The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1903-12-04

President Roosevelt Issued a State
ment Condemning the Corrupt Prac-
tees and Says the Guilty Will Be
Punished to Fullest Extent of Law
Millions of Dollars Were Stolen.
Washington, Nov. 30.-President
Roosevelt has given out for publica-
ton memoranda concerning the cor
rupt practices obtaining in the post
Office department. Gross corruption,
he says, is uncovered by the investi-
cation which has been under way FOR
many months. Some of the men ar
rested for corruptness are now beyond
the reach of the law, because of the
statute of limitations, a fact President
Roosevelt deplores, but others are still
within the reach of the law, and 1t
is the intention of the department OF
Justice to vigorously prosecute every
man, of high or low degree, against
whom evidence can be obtained. That
the president is satisfied the startling
QlSClOSuIGS VI SlupChOOho AA0NNSt 49,
outlined in the report of Fourth AS
sistant Postmaster General Bristow,
is not overdrawn, is evidenced by his
reference to the review of said report,
made by special counsel Charles j.
Bonaparte and Charles Conrad. He
cordially agrees with the findings Of
those gentlemen.
President Roosevelt condemns in no
uncertain way the misdeeds Of govern
ment officials who have profted by
their positions in an unlawful manner.
OF these he says: mo crime calls
for sterner reprobation than the crime
of the corruptionist in public life, and
of the man who seeks to corrupt him.
The bride giver and the bride taker
are equally guilty. Both alike sin
against the primary law Of the states
safety"
BristoW Reports.
Washington, Nov. 9O.-Stupendous
frauds in the postofice department
extending over a period Of 10 years
are told in detail in a report made by
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow, directed by the president tc
investigate the scandal.
Not for years has a story Of such
gross corruption in office been made
public. 1t involves congressman, sub
heads Of the postoffice department
manufacturers and men of influence
in other walks of life. 1t tells o
squandering millions of dollars of thu
peoples money in order that few OF
ficials whose duties include the order
ing of supplies might get rakeoffs o
hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In order to accomplish their ends
these venal officials and their part
ners, Mr. Bristow says, forced upol
the pOstmasters of the country ma
chimes and devices which were III
fitted for the uses for which they wer
intended and were bought at price
ranging from so to 100 per cent abov
the quotation in open market.
Mr.. Bristow tells of the sale Of mil
or positions, of creation Of dummy pc
sitions with good salaries attached
for favorites Of congressman and othe
influential men. Leases of building
at figures far above the ordinary wer
not infrequent. Blocks of stock {
enterprises expecting to grow rich OF
of the government were given to me
in office.
Mr.. Bristow describes transaction
which involve Perry Heath, now pu'
Usher of the Salt Lake Tribune, an
Senator Dietrich of Nebraska.
Memorandum by Roosevelt.
White House, Nov. "a, 1903.-Mem
randum upon the various papers su
mitted from the department of ju
tice and the postofice departmel
concerning the investigation into Il
corrupt practices obtaining in Il
postoffice department, notably in II
Office of the first assistant postmast
general and in the office of the assis
ant attorney general for that depal
ment. All the documents in the ca
are herewith forwarded to the pc:
Office department, and will be he
ready for submission to the congre
whenever it may choose to ask f
them.
1t appears that in December, 19C
Postmaster General Payne and CO
gresham E. f. Loud, chairman of t.
committee on the postoffice and pc
roads, held various consultations
garding the postal service, and as