared to
| tread. 1t is better to 60 to the bottom than to
be thrown to it, and it is unfortunate that now,
when the Tulloch charges appear to be sus-
| tained, anybody should seem TO treat them as
attack upon President Mckinley 1t ap-
pears like Observation-Disclosures unintentionai
for all the rascals who might be hit by the
probe to hide behind the dead President Nc
hinleys memory will take care of itself, and
| will suffer from exposure of thieves who may
have abused his confidence. The officials in
power will serve his honor better by following
every clew to the bottom-or the top-than by
seeming 10 suggest that it would suffer from
any truth telling. He takes needless trouble
who attempts TO protect fame that is secure
| He guards i'll splendid name who permits 1t
| TO be used cloak to hide evildoers and keep
them in place and power.