The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-17
EVERY BRANCH OF THE
POSTAL SERVICE WILL
BE THOROUGHLY PRODED
Star Route Contract System Is
Now Being Oyerhauled by
Inspectors.
INDIANA NATIONAL BANKS
Reports to the Controller Show
They Are Prospering-Individ-
ual Deposits Increasing.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.


WASHINGTON, April 16.-''There is not
a branch OF the Postoffice Department in
the whole postal system that has not
been, or will be, thoroughly investigated
before the close of this summer" saiG a
high official OF the department to-day.
This fact should be understood on ac-
count OF the persistent demands by the
Democrats that the department be sub
5eeted to "A congressional investigation.
The claim is made, as basis for
the Democratic demand. that only two
branches OF the postal system, the
Offices of Machen and Beavers under
the first assistant were Investigated. This
Is great mistake. as a statement of the
facts will show
The Official went on TO enumerate what
has been done and what is still going on
I'm the way of examining into the details
of the various bureaus of the postal serv-
fee and the department itself. 1T cannot
be forgotten by those who desire to be
fair in the matter" said the official, that
every bureau in the first assistants Office
was overhauled. or is now in process of
examination. The supply division ex-
amined, it will be remembered, and the
result was the dismissal of the chief, Mr..
still is under investigation. and while re-
ports have been made upon it by the in
spectors. a supplemental report on the
whole matter awaits the return of Post
master General Payne The third assist
ants office was investigated and evidence
was collected regarding the purchase of
the useless manifold paper. The second as
stant's office in regard to railway mails
and the star-rOute system, is now under
investigation. The star-Toute contract sys-
tenn IS now being overhauled and examined
into to find ways and means for prevent
Ing collision and fraud between star-r0ute
contractors and their attorneys. No branch
OF the service where 1t is possible that
fraud may enter will escape thorough
examination.
But it should be remembered said the
official. that in many of the bureaus there
IS no chance for peculatiOn or fraud of any
kind These offices merely discharge routine
duties that are specifically provided for by
law, and they disburse no money nor do
they have anything to do with letting con-
tracts. There Is every reason 10 believe
that the Investigations now in progress will
unearth nothing except irregularities and
perhaps instances of ineompetency which
the department itself is prepared to cor
rect. Some such irregularities will doubt
less be discovered in the dead letter office
and IN the star route service, but nothing
of the kind disclosed in the salary and al
iowance and free delivery offices under
Beavers and Machen will be found to exist
in these branches for IL is impossible from
+
Individual deposits in the national banks
of Indiana. exclusive of Indianapolis, ag-
gregate more than s6S.000000. There is a
gain of more than 81, COO Goo in the past year.
These fig Tres are contained in the report of
the controller of the currency on the condi-
lion of the national banks of Indiana at the
close of business March Is. Compared with
the corresponding statement OF a year ago
individual have inPraC sod =
S93 $40 to $50. 404 9S2; loans and discounts from
S51 351. s2S to So. sos. 204 and cash resources
from $50, T95e5 TO So, 604. The issuance of
national bank notes has increased about
81 100000 in the year. now aggregating S.
3fs. 100. The percentage OF legal reserve to
deposits has declined from S0.99 TO 1914.
Representative Brick to-day received a
long-distance telephone message from Mr..
Sargent commissioner general of imnaigra-
ton, notifying him that Mrs. Bahia Cohen,
a Polish immigrant whose destination is
South Bend. would be released from Gus
tody early next week. The husband and
children OF Mrs Cohen reside in the Indiana
city. Mrs. Cohen has been detained at the
Ellis island hospital for the past two
months on account Of serious affection
of the eve. The disease has yielded 10
treatment and in accordance with the law
she will be released and permitted to pro-
coed TO her destination. Representative
attention. and at his request Commissioner
Sargent has made several trips 10 New
York 10 look into the case.
Jerry Matthews. secretary to Senator
Fairbanks, left for Indianapolis to-day.
Kenneth c. Larwill and wife, of Fort
Wayne. are here on their honeymoon.
Joseph 3. Healing, of Indianapolis
United States district attorney, arrived here
to-day. Il merely came to Washington or
business before the Department of Justice -
said Mr.. Healing. There is no politics in
my visit" Mr.. Healing will so to Chicago
Tomorrow.
Representative Fred Lands had a con-
ference with the supervising architect to-
day relative TO the plans for the Logans-
port public building. Mr. Lands recon-
mended that the building be made of stone
and he was informed that If IL could be con-
structed of stone within the appropria ton
his recommendation would be followed.
The Old Detroit (Mich.) National Bank
has been approved as a reserve agent for
the Columbia City Qnd) National Bank.
Gunboats ut Memphis.