The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-26
CASTLE BfLl1ILfS
POSIOFHCf GRAFT
Former Auditor of Department
Says Many Opportunities
Were Overlooked

Postofice graft was only worth $780,
600 or $250s000 at the most, according
to Capt. Henry A. Castle, who was
treasury auditor for the postofiice de-
partment when Joseph L. Bristow be-
gan to turn UP scandals that startled
the country
The treachery of Judas was cited in
defense Of dishonest Republican Office
holders by Capt Henry A. Castle yes
terday afternoon, during political
address before the Mems Union club at
the st. James African Methodist Epis-
copal church, Fuller and Jay streets.
Inose postoffice scandals of which SO
much had been said didn't really
amount to much, anyhow. Capt. Castle
1nought. when he considered the OPP
portunities offered to department Off
Gals.
We think our candidates will all
be honest, said the former auditor.
But that isn't likely to be true. Some
VIII turn out faithless The apostles
chosen by the Savior were presum-
ably ideal men, but one proved to be
a traitor and one coward .
Some Opportunities Wasted
Compared to the opportunities for
trouble in the service as the speaker
neatly expressed 1t, ssthe postoffice
scandals were only pin scratch Mere
~ Two bureaus We're Investigated: the
revelations concerned nothing but the
purchase of a few patented articles.
In all that was said about these cases
the total of the alleged populations
did not exceed $2e0, 200 or 1880, O0G-a
drop OF water in the ocean compared
TO the amount of money handled by
the whole department"
The pestofIice department. contin-
ued Capt. Castle, was not only the
biggest department. In the government.
but 1t was bigger, in respect of the
number OF its employees and. the
amount OF it's expenditures, than all
the other departments put together 1t
employed many more men, for in
stance, than all the soldiers in the
army, added to all the sailors in the
navy AS for revenue the postoffice
department had increased from $4,000
In 1880 to nearly $i50,00e, Zoo in 1900:
that is, had grown 1000 fold, although
the population of this country in the
same period had increased but twenty
fold, and the wealth of the country
fOrty-f fold.
The department lacked about S.. 00O.-
900 year Of being self-supporting,
but that deficit could easily be over
come by reforming three important
eeSoA'O'. " SdOSlltulG appropriations
Tor the Thanking privilege would save
the government no money, yet it would
give the poSoffice department proper
credit for at least $4,000, 600 annually.
10 limit second-class postage rates by
excluding practical gratuity to book
publishers would save $4,000, 900 or $780,
100000. And $4,000, geo could be saved
by paying less exorbitant rates to rail-
roads for transporting mails
Department. Growing Rapidly
Capt. Castle declared that the post
off1ce department was growing rapidly
enough. 1t should avoid suci, expert
ments in state socialism as postal saw
Ing banks and q government telegraph
system. Depositors in postal banks
would demand at least per cent in
terest on deposits; but government
bonds, the only safe Investment for
these funds, can be sold on a 2 per
cent basis; SO that within three years
after postal savings banks were es-
tablished the government would prob
ably be paying a premium of per cent
on half billion dollars of deposits. If
the government went into the telegraph
business, not only would the number
of federal employees be vastly increased,
but every isolated hamlet would soon
insist on having a telegraph line.
At washington Capt. Castle had adj
vised the negroes to come to the North
west and be somebody He had de-
scribed the great admixture of races
here. but had warmed them not to ex-
pect in the West the results suggested
by an old .Ferginny nanny" who an
nounced that she was going to marry
a Chinese laundryman. Her mistress
protested mixed the family would
be. "Yassm," replied NANNY "but
'ceps de 'sponsibility, do I knows fob
shuah dat my chillun is gwinter all be
Jews!"
Introduced to the club members by
the president, F. D. Parker, Capt. Cas-
tie said that he agreed with Booker
Washington as to the. ACCESSIBILITY Of
young colored men keeping out of poll
ties.
Il have had experience" confessed
the former auditor, postmaster, etc,
and I think, too, that it's very grave
mistake when black man, or a white
man either, makes a business of poll
ties