The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-24

public interests. The greatest protectlon
which the neoDle can possibly nave
against frauds and crimes in the EAecu-
| tive Departments at Washington Woulo
be afforded by requiring bonds OF tnese
| offio ais and frequent examinations INTO
the conditions of those Departments.
| l have argued and now argue ana IN
sist that these frauds will continue uh-
der Republican or Democratic Admiliia'
| trations as long as these precautions
are neglected. In my speech upon THESE
| frauds | insisted that every othclal IN Tue
| Departments at Washington who hanales
| the people's money or who directs ITS ex
penditure, should be under bond Tor nom
| esty in it's expenditure, and nave III
| troduced a bill, which 1 think ought 10
| receive consideration from the other slue
| of this Chamber, to create a permanent
commission, having no connection Win
| the Postoffce Department and response
| hIa TO Congress clothed with the duty or
| investigating and making annual reports
| TO Congress of all the Executive Depart
| ments located at Washington. 1t makes
| no difference whether the Administrators
| is Republican or Democratic. these IN
vestigations should be made not Tor par
tisan purposes, but in the interest Oh
| The public service. In my former speecne %
on this subject 1 have not laid especial
stress upon Republican responsibility tor
| these postoffce frauds. although 1t Is re
! sponsible for them, as l snail snow
| little later on.
The burden of my complaint has been
| the denial by that party OF turther IN
| vestigation into thes frauds. l nave
| insisted that the disclosures already made
in the divisions of that Department
which have been investigated raised sus
picion against the divisions not invesu-
gated, and that nothing less than thor
| ough investigation of the whole Depart
ment would satisfy the people ard woulG
remove the cloud which rests upon that
| branch OF the pubic service. Was TINS
| partisanship? Ii these suspicious are I'm
warranted, if an inves tigation should dis
, close no wrong-doing in the divisions
which have not been Investigated, would
not that fact inure re- ther to the benefit
of the Republican than the Democratic
| party? The Senator from Wisconsin says
| that fraud in one of the divisions of a
| Department of Government does not ar
que fraud in another division OF the same
! Department.
| Mr.. President an isolated case OF
fraud in a Department would not raise
| a suspicion OF general fraud IN that De
| partment; but that is not the condition
shown by the Bristow re~ort to exist in
| the Postoffice Department. That report
shows that the division OF the attorney
| general of the Postoffce Department,
the very fountain head of justice. was
rocking with corruption. 1t shows that
! of the four men who presided over that
| department shortly before this investiga.
| ton began, three OF them are now under
! indictment, INDICTED for selling the JUS
| t;ce Of the country. II shows that in the
| office of the auditor of accounts in the
! division investigated irregular and unlawa
! full accounts were audited and certified
! for payment, thereby taking away the
protection of the people against the mis-
! appncatlon of their money. 1t shows that
/ in the division of supplies investigated
| there was a system of graft by which
! commissions We're exacted upon nearly
everything bought. 1t shows that In the
salary allowance division investigated
promotions OF officials employed in thc
service not only at Washington, but
| throughout the country, were bought and
| sold, and salaries were increased not on
| account of merit, but for pecuniary con
| sideTations
Again. Mr.. President. while in the be
| ginning of these Investigations specific
charges were made onlv against about
three persons, this reports shows that
| the Investigations made not only estao-
| lished crime against those charged, but
| involved others in those crimes and
brought to light other crimes or wrong
doing which led 10 the removal or in
| dictment of more than dozen employees
against whom no charges had been
made This Mr.. President, does not
present Il case of discovery of isolated
| crime from which no presumption OF
/ other crime would arise. These condi-
! tions in the divisions Investigated OF
| course would not raise conclusive pre-
! sumption of like conditions in the unin.
1 vestig2ted divisions. but l submit that
| 10; IF n y
greater or less extent Of like conditions in
| the balance Of the Departments. and
| that the only way to remove that suspl-
| cion and to satisfy the people, who arc
J entitled to know with absolute certainty
| that their nublic servants are honest
and that their money is properly cx-
| pended, is to investigate the whole De-
| this investigation? 1t can do no harm.
It will cost but little, and if no further
wrong-doing is found ~ will remove the
| cloud which now rests upon the whole
Department.
WHY INQUIRY WAS STIFLED.
Mr. President, the reasons why the Re-
publican majority of this House are so
| determined that there shall be no fur
| ther investigation are not the reasons as,
signed upon this floor. The real reason
is their fear, and it is wcll-grounded
rear, lhaJ inc investigation Will disclose
| a condition OF things in this Department
which will shock the country and imperil
! the chances of the success of that party
| in the approaching Presidential election.
| The people know tnat's the reason, and
| they are not to be misled by the preteusc
that there is nothing further to inves.
| tigate; that the Investigations already
made have been thorough and complete.
They know Bristow has been discredted
| as an investigator by committee OF his
own party in the House Of the Congress.
You have tho power to refuse this inves,
| tigation but you haven't the right to do
it. You are i'll tie majority and you
have the right to manage and direct
| the affairs of the Government, but even
a minority of the people, speaking
| through their representatives have right
at all times to call upon the majority
for a full and cQmplete disclosure as 10
how they have managed their affairs ana
expended their money. The majority
have rights, but the minority also have
have rights. One can not be rightfulIy
denied or refused anv more than the
| other.
Mr.. President, / have assigned to my.
self labor which will require some lit
tie time, and will be to me, l fear and
to the Senate, somewhat tedious. In