Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-06-27
Former Postmaster General De-
tends Himself Against Tul-
loch Charges
LETTER TO P
PAYNE
II 10
In II He Accepts the Fullest Measure
of Responsibility Belonging to Him
But Denies Any Guilt-Explains
Larner Case-Was Sworn in at Busy
Time.

Washington, June 27.-To the charge
made by w. $. Tulloch of irregularitie:
in the postal department during Charlie
Emory Smiths term as postnaste
general, the latter replies at length
in letter just received from him b!
Postmaster General Payne. While will
ing, as he declares, to accept the fulles
measure of responsibility belonging Il
him, Mr.. Smith expresses the opinion
that. in fairness to himself, some eX-
PLANTATION should be given to the cir
cumstances referred to in the Tullocf
charges. The letter, accompanied by
a large number of exhibits and eX-
cerpts from the records, is, in part, as
follows:
The Tuloch statement was probes
when presented. All of the transactions
described as irregular We're examined
and a report was made to me which
took up item by item and groups OF
items and gave the facts and the eX-
plantations in each case. The accuracy
of the report has never been impeached
in any quarter. On the main points
it is believed to be beyond successful
challenge.
These main points may be thus sum-
med up, each in sentence: l. Names
of military postal clerks were put on
the general roll till the military appro-
priations became available; then they
were transferred to the military roll
9. The bond premiums of military clerks
We're paid for good reasons which are
plainly set forth and which had the
of the comptroller. 3. The
Of Porto Rico supplies We're
made from the regular department
named under competition
and at regular contract prices. 4. The
vouchers for expenses of department
officials travelling on official business
were made as required by the auditor
S. The lease OF the Washington post
Office was shown to be entirely justified,
6. The apparently double payment of
those employed III examining letter
carriers claims is fully explained.
These points embrace all that are
specified in the charges, except the
items relating to appointments, inciud-
ing the individual cases of Larner and
O. II. Smith, and thus the matters open
to question are reduced to the appoint
ments which, all told, involve thirteen
clerks and seven cleaners. Even this
is not an irreducible minimum, for
several of these appointments We're per-
fectly right and beyond any ques-
ton.
More than one-half Of the inspectors
report is taken up with Il statement
as to the cases of Larner and Smith.
Of the latter l had no knowledge and
say nothing or the former l have
some recollection. Larner had been
appointed a military postal clerk for
Porto Rico by the first assistants bur-
eau. He went under a promise from
that bureau Of compensation at the rate
Of $1,400 year. About that time l fixed
the general compensation of clerks in
Porto Rico at $1,000 a year. When
Larner returned he insisted that he
had been promised $1,400. and l found
on inquiry that this was true. l or
dered that he should be paid what he
had been promised. Out of that ques
ton Of rate and out of the question
Of the actual length of his service grew
the whole story Of alleged irregularity.
When the charges of irregularity
were made, my duty was to have them
examined and, if there were irregulari-
ties. to have them corrected. This is
exactly what was done. The comptrol-
Ter of the treasury, who made search
ing investigation at the time and thor
oughly examined the vouchers, allowed
all except $3.50 in total amount
"As to those points of the explana
ton which We're not satisfactory to me
said in my letter of May q, and can
only repeat:
Z" I should not be altogether candid
was not convinced of the necessity or
propriety of the transactions. These
questionable transactions consisted for
the most part OF placing on the roll a
few persons the need of whose SER
vices was not clearly shown. When
these facts developed the proper offic
ars We're instructed that every proceed
ing which could not be justified should
ne remedied and stopped.
II 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
lated back to April 81 1898 That was
he very day on which | was sworn in
rs postmaster general. My first duty,
before even familiarizing myself with
The department.. was to make imme
late provision for the letters of the
scattered army of 100000 men, which
vas promptly raised, followed by pro-
vision for the full mail of the islands.
rhe administration had been installed
'or more than year. The department
,orce had been organized, and, of course
t was properly accepted as it was
'ound.
When the immediate duty in hand
here were absolutely no records of the
military postal service in the civil war.
We had nothing to guide us. We had
o make our own plans
Mr.. Smith, who breakfasted with the
president today, later attended the cab
net meeting. The meeting was de-
,oted chiefly to the clearing up of rout
ne departmental matters I'm anticipa-
ion of the presidents departure. altho
Postmaster General Payne occupied
time in presenting the
.urrent situation and In discussing his
'uture plans relative TO the investiga-
ion.
The president has absolute conf
,o,,oo -, po.tA,astar General payna
md has no thought that he Will leave