The fact, however, that the service became classified on May 1, did not deter such reformers as Wanamaker and Lyman from completing the work they had begun. They had gotten rid of 2,000 Democratic clerks, the other 1,000 must go, and after that date, when the service became fully classified, 927 more clerks were dismissed and 1,212 were appointed by the disgraceful and fraudulent practice of antedating the notices of removals and apppointments. At the time I first introduced the measure I had but a faint conception of the extent to which this abuse had been carried. As soon, however, as the contents of the bill became known, I began to receive letters from every part of the country, giving information as to the ruthless manner in which Democrats had been discharged and the indecent haste in which Republicans had been rushed into their places. While I am not at liberty to give the names, I cannot refrain from publishing extracts from a few of these letters, as they convey more forcibly than I can express, the manner in which the work was accomplished: TURKEY, N. C., October 2, 1893. DEAR SIR: Having seen in the New York World that you had introduced a bill with reference to the restoration to service of ex-Democratic railway postal clerks, and being one of the number myself for whose purpose your bill is intended to secure justice, I herewith beg leave to thank as well as congratulate you for the position thus manifested in our behalf. During Mr. Cleveland's first administration I received an appointment as railway postal clerk on one of the trunk lines of the country from Washington D. C., to Wilmington N. C., passed my examination on all the postoffices in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, with a general average about 95 per cent; was always prompt and attentive in the discharge of my duty; had my absolute appointment, and was actually under the civil service, but was removed May 21, 1889, to gratify a Republican that wanted my place. All the Democrats on mine and connecting roads were removed in like manner. I am yours, Hon. Wм. D. BYNUM, Washington, D. C. The most striking illustration, however, of the haste to get rid of Democrats and restore Republicans com es from the State of Maine. I am conscious that the living of that State are always willing to sacrifice themselves in the public service, but I was not aware that in their eagerness to get rid of Democrats they were willing to make requisition upon the sextons of the cemeteries. Such, however, seems to be a fact. WATERVILE, ME., October 16, 1898. DEAR SIR: I received a copy of the bill you introduced in the House a short time since, and I wish to say to you that the ex-postal clerks are very much pleased with your undertaking and trust the bill may pass. In their haste to remove s from the service they appointed one man who had been dead for more than one year, another who was nearly dead and who told the superintendent that he could not go back, he was too sick; but they made him go on, as they said, till they could straighten things out. He went on, and after a few months resigned, went home, and died. Yours respectfully, Hon. WILLIAM D. BYNUM, Congressman, Washington, D. C. [Laughter and applause.] APPENDIX. In reply to the fourth inquiry I have to state that the number of clerks appointed, reappointed, or reinstated to said service and who commenced service subsequent to the 1st day of May, 1889, though appointed, reappointed, or reinstated upon orders bearing date prior thereto, was 1,212, and the dates upou which said clerks entered upon their duties were as follows: May 1, 1889. May 4, 1889. ............... 1889.. May 12, 1889......... May 9, 1889.. May 10, 1889. May 11, May 13, 1889. May 14, 1889. May 15, 1889. May 16, 1889. .............. May 17, 1889. May 18, 1889. May 19, 1889 May 20, 1889. May 21, 1889. May 22, 1889. May 23, 1889. May 24, 1889.... May 25, 1889. ........................ ........ .......................... May 31, 1889. June 1, 1889. 18 July 16, 1889... 8 July 17, 1889.. 7 July 23, 1889. 21 July 24, 1889.. Aug. 1, 1889. Aug. 3, 1889. ............................. 6 Aug. 23, 1889. Aug. 25, 1889...... 51 Sept. 25, 1889.. 1 1 1 1 ... 1 .......... Mr. Speaker: In the palmiest days of Congressional spoils, I venture that a record more replete with a debauchery of the public service cannot be found. It has been said by way of excuse that during Mr. Cleveland's administration a large number of experienced and efficient clerks were dismissed from the service to make room W. S. BISSELL, for Democrats, and that the great number of changes made during that period had impaired the efficiency of the service, and that it was necessary to restore the old clerks to improve its standard. This assertion is unqualifiedly false. It is a well known fact, and the official records support me in this statement, that the service had never before attained the standard of efficiency it did during the administration of Mr. Cleveland. From the very beginning the service began to improve. From the annual report of the Superintendent of the Railway Mail Service for the year 1893, I take the following figures: Table of pieces of mail distributed, etc., annually since July 1, 1883. It will be seen from the foregoing table that in 1885, the first year of Mr. Cleveland's administration, there was an increase of nearly five hundred millions o pieces distributed, and a decrease in the number of errors of nearly three hundred thousand. In 1884 there were 3,872 pieces correctly handled to each error, while in 1885 there were 5,575 pieces correctly handled to each error. During the year 1888, the last wholly under Democratic administration, 7,026,837,130 pieces were handled, with a total of 1,777,295 errors. To each 3,954 pieces correctly handled there was one error, while during the first year, wholly under Republican Administration, from July 1, 1889, to July 1, 1890, 7,847,723,600 pieces were handled, with a total of 2,769,245 errors. The increase of errors was 991,950. The first year under the reforms inaugurated by the Republicans, the number of pieces correctly handled to each error fell from 3,954 to 2,834. It thus appears from the official records that in the first year of Mr. Harrison's Administration the standard of