The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1911-06-28

kets, s29s desks and $500 tables were
some of the little economies effected by
Postmaster General Hitchcock in furnish
ing his red room and brown room"
offices. These and other striking ex-
amples of Republican cut-to-the-quick
economy were revealed in testimony
taken before the House committee on
expenditures in the postoffice depart
ment. Mr.. Hitchcock sanctioned the
expenditure of 81. in refurnishing
three rooms, $1,000 of which went to
furnishing the Postmaster Generals
private office alone. Circassian walnut
furnishings especially designed and
manufactured to special order, and
specially designed carpets and draperies
furnished the nucleus of this expendi-
ture. All supplies were bought without
subjecting the lucky dealer who secured
the contracts to competition. He had to
but state his price and secure an order
upon the treasury. Five hundred and
forty dollars purchased two mahogany
dayenpOrts for American royalty; $3.50
brought in two arm chairs; sos produced
table; S295 purchased a second desk,
and SlG0 third A wardrobe to hang
coates in cost $265 One rug was pur-
chased at f4s9.75 Another davenport
in Circassian walnut with pillow cost
Uncle Sam 1866; draperies in one room,
5000, Parquetry flooring in one room.
1892 Telephone table, S64. Table
with black marble top, s64. One book
case, $l95. 1t cost the people 1852 to
''scrape' the wood wook in the private
office preparatory to new finish. Three
hundred and twenty-five dollars bought
"Doten- Dunton decoration" on the
walls of the private office. Such was
the measure of Mr.. Hitchcock S economy
in matters pertaining to his own personal
comfort. In matters concerning the
employees of the government-the rail-
way mail clerks for instance-he follow
ed entirely different lines Of procedure.
Mr. Hitchcock figured it out one day
that he making three mail clerks do the
work of four. he could make a record of
economy The already over worked
railway mail clerks were driven beyond
the limit of endurance. Conditions in
the west, especially in the Tenth division
became intollerable. Open rebellion
broke out on the Pierre-Tracy line, the
men refusing to do the extra work inn
posed upon them. Ten men were sus-
pended Then five of them were re-
instated, but rufused to return to work
without their associates. This aroused
the whole northwest. The clerks met
in mass meeting at st. Paul, MINI. They
are now forcing the Postmaster General
to relent in his plan to economic by
overworking the railway mail boys.
Strange workings of the Hitchcock
economy bump caused the Postmaster
General to pay the full year salary OF
So, 600 to A. W. Lawshe, third assistant
postmaster general, while the later So
journed in New Mexico recuperaing in
health and looking after the interests OF
the republican party, but performing nc
government service whatever. Still
another example Of Hitchcock economy
was his appointment Of pseudo lame
duck commission OF four OF his intimate
friends and staunch political supporters
to go on sort of Holy Grail conquest
at the governments expense. The COM
mission investigated time recorders
in every large city in the country,
managing to disburse in expenses ST.
970.25. The average amount spent by
each man for subsistence was between
nine and ten dollars day Transports
ton expenses for each man during
a period of less than two months, aver
aged $500. Among many items of ex-
penditure charged to and paid by Uncle
Sam appear barber fees, bath charges,
telephone bills, shines, newsstand
charges, in fact almost everything
possible in such category except laun-
dry, cigars and florists bills The
aristocratic Hotel Willard in Wash
ington, the Aston in New York and
kindred hosteleries were employed to
shelter the government emmissaries
Porter fees average fifty cents. Always
the Commissioner" purchased Pullman
. al IL IL.
sprinkled among the vouchers. Some
times the commissioners travelled alone,
but generally together, as behooves any
well-ordered, pleasure loving govern
ment committee. How gratifying all
this must be to the discharged postal
employees while they sit and figure out
how much the government is saving
on them.