Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-04-26
STAR ROUTE CORRUPTION.
The Scandal Bequeathed by the
Hayes Administration.
Special to N. Herald


teri General James inquiry into the
star route corruption, which has been
carried on with equal vigor and secre
cy, promises presently to develop some
surprising rascalities in high places,
and may in the end, if powerful politi-
cal influences do not prevail to pre-
vent it, send several prominent politi-
clans to the penitentlary. There is
already sufficient evidence in hand to
show that the star route1obby was not
without congressman, as part Of its
force and the game of straw bidding,
sham securities and raised contracts,
appears to have been carried ON with
a brazen effrontery which shows that
the men engaged in it-some Of them
men Of political inAuence-and other
office-holders, here and elsewhere, had
not the least fear of interference from
any quarter.
THE PRESIDENT DETERMINED.
The president probably remembers
the impudent resistance to inves-
tigate in the house winter before last,
when the star route lobby gathered
here to support Second Assistant Post
master General Brady and to defeat
the inquiry Of the house. The presi.
dent is bent upon thorough exposure
of the whole mass of corruption, and
has given orders that the investigation
now proceeding shall be searching and
that wrongdoers shall be brought to
punishment without regard to persons
or political influence. The result
promises to be as astonishing in its
details as the exposure Of the whisky
ring by Secretary Bristow, and fortu-
nately the presentSattorney general is
not the kind Of man to issue an order
intimidating witnesses and shielding
rougues.
BRADY's COVER.
Brady's friends say to-day that he
has covered himself against effective
attack by having carefully kept copies
of all the recommendations for in
creased service and increased pay on
star routes made by congressman and
other public functionaries. It's to be
hoped that this is true, and that he
will be pushed hard enough TO induce
him to make these copies of written
and oral recommendations public.
Having such papers in his possession
no doubt gave him the power he had
over members of the last house OF
representative, which enabled him to
openly bully the committee Of inquiry.
Mr.. Hayes and, ibis postmaster general
absolutely refused to take the least
notice of the proved Irregularities OF
the star route business. They threw
the whole inquiry upon congress,
knowing as they must have known,
that congressional investigation is
sure to cover up rather than expose
wrongdoing. The present admins
tration appears to be determined to
pursue a more honorable and effective
course, and if the executive is in earn
est, there is at least some hope Of
bringing to daylight the star route
| jobberies, and with them, perhaps, the
congressman and other public officers
on whose influence the jobbers de-
pended.
HOW CONTRACTS WERE INCREASED.
The reckless way in which the star
route contracts were increased" is
shown in an official report, from which
the following figures are taken: One
route contracted originally for in
round numbers $4,000 was increased to
$3.50 000--an increase of $l44,000 on a
$4,000 contract Another was in.
creased from $4,000 to 100000; an
other from $1,000 to $4,000; another
from $4,000 to Sl36,000; another
from $3.50 to $4,000; another from
5000 to $4,000; another from $l5,-
600 to $4,000; another from $4,000
to 100000, and so on to the end of a
long chapter. 1t must be remembered
that congress had given to the star
route service $5,900,000, which was
the whole sum asked for in the esti-
mates, but at the next session the
sum of $2,0OO,0OO was demanded of
congress to cover such increased prices
paid to contractors over and above the
amounts they had contracted for. But
this branch Of the subject is probably
the lesst muddy of all. The post
cslce detectives have got evidence of
systematic straw bids and straw secur-
tiles, and when the evidence already
in hand is brought before the proper
courts it will be discovered that in
some cases public officers here and
elsewhere have been concerned in vi
olations Of law which are expressly
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