Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-05-15
WASHINGTON LETTER

WASHINGTON LETTER
(From our Regular Correspondent.)
Washington, d. G., May 11.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt has been baffied in his
attempt to override the wishes of the
entire white popul alton of Charleston,
S. c., and disregard the wishes of the
Senate by appointing DR." Crum,
colOred, to the position of collector OF
the Port of that city. 1t will be re-
membered that the President twice sent
the Crum nomination to the Senate and
the Senate as often failed to confirm
it, in one instance practically voting
to report on it unfavOrably. After the
Senate adjourned Mr.. Roosevelt ap-
pointed Crum as a recess appointment
but now the Treasury Department re-
fuses to allow him any fees on the
ground that he has been illegally ap-
poiuted, contention clearly upheld
By an explicit law. The only hope
which Crum can entertain of receiving
pay for the time he has served is
through special act of Congress which
is regarded as most remote. If the
Senate will confirm him next winter
he cen draw his fees from the date OF
such confirmation, but there is no more
reason to anticipate that the Senate
will confirm him in the future than
there was when he was first nominal
ed.
Another sensational development has
| Just taken place in the Postotfice scan-
dals. A. W. Machen, general SUPER
intendent OF the division of free de.
livery, has been suspended pending the
conclusion of the investigation. The
division has been transferred to the
| bureau presided over by Fourth Assist
ant Postmaster General Bristow and
MI. M. c. Fosness, Postoffice Inspector,
vino has been appointed acting super
intendent of the division. Mr.Fosness,
it will be remembered, was appointed
head Of the Cuban postal service after
the notorious administration Ct
Estes g. Rathbone. There no longer
remains any doubt that irregularities
of the gravest proportions have been
discovered by Mr.. Bristow, but it is
also known that many prominent poll
;a;o nj 10 T.
ter of grave doubt if Mr.. Bristow's re-
port will ever reach the public. If it
does story of corruption involving
some of the most respected officials
who have been connected with the
government, will be revealed. Mr.. Sey-
mour w. Tulloch has made public an
interview embodying grave charges,
ameng them the fact that Mr.. Thomas
w. Gilmer, special expert of the COM
ptroller's division of the Treasury, was
at one time detailed to make an inves-
tigation into Postoffice affairs, but
was distinctly ordered not to probe
the affairs of the Washington and the
New York offices and that although
Gilmer obeyed orders he learned so
much that he was discharged on the
express order of then Assistant Secre-
tary of the Treasury Vanderbilt. Thus
far, the Postmaster General has re-
fused to make public the letters from
several officials to whom he wrote ask-
ing for information regarding Tulloch's
charges and which Tulloch claims
m ust confirm bis statement.
Senator Foraker has been spending
some time in Washington recently and
it is learned that there is prospect of
vigorous fight between the Foraker
followers and the Hanna supporters in
the Ohio state convention to be held
next month. Senator Foraker has
drafted plank for the state platform
endorsing Mr.. Roosevelt's administra.
ton and urging him for the nOmina-
ton next year. The Hanna contingent
is understood to oppose this plank.
They do not admit that their leader is
a candidate but they claim it is too
early to endorse any one and that
there will be plenty of time later on.
Mr.. Hanna s influence among south
ern republicans is well known. Of late
be had missed no opportunity to pose
as the workingman' g friend, and it is
possible that he may at the last mo-
ment avoid the fight which Senator
Foraker is preparing for him, but in
any event, unless he absolutely defeats
Mr.. Foraker and the proposed plank,
be will come out of the convention with |
seriou sly marred presidential pros ;
poets.