Imperial Valley press., 1913-09-12
Unique Testament
Puzzles Legislators
(By Burton X. Standish.)
Written for the United Press.)


WASHINGTON, Sept. 12.-Accept-
ance by congress of a bequest of
$1,000 made under one of the most
unique and unusual conditions in the
governments history. is a problem
facing congress and the post office
department today
That the postal money order sys-
tenn be officially and legally recog-
nized as the child" and legatee of
a deceased government official has
been solemnly recommended to cou-
gress byThird Assistant Postmaster
General Dockery For eleven years
the bequest has been available Now
the postoffice department recommends
that the money be accepted and used
as a trust fund in accordance with
the will of the donor.
DR.. c. F. Mcdonald, formerly Of
Boston, the father" Of the money or
der system, is the governments bene-
factor. He died in 1902, leaving
$1,000 to Uncle Sam for the extension
and betterment of the federal service.
For eleven years lawyers of the
department of justice, the post Office
department and congress have been
unable to decide what to do with the
money. A treasury draft for the
legacy has lain idle in the office of
the chief clerk of the post office de
partment since that time Now it is
proposed that congress formally pass
a law accepting the money and ap-
point commission for its use as
directed by the testator
Dr.. McDonald's will provided:
''The sum of $4,000 to the secretary
Of the treasury for the service of the
post office department by the ad-
ministrator of DR.. McDonald's estate"
Legal sharps of the government board
gave many ponderous tones and long
opinions, holding that the money
order could not be accepted by Uncle
Sam, although the money was already
in the treasury subject to the draft
given the postoffce department Sue
ceeding administrations puzzled with
the legacy, but could not touch it.
In 1905, Former Senator w. Murray
Crane of Mass. sought to solve the
problem by attempting to have the
$1,000 released by the government and
turned over to distant relative of
DR.. Mcdonald, who was an employe of
the postoffice at Boston. The federal
lawyers got busy again and decided
that this could not be done; they held
that while the government could not
accept or use the legacy in the an
sence of legislation by congress nei-
ther could give the money to Me-
Donald's relative
For seven years the matter was
held in allegiance, with the $4,000
awaiting disposition. The khotty
proble was a legacy officially Gin
herited" by the new Democratic ad-
ministration. Third Assistant Post
master General Dockery recently
transmitted to congress, through
Postmaster General Burleson and Sec
retary of the Treasury McAdoo, a
letter recommending that congress
authorize the department to accept
and use the bequest. Dockery's let
ter stripped of it's official "red tape"
teens with human interest. He said: |
"Dr. Mcdonald was the father of
the money order system and its first
He founded the sys-
tenn in the United States and made it
his life work, devoting to its success
all his time and energy. Childless,
he watched the growth of this crea-
ture of invention until it came to he
the greatest and most successful sys-
tenn of its kind in the world, and it |