Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-05
THE POSTAL INQUIRY
Purpose Of Senator Penrose's
Resolution.
TO GET ALL THE FACTS
POSSIBLE DEMAND OF DEMOCRATS
WILL BE MET.
No Effort Will Be Made to Prevent q
Full Investigation in Depart
mental Administration.

The scope of the investigation proposed to
be made by the Senate committee on post
offices and post roads on charges of corrup-
ton in the Post Office Department is
subject for extensive discussion among sem
ators. It has long been understood that
some talk of investigation of postal mat
ters would be inevitable. This has been SO
from the fact that there has been a dispo-
Htion on the part Of democrats In both
houses of Congress to make what capital
they could for the next national campaign
by moving an investigation. which they
hoped would be objected to by republicans.
Will Meet Demand for Inquiry.
Republicans in Congress readily recog-
nize that should they show opposition to
such an effort on the part of the democrats
they would be placed in a very uncomfor-
able position in the campaign. as the dem
ocrats would undertake to show that there
had been a deliberate effort to prevent a full
inquiry into postal matters by Congress.
For this reason 1t was recognized long ago
as absolutely necessary that an investiga-
ton should be made. If 1t was to be made
republicans proposed to have the credit for
taking the initiative and also the credit for
anything that should be developed from
such an inquiry.
Several days ago Senator Carmack Of
fered a resolution providing that an investi-
CATION Of the Post Office Department be
made and 1t was referred, at his request,
to the committee on the organization, con-
duct and expenditures of the executive de-
partments. of which Senator Quay is chair
man. That was generally recognized as not
being the appropriate committee to conduct
such an investigation. and Senator Penrose
moved that 1t be sent to his committee on
post offices and post roads. Then in order
that the instruction to the committee might
be more comprehensive and sweeping, Sem
ator Penrose himself offered resolution In
vUh oh hA loot ,v%
will be made.
Will Call for Full Report
Senator Penrose will call meeting of his
committee as soon as favorable action has
been taken on his resolution, which will
probably not be until after the regular ses-
sion has met The first thing that the COM
mittee will want is the full report prepared
by Mr.. Bristow and sent to the President
instead of the briefer document that has
been given out for publication. In this way
1t is quite well assured that the full report
made by Mr.. Bristow will eventually be
published as a part of the proceedings of
Senator PenruSes committee, which will
make the investigation.
Until the committee has met and heard
this complete report read it will not be
possible for 1t to outline plan for an in.
vestigation, and many republicans believe
that this report will be shown to be so full
and complete that there will be little need
for additional investigation.
If such additional investigation should be
regarded as necessary by either republicans
or democrats on the committee it will be
made. The committee will have all the
authority the Senate can give to call for
persons and papers.
Railway Mail Contracts.
There has been some talk of investieat-
ing the railway mail contracts. especially
in relation to the Weighing Of mail matter
as a basis for compensation for railroads
There are what are known as weighing
periods" lasting about two weeks, at
given intervals, and 1t has often been
charged that postal officials and others
connive in the holding back Of vast guam
titles Of government documents that are
to be sent by mail for weeks or even
months before this Weighing period, so that
they may be weighed and added to the
weight of matter on which the rate of COM
pensation for the roads Is based II such
should prove to be the case 1t would, Of
course. show that the railroads are COM
pensated for a vastly greater amount Of
the Weighing period is supposed to repre-
sent a fair average of the business they
do throughout the year.
1t is also expected that men who have
been the subject of charges by Mr.. Bris-
tow will communicate with the Senate
committee, presenting their defense and
probably making counter-charges against
high officials Of the Post Office Department.
Indeed. letters of this nature are expected
to prove extremely interesting, as there
will be no limitation Of the nature Of
charges that might be made in relation to
the conduct Of the Post Office Department
and its investigation.
No Action Friday Expected.
The Senate has not yet adopted Senator
Penrose's resolution. which. according to
custom. has first gone to the committee
to audit and control the contingent ex-
penses Of the Senate. A report from that
committee IL not likely to be made until
the regular session. It IL so well under
stood that no more business will be done
during this session Of Congress that 1t Is
not believed that there will be more than
handful Of senators present Friday. to
which day the Senate adjourned, so that
nothing then will be done on this or any
other important matter.