The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-05-10

for discussion. followed Senator Wal
lace's explanations of its pufport With
sn analysis and exposure of'the Star
route swindles, which no one undertook
to answer except by generalities.. The
pending amendment when Senator Beck
addressed the Senate was for appropria-
ting 81, 600, 900 towards the deficiencies
in payments on .Star-route accounts, the
81, 100000 originally voted having been
exhausted. 1t was explained that the
phrase "Star routes"-originating from
the star mark placed against them in
blue books-comprebended all mail SER
vice not done by steam, aud that it in
cluded q service of2l5. 900 miles, against
21 900 miles by steamboat and 79,c0G
miles by railway. Senator Wallace had
called the attention Of the Senate to
certain inconsistent requests Of the
Postmaster- General and his subordinates
as to these ttar route deficiencies and
had remarked that "eitber they did not
know their own needs, or they had some
purpose to serve" Senator Beck iorth-
with proceeded to demonstrate the ma
ture of the purposes that had been
served He caused to be read letter
from General Brady to the Committee
on Appropriations, dated in the autumn
OF 1879, in which that official asked
turning over to the credit of the Star
route the sum of two millions which re-
mained unexpended to the credit of the
other routs; and Senator Beck showed
that Brady was attempting notification
of law, because the Democrats succeeded
to The control of Congress before all un-
expended balances we're systematically
turned over from one to another &C
count at the will of Cabinet officers until
3 law forbid such methods. Senator
Beck next invited attention to the fact
that the statutes required from the Post.
Office Department blue-book every
September which was to contain all pos
sible details as to contracts, contractors,
service and increases ofspeed or money,
yet that the book, although partially
published at that time. was silent as to
details OF Star routes, and that six
months had passed without additions as
to these details having been made to the
blue book Senator Beck then read an
answer from General Brady to COM
mittee request for explanation, of these
delays, In which the Second Assistant
Postmaster G General had said: II should
be compelled to investigate before I can
answer" In connection with this the
Senator read a statement from Mr..
Cranstoun Lawrie, of the Statistical
Bureau, in which he stated he bad every
week regularly furnished to Gen. Brady
10 person all the facts which were kept
out Of the blue-book, which General
Brady wished to "investigate." Senator
Beck next indicated how all this led to
investigation and to q refusal of the
Committee to permit any transfer of the
two millions-which in consequence of
the investigation had dwindled to de.
nand for one million of deficiency.
Senator Beck then denounced the conse-
quent process Of coercion that the Post
Office Department at once began. He
read letter from Postmaster. General
Key, by which he informed Congress that
because Of its refusal OF Brady's request
he must reduce all the Star-route service
to one trip per week and must cease all
extensions of postal service. Mr.. Key
vas Immediately summoned before the
committee to answer by what authority
he had already expended the whole ol
the $6,000,000 appropriated for Star.
routes; or by what authority he propos.
ed to cripple the Postal service by re,
daciug it on at least 10,000 routes, bu,
he escaped answering by Immediately
Withdrawing his proposition for the re.
duction.
These postal officers. Senator Beck
pointedly SAID, "did not exceed the ap
propriation by accident; they did it BY
design. Thus We are coerced. Road
agents order Us to stand and deliver-to
furnish them with money, or the mails
shall be stopped" This brought Sena
tor Beck to q sharp analysis of three
Star routes in order to show how th,
plundering was done. The route from
Fort Worth to Fort Yuma was let for {
contract price Of 8l34,000. but s165 ,00(
was soon added because mile-ons
whole mile-per hour had been added te
the contract speed, yet without one ad
ditional mail being carried or one addi
tiopal Office established along the rout,
and all without competitive bids
When another route from Prescott Il
Santa Fe, beneflting only IA offices, wal
le. for Sl3, 900 the first contractor threw
up his service and Gen. Brady, at an in
crease OF S78, 700, payment for supposed
expedition" put it into the hands of .
man named Walsh upon Walsh's owr
unsupported statement that such increase
was absolutely essential. When sum
moned before the committee for an ex
planation OF this extraordinary conducl
Gen. Brady was forced to admit that he
had himself therefore, upon bis own
sworn testimony, procured in New Or.
leans while revenue officer the indict.
ment of this very Walsh for defraudinp
the government. Indeed, upon the in,
dictment in the Department of Justice
Senator Beck found Brady's name en-.
dorsed as the principal witness against
Walsh. Gen. Brady having absolutely
no explanation to offer for presenting
S78, TOO to the man whom he had under
oath pronounced dishonest, Walsh him.
self was summoned, who brazenly said
"If ] had been longer 10 mail service
would have made the extra claim $780,
600, and you would now have been In.
vestigating me at that figure" The third
route TO which Senator Beck paid atten.
ton extended from Vinita to Las Vegas
"a service done on blackboard, and
the mails OF which filed only three sacks
yet for which service Gen. Brady had oi
bic own will increased the compensation
from e8,3S0 to S144,260. "Here are
three Star routes," repeated Senator