The National tribune., 1903-12-03
BRIsTow's REPORT.
4 Strong Presentation of Thorough fnves-
ttgation-The Presidents scathing Conn

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4 Strong Presentation of a rhoreush iny.s-
ttgation-The President's Scathing Com
ments.
Those who confidently predicted that
the report of the Fourth Assistant Post
master-General would never be made
public. or if it were would glozs over or
suppress much of the worst of the Post
Office scandal, have been grieyiously dis
appointed. An abstract of the report,
which occupies - columns of small type,
goes thoroughly into the whole question
Of Doodle in the Post Office Department,
gives with official sanction ali the details
of wrongdoing by various officials and en-
pioyees who are named, and which have
heretofore been published. The previous
publications are thus verified and also am
plified. 1t is probably the most thorough
report of official malfeasanee ever made,
and apparently leaves nothing unmen-
toned. M Bristow says that more than
10 Inspectors have been employed upon
the work since the investigation began
and the records of 1000 Post Offices have
been examined. as we'll as the files of
many Divisions of the Department been
scrutinized covering a period of from six
to- 10 years. We can readily believe what
he says about the fearless integrity ami
thoroughness of their work.
The President puts an Endorsement on
the report which scathes the guilty parties
most mericilessly. He says that the idea
OF an investigation began in December,
lgO2. after a consultation with Postmas-
ter-General Payne and Representative Z.
+. Loud. Chairman of the Committee on
Post Offices and Post Roads. when an
appropriation of $1,000 was secured from
Congress to make the investigation. 1t
appears from the evidence that the cor
rupt practices We're of long continuance,
and Mr.. Machen. particularly. began his
misconduct Immediately after his appoint
ment in September, 1893 Beavers also
began his crookeduess soon after his ap-
pointment. in 1857. How long Assistant
Attorney General Tyner had been going
on it is impossible to say.
The Presidents memorandum concludes
with this ringing utterancs:
NO crime calls for sterner reprobation
than the crime of the corruptionist in pub-
lie life and of the man who seeks to cor
rupt him. The bribe-giyer and the bribe-
taker are equally guilty. Both alike sin
against the primary law of the states
safety. All questions of difference in
party polics sink into insigni6cance, when
the people of this country are brought face
to face with a question like this. which
lies at the root of honest and decent Gov
ernment. On this question. and on all
others like il. we can afford to have ne
division among good citizens. In the last
resort good laws and good administration
alike must rest upon the broad basis Of
sound public opinion. A duh public con-
science, an easy-going acIuiescence in cor
ruption, infallibly means debasement in
public life. and such debasement in the
end means the ruin Of free institutions.
Self government becomes a farce IL the
representatives % the people corrupt 9TH
ers or are themselves corrupted Free
dom is not gift which will tarry long
in the hands Of the dishonest. or of those
so foolish or so incompetent as to
tolerate dishonesty in their public
servants. Cnder our system all power
comes from the people, and all punish-
ment rests ultimately with the people.
The liberation of the wrong. not the ex-
posure of the wrong, is the real offense"