The semi-weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1891, 1890-10-04
THE WASHINGTON BUDGET,
Postmaster Wheat of the House Fopnd
Guilty and He Re
signs.
The PENSION COMMISSIONER ROASTED.
Minority of the Investigating Com
mittee Express Their Views
of the Case.
Carter Does Not Even Get his Fort
Ellis Reservation Bill
Through.
The PENSION COMMISSIONER ROASTED.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-The debt state
ment issued today shows net increase
in the month of $4,5s2,OOs, while the de-
crease of bonded lists during the month |
was $52.s16.s40.
Carter of Montana submitted confer
ence report on the bill to dispose of the
Fort Ellis military reservation in Mon
tana, but being threatened with the point
Of no quorum he withdrew it.
HOUSE POSTMASTER RESIGNS.
Caswell of Wisconsin submitted let
ter addressed to the speaker by James l..
Wheat, postmaster of the house, tender
ing his resignation.
Subsequently Spooner of Rhode Island
from the committee on accounts, submit
ted a report OF that committee upon the
subject. The report states that the
charges made by Enloe's resolution
against the postmaster of the house have
been substantially established; and al
though the relations between Dalton, tie
previous postmaster, and Culbertson, the
mail contractor, gives rise to grave sus-
pislon that some private arrangement ex-
listed between them whereby Dalton dur
ing the 49th and 50th congresses divided
personal profits out Of his contracts for
carrying mails, no absolute proof has
been obtained. The report is accom-
panied by resolution declaring the
office of postmaster of the house vacant
and directing the assistant postmaster to
perform the duties of the office until II
postmaster shall have been elected and
duly qualified.
Hayes of Iowa submitted minority re-
port agreeing in substance with the ma
iority report, but dissenting from it in Its
reference To Postmaster Dalton. Dalton's
conduct of the office had been clean and
smere suspicion against him should not
have been incorporated in the report.
Pending discussion upon the question
Mckinley called up the resolution for
final adjournment with an amendment
fixing the hour,at 8 o'clock. Agreed to-.
The Wheat resolution was then agreed to.
Later Caswell of Wisconsin asked
unanimous consent for consideration of
the resolution and election of P.J. Flint
of Wisconsin postmaster of the house.
Williams Of Chic objected and Caswell
withdrew his resolution.
COMMISSIONER RAUM SCORED.
The minority of the special house com
mittee, appointed to investigate the
charges against Pension Commissioners
Raum, Lewis and Goodnight, have united
in the preparation of report setting
forth their opinion Of results OF the in
vestigation. The report reviews the evi
dence in the refrigerator case and says
We lament the conduct of public
official who invokes the law to screen
| himself from proper investigation ant
to hide from the public view the details
of the business which Is being
conducted from one of thu
government bureaus and concerning
the character of which SO many and sncl
damaging charges have been made. Al
to the charge of the advancement OF pen
sion claims for Lemon in consideration
of his endorsing the commissioners note
the report states that no intimate friend
ship is shown to have existed betweel
the commissioner and Lemon and ther'
were no business relations before. Wh.
should Lemon, good business man, risl
$4,000 upon one who is afraid to have
his solvency inquired into? Completed
files system was Just what Lemon de
manded and so soon as established h
was ready to underwrite for the commits
sioner. which he had never before done
though often consulted by the commits
sloner about his needs during severa
months before. It is then clear, says tn
report, that Lemon was favored and bell
efited. 1t is equally clear that Commis
sioner Raum was placed under obllga
tions to him. .... n, la......
! 1t is something no rugged integrity ca
. approye and no delicate sense of proprle
ty endure. In conclusion the repoi
. reads: "Thus 1t seems to us that Tn
r commi sioner Of pensions has not prop
a erlv esteemed the delicate duties and sci
ions responsibilities Of his great ofiic,
nor ms he measured up to that hlg
standard of patriotic consideration 10
+ the public service which should preva
in this department, adiudicating dishur'
ments Of nearly one third OF the entil
revenues of the government. Inc PEI
s;np office is altogether too sacred piac
for the development of personal thfl
and enterprise manifested in this recors
If was established that the nation m'gl
nronerly care for those to whom II owe
Gratitude too sacred for tritling. IL IS
u Sgonnment to the munificence OF q grat'
9 f,'I nannle and its hundreds Of employ
,happId he ministers of mercy, n
20 stock gamblers. That place ta' !
% %haIlowed should haye been used i
stock iobbing or speculation, conxeI.s x,a.
snto the spawning place for corporatiosl
and and the stall for bartering douo.I
n natants. is reflection upon our cover
t mant degradation of public sersic
which we think cannot be 700 ssns;tI, sMouH
condemned. Ii the real anu ,aea ssne,Itt
damands of the occasion be measureI
We NC axamnle of the forbearing Nazarin
ot tue Who scourged from the temple, ~ ms !,
Ve WANTS %nu s~ and money changers, Or oy !, u u
~ cnan o ond;hle conduct of Presiee
-, Arthur in removing the assncla.e norrn, Juss,s
III If tha Arizona supreme court ioI oU,aJ h
ry inc money of an attorney plaoaao;stb paa ,u;tb
tnse tS him. congress must agree VIZ ~ :,
~ ,hara should be a bettermeht VI u
.ha, ,,h,;c snes service by house-cleanlng
W Al the majority of the eoalm''fur CO tinn firth
~ ,snd to pursue the inlvestigallon .hair
" y. suT the next session Of congress, .;ma Ina'
~ nort r viii not be made until 'ha' ''''i''
Harrison Veto.