Show THE BETRAYAL OF ELAINE Postmaster Pearson I2cf ntcs Ccrtain False Statements Postmaster Pearson on being ques ioned as to the truth of the statements published in certain Washington papers m Sunday last concerning his alleged betrayal of Mr Blame and his probable able share in a bargain the terms of which included his support of the Demo ratic candidate for Governor of New York at the next election said The insinuation that there was any bargain for my retention in office I am ure has no foundation in fact The harge that I betrayed Blaine is simply idiculous I had no trust to betray and onsequently betrayed none Neither Air Blaine nor any of his active supporters support-ers ever asked me to make any special personal effort in his behalf still less to endeavor to influence the votes of the mployes of this office I was desirous hat every one of them should have an opportunity to vote as he pleased and to that end I proposed to close the office and its i stations for the greater part of election day as had always been the practice on that and all other legal holidays and prepared the usual printed notices announcing an-nouncing that this would be done which were displayed in the lobbies of this building and in those of all the stations but a day or two before election day I sawn saw-n the papers Washington dispatch announcing an-nouncing that the PostmasterGeneral had decided that postoffices must be kept open as usual on election day I then sent this request by telegraph First Assistant PostmasterGeneral Washington Wash-ington D C Election day being a legal holiday in this State and business generally suspended sus-pended may this office be closed pn that day after 10 a m mH H G PEARSON P M To this a reply was received to the effect that under a recent decision of the PostmasterGeneral Post Offices could not be closed on election day as it i was not a national holiday I at once ordered the printed notices to be removed re-moved and notified all Superintendents of stations to do the same also to cause the usual number of deliveries and collections col-lections to be made on election day but at the same time instructed them partic ularly to see that every employe who desired de-sired to vote should be given an opportunity opportu-nity to do so This could readliy be done without neglect of their duties as most of the mails arriving after the heavy morning mails and also the local mail matter would of course bemuch lighter during election day than on ordinary days I believe that not one employe of the office was deprived of the right of franchise through being compelled to attend at-tend to his official duties On the morning of election day I received re-ceived a dispatch from Mr Hazen the Third Assistant PostmasterGeneral instructing in-structing me to see that all employes I were given an opportunity to vote but as I had already taken measures to give that opportunity to all employees no further action on my part was necessary On the same morning I was called on by three Post Office Inspectors who inquired in-quired whether all employees would be given an opportunity to vote I assured them that they would and told them of the instructions I had issued on the subject sub-ject and they left apparently satisfied Nevertheless within one or two days after the election I ascertained that on election day lettercarriers were stopped while on their routes by Post Office Inspectors In-spectors who displayed their commissions commis-sions and questioned the carriers as to whether I had allowed them to vote how I had instructed them to vote whether they would vote as I told them whethe I had not instructed tnem to vote for Mr Grace etc I cannot believe that these I officials were instructed to ask such insulting in-sulting and idiotic questions but presume I them to have acted only according to their individual conceptions of the fitness of things One of the inspectors went even so far as to enter one of the stations and advise ad-vise the superintendent to close the station sta-tion and let the men go to work at the pollsand this although he was aware of the instructions from the department and of the order I had issued under those instructions I have never been influenced influ-enced by political considerations in my official action either as postmaster or in any other position I have held in the i postal service and never shall be I have exercised as a citizen my right of suffrage and voted according to my convictions con-victions how and for whom I take it to be my own business and that of nobody else and I have recognized the right of all employees of this office to do the same without inquiry instruction hint or sug gestion from me There is no office on earth which I would accept on condition that it should be made by me an instrument instru-ment for serving the interests i of any party or person whatever or that its operations should be conducted with any other object than the benefit and convenience conve-nience of the general public In common com-mon as I believe with all good citizens I desire that the administration of Mr Cleveland shall be a success as I would have wished in the case of Mr Blaine had he been elected to the Presidency and it is among other reasons because of that wish that I am determined that the trust he has seen fit to place in my hands shall be honestly and to the best of my ability administered in the sole interest of the people You may say that the Postmaster will as an individual citizen of New York support by his vote that candidate for Governor whom he believes most likely to best adminis ter the office but that as a Postmaster he will politically support nothing and no bo yJJN Y Times April 7 |