The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-13
MILES INCIDENT TO PLAY IMPORTANT PART IN CAMPAIGN.

sc re Of the indicted men. by the publica-
ton of portion Of the report Of Inyesti-
SItor Bristow on November 80. In making
this comment on Mr.. Bristow's report, the
President said:
THE Investigation made by Mr.. Br!s-
tow discfoses q condition of sross corrup-
Postmaster General. ana in that Of the
assistant Attorney. General Of the Post
Office Department.
BRIsTOW REPORT CHOPPED
The Bristow report contained 100000
words. 500O0-word abstract was made
for the President, and that was cut by
his express direction first to 5000 words
and then to 1000 words. The excuse
given for this wholesale elimination Of the
results OF the investigation was that the
Law Department of the Government pro-
tested against the publication of the elm
mated portions because they contained ev-
idence necessary for the conviction Of the
indicted men and women.
1t Is & matter of common knowledge in
washington that every man connected
with the investigation. beginning with the
President and running down to the subof-
shield those higher u up'. there has BEEN IN
no opportunity to connect these men d.
rectly with the Post-Off1ce frauds, because
every scrap of paper. every bit of evi-'
transcript of record and the records them
selves have been in charge OF Mr.. Bristow.
The inspectors have worked with the
one end In view of accommodating all pos
sible evidence and turning it over to Mr..
Bristow for his disposal. It is freely
charged BY the Democrats in House and
Senate that. If this evidence should be
available the magnitude Of the frauds as
displayed IN the Bristow report would
be Increased threefold.
There has been an effort in Congress to
erly blocked by the Republicans in Sen
ate and House. Senator Penrose. chair
man OF the Senate Committee on Post
tive ov an Chairman ano Of ths House
Roads. have both introduced resolutions
asking. that all papers and evidence of
tees. -
The committees are. Of course. strongly
Republican 1t is the intention Of the
It. no matetr, what the Democrats may do
or say. II Their is an Investigation 1t will
show nothing more than the Bristow re-
port showed. and make the same scape-
goats.
The corruption Of the Post-onice De-
partment displayed by the Bristow report
consisted of bribery and blackmail. in ex-
crooked practices whereby the Govern
ment was gouged for the benefit OF the
individuals who profited some Of whom
will be.
MUCH NOT REVEALED.
There have been constant allegations
that conditions similar to II not worse
than those that have been discovered in
the office OF the First Assistant Postmas-
of the Post, Department. Appar-
vestigate except what was on the surface,
and 1t has been officially announced that
the Investigation is closed. leaving buried
whatever else there may be Of corruption
IN rha dona rtment
The amount Of money obtained by the
grafters in the Post-Ofnce Department.
so far as get out in the Bristow report. is
will cover It. No one familiar with the
conditions that have existed thinks that
is even a considerable fnrtioE Of the real
another plan of investigation there is no
chance to establish this. because Mr.
P:istow and Mr.; Payne are sitting on the
While the Post-of,ice irvestsgation was
going on the attention of the country was
directed to frauds In the Interior Depart
ment 1t has been discovered that for sew
crimes in the Land Office brought about
by collision Of agents with men who de-
sired to obtain Government lands with
out the usual homesteading practice
These frauds are extensive and vary
with the section OF the country in which
they are committed. There are lumber
diam Itorys frauds in Min 1s nv wyo-
ming. Idaho and in every other State
where there Is public domain. There is a
gum shoe" investigation now on which |
has had no apparent results except that !
the President has appointed an excellent |
to examine into land laws and |
see what can be done to prevent future |
stealing.
The amount Of land fraudulentIy OBJ
tanned cannot be estimated even approx |
imately. It runs far into the. millions. |
are responsible In a great |
measure because. without the collusion of |
the agents the frauds could not have been |
30 fragrant nor so extensive.
LITTAUER SCANDAL.
A scandal that came home particularly |
hard to the President was the exposure of |
Littaur's connection with |