The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-21
STILL AFTER HIM.
Joseph 4. BristOw, of Kansas,
Again Assaulted.
Washington Times Latest to
Take Up the Cudgel.
NEGLECT OF DUTY.
That Is the Burden Of the
Charges.
Corruption in Rural Delivery
Service Is Included.
NEGLECT OF DUTY.

Joseph L. Bristow. fourth assistant
postmaster general is kept in perpet-
ual hot water. The latest assault on
the Kansan appears in the Washington
Times and it applies to alleged scan
dals in the rural delivery service. The
Times says:
Under Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Bristow is the division of in
spectors. of which w. z. Cochran is
chief, and it is within his province.
even within his duty, TO demand an in
vestigation of conditions which he must
know prevail in the postoffice depart
ment.
The appropriation contained in the
legislative appropriation bill now be-
fore the senate for salaries in the
fourth assistant postmaster generals
Office is Sl25,1S0 and a large portion of
this amount goes as compensation to
inspectors Instead of davQting some
Of their attention to the high officials
whose yearly incomes from Jobs and
deals far exceed their salaries, these
inspectors. with the sanction and ap-
proVal. of course. Of Fourth Assistant
Bristow. are occupied in running down
the petty offenders and bringing to
the bar of justice letter carriers ana
postal clerks who commit minor depIe-
datiOns and violations of the rules of
the service. Within easy reach are a
half dozen or more big chiefs publicly
known to be using the postal service
to advance their own interests and TO
add to their own fortunes
AN order from the fourth assistant,
who is as much charged with the duty
OF preventing and Furnishing frauds
against the government among those
high in authority as among the low sal
aried clerks, would at once reveal a con-
dition of affairs, the extent of which
is only limited by the amount they are
able to obtain rather than a satisfac-
ton Of their desires to enhance their
own interests. The $500 letter carrier
who extracts a letter which may or
may not contain anything he is able to
convert to his own use has his steps
logged and is finally decoyed into d trap
which not only means his discharge in
disgrace from the service. but probably
term In the penitentiary
THE division chief who. by granting
favOrs to contractors, purchasing sup
plies, making allowances Of public mon
eys to favOrites. and dozen other
methods best known to those that oper-
ate them is able to make a $1,000 or
$4,000 position pay ten times that
amount annually, escapes not only
without punishment, but is allowed to
remain in the public service and from
year to year continue his operations in
the same manner
1T is within the power of General
Bristow to institute an investigation and
inspection of this condition of affairs,
and furthermore, having a knowledge
Of the facts it is his duty to do so, but
up to the present time he has taken no
action in the matter. Notwithstanding
the fact that he must have been cogniz-
ant Of the situation for several years.
1T has come to q point where the
question is asked as to why he has thus
remained idle It has never been sus-
pected or even intimated that the fourth
assistant was in any way a party to the
questionable methods and dealings of
the clique which rules the department,
and because he is supposed to be clean
handed there is even greater surprise
because ne has not taken steps to up
root the evil which is making the post
office department the seat of a great
government scandal
Mr. BristOw has a capable force OF
assistants in the inspectors division
and it would be an easy matter to start
them at work in the divisions which
are now reeking with corruption. Why
Mr. HrlstOW does not act is cOnund-
rum which is difficult to solve AS sta
ted, he has the power, he knows of the
condition of affairs, and he has the force
which is able to develop all the facts
from the evidence at their command"
First Assistant Secretary Thomas
Ryan Of the department of the Interior
in discussing the attack made on Mr..
Bristow, said:
II am sure the attack to which YOU
refer is without foundation I regard
Mr.. BrlstOW as an officer of unusual
merit When six years ago he was ap-
pointed fourth assistant postmaster gen
eral by President Mckinley he was
young and without experience in ma
tiOnal affairs. and indeed practically
without any knowledge of them.
1.-THE duties of his Office relate largely
TO the distribution Of patronage. fire.
gently involving friction, and sometimes
bitter conflicts among people of more OF
less power I'M official and private life. II
such cases, whatever his action, it i:
likely to cause disappOintments anC
sharp resentments. In this connection
It may be mentioned that Mr.. Bristov
stepped heavily on the toes Of SOM
pretty robust influences when he fear
lessly and thoroughly uncovered certain
gigantic VlllalnieS in the pOstOffice ser
vice I'm Cuba. Perhaps, therefore, /
ought not to be surprising if he SHOULD
occasionally be fired at from the brush
II think may safely say that the ad
ministration of the office OF fourth as
sistant postmaster general was never o
higher order than during the six year
Mr. Bristow has been al its head HI
conduct i'm the Office has been character
lied by ability, integrity. tact and ami
able hrmness
Il personally know that President Nc
Elinley regarded Mr. Bristow as among
the best officers in the public service
and entertained for him sincere respect
I have no doubt that he fully enjoys tn
esteem and confidence of Presiden
Roosevelt
General Bristow has not only ae
quilted himself in his high Office. but h
is a man Of clean life, sterling charac
ter. high ideals. and worthy in every re
epect of the esteem of the people O
Kansas and the country"
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