The Washington times., 1903-06-27

the purpose Of investigating the character Of
man who was mentioned as postmaster for
Wheeling An investigation Of this charge has
brought ont the fact that Mr. Bristow made no
defense Of his action in this matter, explaining
IL by saying that IL was a blundcr This,
however. was by no means satisfactory TO
senator Scott. who has insisted upon an in
vcstisation ~ the matter. The case is but one
Of large number. e is said. whore the Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General has ignored the
United States Senators
During MChinlcy's Administration there was
a protest entered at the White House against
continuing Mr.. Bristow in Office. Il is said
now that the President took the ground that
he could not make any change in the Office
while the Postofice trials i'm Cuba were on.
but gave assurances that when these were com
Pleted the matter would be taken up
Ex-PoStTnaster General Smith was also cog
infant OF the opposition to his fourth assistant
but, as FAR as is known. took no action OF made
any recommendation looking to his removal
When senator Burton came TO the Senate
he entered a vigorous protest scainst Mr.
Bristow, taking the ground, il is undersi cd.
that Bristow was inimical to him in Kansas.
aud urging that change be made
Because Of the prominence Of Senator Burton
and the Kansas delegation at Philadelphia in the
furtherance Of President Roosevelt's political
ambitions il was thought that his protest would
bear fruit. Meanwhile a number Of Senators
have called upon the President and urged that
a change be made in this Office. It would
seem now, from indications, that their request
will be granted.
reference to other newspapers of
that date fails to disclose a record of
these visits. Neither are we able to
trace in any reputable paper an indi-
cation of, or reference to, this alleged
dissatisfaction with General Bristow
on the part of anyone, except Burton
and Scott, which would have justified
the President in removing General
Bristow. Information of that char
aeter, exclusively in the possession of
the "Star," was, therefore. in the
nature Of scoop" Unhappily for
the ring, this exclusive information
vouehsafed to the "Star" did not
produce the desired effect, and on
February % the Star was com
PEELED to announce:
OFFICIAL CHANGES.
II is now known that the time for divorcing
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bristow
from the Government service will not take place
until after the trials in Cuba are completed.
His connection with the unearthing OF the
frauds would seem to indicate, il is said. that
ne be permitted to remain until after the
postal thieves in Cuba have been tried and sen
fenced.
As far as we know General Bris-
tow Is still welded to the Government
service. His divorce" from it. so
confidently predicted by the "Star,"
has not come off. He is still doing
business at the old stand, much to the
discontinue, no doubt, of the Star"
Our evening contemporary has ex-
pounded with profound wisdom the
demoralizing effect of the "close con-
nectiOn" existing between the Post
office Department and the local post
office, and, to some extent, we svmpa-
thlze with our contemporaries efforts
TO land another of its friends at the
public crib. But in view of its own
'close connection" with that unselfsh
and warm-hearted philanthropist. the
Hon. A. w. Maehen, as disclosed by
a reference to "Star" files for Febru-
airy, 1902, would our contemporary
not be inviting criticism needlesslv in
urging too strenuously the divorce
of the local Office from the depart
ment proper2 We merely throw out
the suggestion.
And, while suggesting things, isn't
It about time that the "Star" apollo
gized to The Times for having init
mated, in January last, that our ex-
posure of the doings Of the "Star'sv
Postoffice friends had for its object
the levy Of blackmail? Or shall we
be compelled to dip still deeper into
the STARS" columns in order TO
secure reparation for It's impertinent
suggestion7