efficiency was reduced nearly 28 per cent. REMARKS OF HON. GEO. W. COOPER. OF INDIANA, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Mr. COOPER of Indiana. I stated, as one of the reasons why the checking division of the Sixth Au litor's Office was behind, that the chief of that division had occupied much of his time and the time of the clerks in that service in preparing and publishing a life of ex-President Harrison. While I was absent temporarily from the Hall of the House on yesterday, the gen leman from Ohio, after having, I will say in justice to him, endeavored to ascer. tain my presence, had read from the Clerk's desk a letter from this ex-chief of the checking division, in which he substantially contradicts the statement made by me. He said, in substance, that that division was about three years behind when he took charge of it, and that the prior Administration of the present President was to blame for that fact, and that during his incumbency the work was brought up something like a year in advance of what it was when he undertook it. Now, Mr. Chairman, I wish to send to the Clerk's desk and have read a letter from one of the employees of that division, who is still in that service, upon that point. The Clerk read as follows: TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR OF THE TREASURY FOR THE POSTOFFICE DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., May 25, 1894. SIR: In reply to your request of this date, as to any facts I may know relative to Mr. Charles Hedges, late chief of the checking division, Sixth Auditor's Oflice, having during his term of office devoted his time, or caused clerks and other employees to have devoted their time during office hours to the preparation of a biographical sketch and compilation of speeches of ex-President Benjamin Harrison, I have this to state: That I have seen Mr. Hedges very busily engaged at his official desk, and during office hours, preparing writings, which turned out to be Life and speeches of Hon. Benj. Harrison, President.' Mr. Hall, one of his clerks, was at work in his room, using the typewriter, which seemed strange to me, as there is no work in that division which requires correspondence. Sometime thereafter I noticed the room adjoining the chiefs used as a storeroom for books, and upon inspecting them found they were the aforesaid mentioned books. Mr. Glendenning, one of his clerks, was engaged in addressing these books to subscribers and postmasters during office hours, and whilst his name was carried on the rolls. Shortly after, this clerk, a substitute, was appointed to a $1,000 posi tion over a Miss Pettigrew, who stood at the top of the list in a competitive axamination for promotion, notwithstanding that THOMAS B.REED had interested himself in her behalf. It is the impression of the office that the appointment of Mr. Glendenning was the result of his labor for Mr. Hedges. Very respectfully, Hon. GEORGE W. COOPER, House of Representatives. CHARLES A. GIVEN, Mr. COOPER of Indiana. Now, I send forward a letter from another clerk, which I wish to have read. The Clerk read as follows: OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR OF THE TREASURY SIR: In reply to your request of this date for information that I may possess relative to Charles Hedges, late chief of the checking division of the Sixth Auditor's Office, having used the Government's time for his own purposes by working himself, and, as chief of his division, causing Government employees under him to devote their time during office hours to the preparation of book containing a biographical sketch and speeches of Benjamin Harrison, ex-president of the United States, I have this to say: It is a matter openly talked that Judge Thomas, now chief clerk, Postoffice Department and late superintendent and disbursing clerk of the Postoffice Department, complained to the chief clerk of the Sixth Auditor's Office about one of the rooms of the Busch Building being occupied by some two wagonloads of mail sacks filled with the speeches of Benjamin Harrison, compiled by Charles Hedges, and that they were not removed until after complaint had been made. It was a matter of common discussion in the division at that time that messengers, laborers, and clerks were used by Mr. Hedges during office hours, in violation of the rules and regulations of the Treasury Department, to prepare letters and circulars to promote the sale of said book, to unpack and store away in the Busch Building these books as they were received from the publishers, and wrap up singly or otherwise to deliver or mail to purchasers. It was stated that Thornton Chesley, an employee of the office, was instructed by Mr. Hedges to make a canvass of the office for the sale of said book and that he did so during office hours, which is a violation of the rules and regulations of the Treasury Department prohibiting all canvassing whatever. I know that clerks bought the book who could not afford to, to prevent incurring the displeasure of Mr. Hedges, and that clerks who did not buy the book felt that they were oppressed for not having done so. As to the condition of the work on Mr. Hedge's division at the time of his retirement, I have this to say: Chaos pervaded the entire division. New York postal notes were lost; not an an official or clerk in the building could tell where to find them. The 9,000 books used in checking were everywhere but where they were wanted. It required three month's work of the assistant chief to catalogue and reduce to business system these books alone. The division under Mr. Hedges had run itself. The clerks had checked as they choosed, or if they did not choose had turned in their weekly averages as checked when they were not, and sent the work to the files for this administration to take out of the files by the thousands and do over properly. In the basement were huge basketfuls of 1889, 1890 and 1891 work that clerks had left laying around loose and reported as done. There was no uniformity in the work. As an illustration: Colorado not checked since 1889; Minnesota postal notes not checked since 1888; Washington, D. C., not checked since 1888; New York postal notes not checked since 1890. Checking when done had been so badly done that more time of clerks was |