Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-01
SMITH ANSWERS
TULLOCH'S CHARGES
ES-pOstmaster Genera Now Takes
A Hand,
THIS CLOSES THE. INCIDENT
says MIR, Payne-Al Documents Ex-
cept MIR. HeaIb's Reply VIII
Be Hrlefed.

Washington, May 3i.-Postmaster-
General Payne today made public the
reply Of former Postmaster-General
Charles Emory Smith to the charges Of
former Cashier Tulloch OF the Wash
lrstun city postoiiice, regarding the
Postal administration. Smith says he
Investigated the allegations of irregu-
larI,Irs when they were made, and that
the evidence adduced IN most cases
was believed TO be a justification Of the
transactions complained Of adding
that the criticisms betrayed q lack Of
knowledge Of conditions incident to the
Spanish war and the measures neces-
sary to meet the requirements Mr
Payne said today that Mr. Smiths let
ter practically closes the Tulloch IN
cidont although other documents on
the subject viii be made public These
Include the replies Of former First As
slJtaut POstmaster-General Heath and
OF the fourth assistant postmaster
general, the report on the former in
yesllgau0u Of the TullOch charges, to
which Mr. Smith refers, and the reports
OF the postoiliCc inspectors and civil
service representatives. who inYesti-
gated the Washington postonice. OW-
ing TO the great volume of the dOcu
ments, Mr. Payne Said that all the
documents except Mr. Heath's reply
would be brefed, although the docu-
ments themselves would be open to
public inspection II wanted
The first answer of Mr.. Smith to the
1ulloch charges win not be made pub
lie, Mr. Payne explained that MIR
Smith had forgotten about Mr.. Tul-
loch's charges. and the investigation
ha ordered, and that until the papers
were accidentally found by Mr. Fran
els ". Whitney secretary to MIR.
Payne, Il was not known that the
charges had been Investigated at the
time These papers showed that Mr..
Smith had divided the chages into
groups. noting directions for inyestiga-
ton as to each group. and subsequent
~ recording against each group the re-
suits Of the Investigation. These re-
suits constitute the exhibit to which
Mr. Smith refers In his letter Mr..
Payne said that Mr.. Smith IN his prior
letter had evidently forgotten the Tul-
lcch charges, and did not recall the
nemo or the fact that he had inyesti-
gatal the cahrges, Mr. Smiths second
letter In full follows
MR. SMITHS LETTER
philadelphia, May g. l9O3.-Henry c.
Payne, postmaster-G General Washing
ton u. C.-Su-l am In receipt Of your
letter of the 10Th instant. inClosing q
Cpoy Of a letter addressed To you by MI
s. w. TunuCh, respecting the conduct
or the gostol'ice department and the
Washington City postonice during the
years 1895 and 1899. In reply | beg TO
say that the allegations Of irregulari-
ties made by Mr. Tulloch on his retire
ment from the position OF cashier Of the
city postofllce We're duly examined at
the time They were taken up item by
item and the facts in each case We're
uscertained. The result Of that eX-
animation was embodied In a full eX-
hibit Of the alleged irregularities and
OF the explanations In each instance
which is on file in the department To
this exhibit ] refer as embracing
Particular and detailed answer to Mr.
Tulloch's statements.
without undertaking to repeat here
It's specific and minute evidences. let
me say IN general terms that in most
cases II presents what was said 10 be-
a Justification Of the transactions COM
laned Of The transactions mostly
grew out Of the conditions Incidental
10 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 a. 1895 Within a few weeks an
army Of 100000 men was raised and OF
dcred In camps. II became necessary
to provide at once for the prompt hand
ling Of the mail Of this large body OF
soldiers and their millions Of friends
at home Any failure 10 do so would
have justly excited universal conden-
ration.
AT the outset no special approprla-
ton was available, and the means had
10 be provided from the general postal
appropriations. Afterward Congress
made a special appropriation for the
military postal service, to be expended
entirely at the discretion Of the post.
master general. In meeting the de-
mands Of the service and making good
out Of one fund what had been tempo
rarlly and unayoidably drawn from the
other. changes and transfers and
special employments were made. which
might not be understood by those who
had only an incomplete knowledge Of
the facts.
1T was found eSpedient as a matter
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 enroll
ment OF the men employed In Porto
Rico on the Washington Office. For
some time some extra help needed In
the department was provided for In the
same way. out OF these facts ignor-
antly grew some OF the allegations Of
Irregularities
Compared with the magnitude OF the
military service, not many new APP
pointments were made. II was the
policy Of the department to select
trained and experienced men already
IN the service and detail them for the
military and island work During two
years Congress appropriated $4,000 for
the military postal service. 10 be eX-
pended at the discretion OF the post
master-general or this amount SEA-
6e555 was spent and the remainder.
$3.50, S3S45, was covered back into the
treasury.
Some reference has been made TO
the fact that few machlnists appeared
to be enrolled on the clerical roll. This
may possibly have grown out 81 one
OF my acts After examining the sub
iect l determined TO cut down the
annual rental Of concelling machines
used In the postofiices OF the country
to an extent which effected n saving
OF about 100000 a year IN the aggre-
gate TO the government In considera-
tion OF this agreement the department
agreed 90 take care Of the machinists.