The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-28
POSTAL IRREGULARITIES
EXAMPLES OF DISTINCTION BE-
TWEEN THEM AND FRAUDS.
The Form of Congregational Appropri-
ations to Blame for Many De-
partment Irregularities.

Washington Special in New York Post.
A good deal has been made. since the
publication of Mr.. Tulloch's charges. Of his
statement that at some of the postoffices a
supernumerary has been carried on the
rolls to perform the duties of postoffice
physician. an officer unknown to the law.
1t is true that such functionary has been
employed at the Washington office. and
probably at several others. So have post
Office cats. fed on milk and meat supplied
from a government fund. The one expense
incurred is about as lawful as the other;
some persons assert that the duties of the
one class of employees are about as valua-
BILE as the other, though that is open to
doubt.
1t is not exactly true that the physicians
give the government no service for their
pay. However much fault we may find with
the system of employing physician under
the guise of a clerk, ii cannot be denied
that some of the physicians have saved the
government a good deal of money in the
long run, probably a considerable excess
over the salaries. In an Office where the
employees constitute a small regiment. the
amount Of malingering is of course worth
clerk. undeserved, means a needless loss
of three or four dollars to the government.
1t is the duty of the physician to examine
the complaints Of iii health and decide
whether a clerk shall be left off for a day
or two or three with full pay. or shall be
locked. Again, where an aged clerk ap-
plies for lighter work because of advanced
years and feebleness, IL becomes the duty
of the physician to say whether the trans
fer should be granted. A clerk swoons at
his desk; the natural thing Is to send him
and prescribes some simple restoratives
which enables him to go on with his work
after an hour or so. One woman In the
Washington postoffice who was for years
a sufferer from heart trouble which finally
carried her off was regular patient at the
Office physician. and probably owed the
prolongation of her life to his prompt pre-
scriptions and assistance In person during
working hours.
THE POSTOFFICE PHYSICIAN.
This gives a certain color to the post
master generals assertion that the differ
is that in the former case the government
is robbed. whereas in the latter it gets its
moneys worth, but in a different form
from what is shown on the books. On the
general question Of the employment Of
postoffice physicians. it may be said that
there is no more reason why postoff1ces
should employ them than why any and
every other branch Of the public service
abuse it is one that would be just as well
cut off no matter what We may say Tor or
against its legality in the case OF the local
p6rser wnS served Ser II his nr
vate employers, when they learned tie
facts. very properly demanded that he re:
sign either his official or his non-ofncial
position, as the duties Of the two could not
be made compatible with each other.
There probably is not a department OF the
government to-day where irregularities,
understanding of the term, are not prac-
ticed. 1t is a misfortune. but the way
Congress ties up the appropriations and
the way it acts with it's own money, is
in the main responsible for existing condi-
tons. Just as that body at one time as
sumed to know the precise amount OF
paper money the business Of the country
would absorb, so ii assumes continually,
and with no more information gained from
experience. to Judge Of the precise num-
Der, of 81 800 clerks and of 81, 800 clerks, and
of 81, 400 clerks, and so on, who can be
used to advantage in a department or bu-
reau The result is that the heads of these
branches have to resort to every sort of
device to get around the law and avoid
made to detail clerks who are in ex-
cess of the necessary number in one Of
flee to service in another where the num-
transaction, while actually In the govern
ment interest. would look like a great
piece of iniquity if described in a written
accusation.
TECHNICAL DISHONESTY.
Congress appropriates for a supply Of a
certain class of articles. and 1t is discov-
cred too late that the Office involved is al
ready overstocked with these, but lacks
something else which it is fair to suppose
Congress would have furnished had it real
lied the situation; so one thing is bought
and another thing charged, and the govern
ment IS really the gamer, but the papers in
the case tumble with some strict truth.
An Indian agent some years ago. within
the knowledge of the present writer. re-
ceived informally the thanks Of the then
Commissioner for an act Of technical dis
honesty. He had charge of a tribe which
had neither a treaty nor other claim for
rations. Ordinarily 1t would have supported
itself; but one disastrous crop season found
it thrown into the midst Of winter without
sufficient food to keep soul and body tc-
gether. There was no time to get special
relief appropriation from Congress; SO
nished him for his agency live stock traded
IL In neighbOring town for potatoes, and
doled these out to the particularly needy
irregular, for his accounts had already gone
In and been audited, and the expenditure
for the feed remained unchanged on the
governments books He knew he was not
doing right, in the official sense. but he told
the truth to his superiors in the depart
ment. and they had not the heart to dis
ciplne him for it.
Congress does something irregular every
day with its stationary accounts, so II
does not lie In the mouth Of the average
legislator to make fuss about such mat
tiers. Moreover, the way appropriations are
made and handled is a distinct encourage
ment to the habit Of spending every penny
granted, whether the expenditure is needed
or not. For the department that does not
consume its full allowance, but turns back
any Of the money. is put down on the Con-
gressionai memorandum book as having
been unduly favored, and the amount for
the next year is reduced accordingly This
of course, puts premium on petty cx-
travagances everywhere in the government
and lays the train for just such scandals as
came TO light in a staff branch of the navy
a few years ago. and later in one Of the
scientific bureaus, and which are now get
ting an airing in the Post Office Depart.
ment They may not involve millions. OF
materially clog the wheels of administra.
ton. but they are certainly very far from
being mere hot air."
DIR. Parkhurst's Mistake.