Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1903-12-04
THE POSTOFFIOE SOANDAL

The long looked for brief OF the report of |
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General ]. L. |
Bristow on the postal investigation was
made public on Monday morning, and with
1t memorandum of President Roosevelt
relative thereto.
While In general outline the Vaccinations
of the corruptionists have been brought to
public scrutiny heretofore in our columns,
the extent Of their perfdy can only be ap.
preciated by reading Of the brief of Mr.
Bristow.
There was absolutely no opportunity for
plumber that was overlooked, and it is hard
TO conceive that such condition of affairs
could have existed for even limited time,
much less extend over period of years, as
as was the case, and shows gross misman-
agement, at least, in the Department
Mr.. Bristow's brief cites scores OF in
stances Of the fraudulent proceedings of the
guilty crew, and hundreds Of more like
cases blot the record Of the Department 1t
must be remembered that the document OF
Mr.. Bristow, while 1t occupies a page or more
of the daily newspaper, is but "briei," or
synopsis, OF the full report made to the Presi-
dent and Postmaster General.
According to the report the number of
indictments found is A; persons involved,
81; In the postal service, 10; number of res
ignstions, A.; approximate sum involved,
100000; loss TO Government, cannot be es-
timated; number OF inspectors engaged, 40
The memorandum OF the President, &C.
companying the report, while urging the
prosecution of the accused parties, takes the
ground that the Postmaster General was al
the front In the inception of the effort made
TO unearth the rascality. Speaking on thlt
point the Baltimore Herald gives the follow
ing truthful statement
"By far the most interesting fact In the
President's memorandum on the Bristow re-
port is the credit which Postmaster Genera
Payne receives Tor instigating the investiga
ton. His name is mentioned frst-eveI
before that OF MIR. Loud-and the manner
as well as the matter Of the Presidents state
ment shows an evident intention of making
particularly emphatic Mr.. Payne's leading
part in the work. There may be politics il
this, or 1t may be entirely true, but it Ger
tainly comes as surprise TO all who hav
followed the disclosures. More than ono
Postmaster General Payne made light OF tn
whole business and tried to laugh it off, ant
there was in several critical moments a yer,
general demand that he retire from the cabi
net and give way to man who would ex
hibit more zeal In the cause. Indeed, 1t wa
while Mr.. Payne was absent from his pos
that the investigation was first seriousl
pushed.
"But 1t is not worth while to be over crit
ical 80 long as the work has been done. MI
Bristow's remarkable exposures have bee
discounted by the press reports and the pre-
ceedings in the courts, but brought togethe
they make one of the saddest chapters i
the history Of the government. The pity
not 80 much that the stealings amounted I
a large sum but that graft existed in minul
ramifications 10 one Of the greatest depar
ments OF the government. The thieves
Office really secured only q small share
the plumber, but their system was one Of II
meanest and most contemplate crimes evt
planned. 1t was not only corruption;
was also a breeder Of corruption, reachin
every employe it could and instituting
schools OF rascality on the outside, III
duty now is to place as many Of the Grim
mails as possible behind prison bars. To NJ
Bristow the highest praise Is due"