New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-22
REMOVING GROSS ABUSES.

COnkllnH III lhV O""''
ton of Judge Robertson.
REMOVING GROSS ABUSES.
WHY THE SECOND ASSISTANT bite
RIye-ArTEMPTs TO PERPETUATE us ro"N"'
fpy rFLFGRAIH To THE TRBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, April 21.-The remoVai vi 'o,o",
Assistant Postmaster-GeneraI Brady
.',,r soon after Colonel James took charge OF the
NJ. ossoo nenartment. and was delayed so long
onIv an scconut of the Postmaster-Generais desire
=. moo great care in the selection of Bradys success
cor Nominallv. Mr. Brady resigns but as his resig
nation was demanded, he is practically removed
The branch of the Department which he mas man
ooed bas the making of all contracts Tor uall SGT
vice A great deal of scandal has existed III "aS"-
ington for two or three years past on account VI 'o
manner i'm which these contracts were hauo' "'u 'o
anorrDo,s incrcase of compensation allowed 10
favored contractors over the amounts spee'hcd III
their agreements with the Government ouch
increases have been allowed on the pro
tence of expeditng tho service. Inc Seco"u
Assistant Postmaster-General had the mat
t0r in his exclusive charge. When he had bar
GAINED with a contractor to carry the mails once "i
tviee week over a given route for a specified sum-
hs would sometimes order the service increased to
,h-as times or six times a week and the compensn-
,;on IN he increased accordingly. In this way star
r,utes originally let for an aggregate of S7O0'Ooo
have been mado worth over $20OO,OOOto to the con-
tractors The increased service, IN many instances
was ordered in the face of the reports OF spec al
agents of the Department that no such increase was
needed and in numerous cases the contractors went
IN performing only the old service while drawing
the additional pay.
A ring Of powerful contractors held possession OF
the most profitable star routcs-those covering long
W.
all rivals by the system of straw bids so often ex
aosed and virtually fixed their own compensation
bv the friendly aid of the Contract Office. The ring
had its agents in Washington. One of them, when
somewhat in liquor, boastod nat long ago that he
had received 900 for perstMding General Brady
10 sign certain contract This person holds an i'm
pOrtant Government Office.
Everybody connected with the star route nno
Aourished apace. General Brady, whose friendship
, enabled il to draw vast sums Of money from the
Treasury grew rich as well as the contractors and
ageuts Not long before the new Administration
came in the ring completed arrangements, aS it@
members thought. to perpetuate its power General
Brady in connection with few friends bought
The WASHINGTON Republican. the only daily Re
publican newspaper in the city, and installed
George c. Gorham as editor II thought that
the Administration could not get along without m
organ at the Capital, and would not dare offend
Brady He did not care much about staying IN the
Department. If n storm were raised about his CON
tracts he was willing to relieve the Administration
by stepping out voluntarily, provided man agree
able to him were put in his place. so that the opera
tions of the star route ring should not be dis
turbed His friends boaSt~i that he was too power
full a man for the Administration to offend.
Meanwhile Mr.. Gorham received tie Republican
caucus nomination for Secretary of the Senate,
b;ef follc adb cor
fdence. They grew arrogant, and were soimprudcnt
as TO attempt to intmidate the Administration.
When the President nominated Judge Robertson for
the New-York COllectorship, Brady and Gorhams
newspaper published a series of editorial attacks
upon his action as il to give him foretase of what
he might expect IL he interfcred with the profitable
business carried on in the office of the Second Assist
ant General The paper assumed 70 be in
tensely salwart and made itself the ofcions cham
pion of Senator COnkling in the controversy over
the NewYork patronage. IL exercised no sort ol IN
huence, however because everybody saw IFS nature
and remembered, besides, that its editor deserted
the Republican party in California Only two wears
ego and worked for the State ticket OF the bourbon
Democrats He is soldier of fortune IN politics,
and usually lucky one, but his California escapade
was a blunder which he would be glad to have for
gotten.
TRIBCJNH's correspondence Of the impending change
in tho Second Assistant Postmaster-Generalship
con showed increased temper toward the Adlnnlsra-
ton. 1t is needless to say that the AdInlnlstra-
tion was not worried. The effort 10 buldoze II
never had the slightest chance of success. IL deter
mined at the start not to carry General Brady and his
contracts, and the outcry Of General Bradys news
paper had not the lghtest effect toward changing
It's purpose. Postmaster-General James looked the
country for a man having just the qualifications
in the way of executive talent business experience
frmncss of character and tried integrity he wanted
in the occupant of his Second Assistants place
When he found him he presented his name TO the
President General Brady's resignation was then
demanded and the nomination OF Richard A. Elmer,
of TiOga New-YOrk was at once sent TO the senate
Mr. Elmer Is old acquaintance OF Colonel James,
and is presumably the right man for the place The
fact that he is also friend OF Senator Platt gives
the appointment considerable political significance.
Mr. Gorham's connection with Brady and the per
sistent attacks OF the newspaper he edits upon the
Administration place him in peculiar position as
the caucus nominee of the Republican party for the
highest Office in the gift OF the Senate. The Rcpub-
hcan Senator'S may think 1t needtu yet TO hnd some
way to drop him by the time he deadlock is broken.
The ma erial which has been collected by the
special agents of the Post Office Department under
the instructions Of POstmastcrGeneral James is be-
ing prepared In the form Of evidence TO be used in
court IL thought advisable, and in that
form Is sent to the Attorney General.
Special agents are now engaged in max
ing personal inspection of the principal star
routes in the West and rapidly as possible they
viii be sent over other routes OF less Importance.
Qne principal reason for the summary action in re-
gard to General Brady was the discovery that many
sources Of information which the special agents
aesire TO make accessible were closed through the
fear of General Brady's power while he remained
in Office.
DREARY DAY IN THE SENATE.
f0ISrIEss RARAYGUEs BY MEssRs. COKE AND CALL