The Washington times., 1903-06-27
A Significant Record.
How the Evening Stars" Columns
Were Ever Open to Attacks Upon
General Bristow.

OSuGAdl
The Washington correspondent OF
the New York Tribune" draws at
tention to the fact that, when the
clouds first began to gather over the
heads of the Postoffiee Department
"rlng," A. w. Machen and George w.
Beavers promptly threatened, in case
OF any investigation of their doings
to startle the country with an eek
posure of prominent officeholders
and politicians" Mr.. Machen's first
effort in this direction, says the
"Tribune's" correspondent, is the al
legation that ex-Representative Loud,
chairman of the Postoffice Committee
in the last Congress, was improperly
connected with the sale of letter
box device, details Of which eonnec-
ton were fully set forth in the news
papers a few days ago.
We have no desire to PREJUDICE Mr..
Loud; in fact, we are content to have
him speak for himself, and let it go
at that. He can probably take care
of himself, anyway, provided he
doesn't attempt another silly explana-
ton like that he made in the case of
the famous $4,000 appropriation.
We are much more interested Just
now in the means employed by
Machen and the ring to arrest the
course of justice and, if possible, TO
divert it into other channels by
threats Of exposure of something or
somebody.
The procedure is a thoroughly
characteristic ne-charaeteristic of
the ring, we mean-and we are glad,
therefore, that the correspondent of
the Tribune" draws attention to this
6rst step IN what seems another at
tempt TO enlist the support of certain
newspapers in behalf Of the ring.
We say "another attempt" We
should have said a repetition Of those
tactics in the execution Of which the
ring found no difficulty, apparently,
in enlisting the services of certain of
our contemporaries whenever the oc-
casion for such services arose.
We recall, for instance, in Febru-
RTy, 1902, rather active newspaper
campaign against Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General Bristow. It was
loudly, emphatically, and even insist
emily declared in the organs of the
ring that the Fourth Assistant would
have TO go; that his usefulness had
come TO an end; that his methods and
his whole bearing toward mighty
Senators and weighty Solons in the
lower branch Of Congress had been
such as to arouse the bitterest oppo-
sition TO his retention in Office; that
he had an uncomfortable and alto
gether disagreeable way of perform
ing the duties Of his office; and that,
worst of all, be displayed a tendency
tc independence that Jared the sensi-
bilities of his official superiOrs. This,
and much more, it must be remem-
bered, the mouthpieces Of the ring
proclaimed at a time when General
Bristow was about to return, laden
with honors, from exposing the do
ings Of the postal hooters in Cuba.
Foremost among the newspapers
predicting the downfall Of Bristow
was our esteemed contemporary, the
"Evening Star" Turning 10 its files
of February, 1902, we find in the
issue Of the 10Th and under the
startlingly novel headline "At the
White House" the following:
Mr.. BRIsTow MAY not HOLD on.
It Is understood 20 be quite probable that
joseph L. Bristow. Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General. win not continue in the position for
a much longer period. This state u affairs
Is largely due 10 the fact that the West Viz
ginia delegation in Congress, headed by Sena-
tor Scott has made trouble for Mr. Bristow at
the White House over Mr.. Bristow's action in
sending a postoffice Inspector 90 Wheeling, ".
Va 20 investigate the private life of o man
who was spoken Of for postmaster . that city.
Wherever the President has secured a suitable
man for Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
the understanding is that there viii be a change
in the Office
This having no effect, apparently,
on the President, the "Star" prompt
" returned to the charge on the fol
lowing day, saying:
CHANGE PROBABLE
Reasons Why Some One VIII Succeed Jos.
J.. Bristow.
II Il safe 10 predict that Joseph l. Bristov,