Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-30

4 the several cases, tIicoS vases SAOW WAoCAy
varying degrees of cuipab1lity.
Outsiders Indicted.
| Among outsiders indictments have also
| been found against
H. ]. Barrett, formerly in the Post ONCE
Department from May II. 1889. to Septem-
Der 90 1893, and from June l. 1897, to De-
| cember 81. 1900;
| George E. Green:
Diller B. and Samuel A. Croft;
| William c. Long, formerly in the Post
! Office Department from April II, 1880, to
| August 10. 1898;
| Isaac s. Mcclellan;
! George H. Huntingdon;
George E. Lorenz. formerly postmaster at
| Toledo. Ohio, from August 3, 1886. to July
| 0. 1890:
| Martha j. Lorenz;
| John T. Cupper
H c. Hallenbeck;
w. D. DoremuS;
Eugene d. Scheble;
William G. Crawford, deputy auditor.
Post Office Department from June II, 1888,
| to September Is, 1897;
Maurice Runkle;
Norman r. Metcalf:
/ Leopold ]. Stern;
Edmund H. briggs;
George F. Miller;
Joseph NJ. Johns.
Several of the above have been indicted
two. three or five times each.
The Three Chief Offenders.
The three chief offenders in the govern
ment service were Tyner, Machen and
Beavers The friends of Tyner have adj
vanced the theory that In his case the chief
offender was really his nephew by mar
rage Barrett, who was his assistant in the
Office for a part Of the time, and that Ty-
ner's offenses are due to his failing bodily
and mental powers. The facts set forth in
Mr.. Bristow's report do not tend to sub
stantiate the validity of these excuses for
Tyner, while they show literally astound-
ing misconduct in Barrett. For Machen and
Beavers no excuse Of any kind has been
alleged.
In the case of Metcalf, the superintendent
Of the money order system the most Wig
orous protests were at first made on his
behalf by a large number of reputable citi-
zens and also by others who were at the
time deemed reputable, but who it has
since been discovered were profiting by
Metcalf's misconduct One of them has
been indicted In connection with him.
When these investigations were begun,
some nine months ago, many Of the chief
offenders who have been indicted or dis
missed, or both, as above enumerated, were
considered to have excellent regulations. A
number Of the most respectable people in
the land offered voluntary testimony on be-
half Of Mr.. Tyner. So highly were Messrs.
Beavers and Machen thought OF by those
who had been brought into close connection
with them that the Congress actually pro-
vided at its last session for raising the
salaries Of both, the salary in each case
being increased $780, to take effect at the
beginning Of the fiscal year on July last.
By that date they were both out of office.
and the Department of Justice was taking
steps to have them indicted. During Ma
chen's term of service he was twice inves-
tigated by the Congress, once by a COM
nlittee of the Senate and once by COM
mittee of the House, but cleared on each
occasion. Yet at that very period as has
been shown in the present investigation he
was engaged in the corrupt business for
which he has now been removed and in
dicted. This is no reflection upon the COM
mittees who conducted the investigation;
for SO skillfully had Machen concealed his
wrongdoing that 1T was only revealed after
months of laborious and exhaustive work
by trained inspectors.
Details of the Corruption.
The details Of the corruption are set forth
in full in Mr.. Bristow's report and need not
be recapitulated by me. AS regards Messrs.
Beavers and Machen the corruption took
the form of bribery and blackmail in con-
nection with the purchase Of government
supplies. In the Office of the assistant at
torney general for the Post Office Depart
ment, under Tyner and Barrett, far greater
wrong was inflicted upon the public than
could be measured by a pecuniary standard,
for in this Office the corruption Of the gov
eminent officials took the form of favoring
get-rich quick concerns and similar Swind-
ling schemes; in other words, the criminals,
whom 1t was the sworn duty of these gov
eminent officials to prosecute. paid them for
permission to fleece the public unmoleSted.
l heartily approve of the recommendation
of Messrs. Conrad and Bonaparte that the
statute of limitations be extended in the
case OF government servants to a period of
at least five years; for the persons who In
such positions Of trust engage in corrupt
practices can ordinarily conceal their guilt
for longer time than is covered by the
present short statute Of limitations. This
recommendation has been laid before the
Congress In the report of the Attorney Gen.
eral, and it Is earnestly hoped that 1t will be
acted upon favorably. Moreover, our eXpe-
rience shows that outsiders claiming politi-
cal influence sometimes sell their influence
to candidates for office or in other words
blackmafl these candidates There should
be legislation which will permit of summary
dealing with such offenders.
Punishment Demanded.
However, the prime need is not new legis-
lation but the punishment Of those who of
fend against existing laws. The Post Office
Department Is making certain changes in
the methods of administration, notably in
the method Of inspection, by which the
service will be improved and the chance of
corruption existing without discovery be
iiiiliLiiLcu, pul llS only way TO meet the
real evil is to punish the offenders, by re-
moval IN any event, and where possible by
prosecution under the criminal statutes. In
any great business, public or private,
wrongdoing Is certain at times to occur.
The way to guard against 1t is vigorously to
scrutinize the character of those appointed,
carefully to supervise their actions after ap-
pointment and finally, to punish with re-
lentless severity those who go wrong. All
this is being done.
The immediate reformation of the service
by the turning out of the offenders is not in
itself enough to meet the demands of JUS
tice. The cases against both those within
and those without the Post Office Depart
ment, who by their acts have brought them
selves within the grasp Of the law, will be
pushed with the utmost vigor. Every effort
must be made to see that both the delin-
quent official and the outsider who shares
his guilt are punished to the limit Of the
law. In pursuance of this policy the indi-
viduals above enumerated have been indict-
ed. In no case has the indictment been
sought save where the officials Of the gov
eminent were convinced Of the mans guilt;
and in every case the government will ex-
haust every expedient in its power in the
effort to see that justice is melted out to the
Offenders Those in the public service
whose duty II Is must ever be yigilanf in