The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-13
Integrity of the House I'm
stained.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

Mr.. Overstreet asked only for lease cases.
and that apparently met. Bristow misun-
derstood the request.
The report next takes up the three
cases where members OF the present. Con-
gress were stated to have leased property
to the government for Postoffice purposes,
and concludes:
Under the circumstances Of these cases
the committee are unable to discover any
sufficient Justification for a reference to
them OF the character Of that made by
the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General"
Regarding the few cases in the report
where members owned property used for
postoffice purposes, but where no leases
were made, the postmaster paying the rent
out OF his salary, the committee find no
criticism, legal or otherwise.
There is nothing in the clerk hire trans
actions of members. according to the re-
pert, on which single member may be
Justly criticised.
The report refers to the Bristow state
ment that the millions that have been APP
propriated for clerk hire during the past
four years have been used by beavers
largely as a political perquiste for the
benefit Of his personal and political
friends" and remarks that the statement
would scarcely seem to be measured
and temperate statement
The views of the minority signed by
Messrs. McDermott IN. j.; Bartlett
(Ga.). and Richardson (Ala.), are devoted
entirely to a discussion Of Mr. Brstow,
his connection with the clerk hire cases
at Erie and Kingman, Kansas, and his
duties to institute an investigation with
the force of inspectors under him when
ever he suspects irregularities. AS to the
two Kansas officers mentioned the report
assc".s:
'"Thc postoffices at I<ingman and Erie,
Kas., are not mentioned in Mr.. Bristow's
report. but they should have been, for he
is clearly chargeabe with knowledge that
the law was violated in the payment OF
money to the pcstmasters at those places
The regulations of the Fourth Assist
ant $ department are quoted and this con
clusion drawn:
With these regulations existing it is
intolerable TO assert that, crime being sug-
ycsted, the Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General must wait for orders to investi-'
gate. If these inspectors are not to keep
guard of the department they are almost
useless. If they are not to be on the look
out for crime, what are they employed
fer? Is it not clear that il the inspectors
under the control of the Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General had been a viglant
body, directed by vigilant commander,
the service would have escaped many of
the scandals with which it has been re-
Gently tainted?"
Some of the things which the inspectors
should have ascertained are mentioned as
follows:
"A small army of inspectors. empowered
to enter and inspect Offices "a all times,
and to make such other inquiries and in
vestigations as to the interest of the SER
vice needed should be able to prevent
wanton destruction of ink; they should
not have allowed to pass unnOticed the
fact that there were many excessive and
shipments of ink to various
postoifices;' they should have known that
penalty labels were being illegally used;
they should have discovered that $4,000
linking pads were of inferior grade: they
should have learned that the p3stoffice at
Columbia, Oklahoma, had enough ink on
hand TO last for four years. that the office
at Block, Kas.. had received ink and pads
that were not needed and that the offices
at BOldfVllle, ONO. wait, ONO, ana te-
ment City, Mich, were packed with use
less supplies; they should have known
that the department was building the
Irvine market and storing Irvine; they
should have found out that the division
of supplies was criminally extravagant;
they should have known that the public
funds were being wasted at purchasing in
ferior and unnecessary manifold books.
strictly to business they should
have discovered that the Postoffce De
partment was being used to violate the
revenue laws, well directed; they should
have arrested and prosecuted those who
We're using the mails for fraudulent
schemes, popularity known as get rich
quick concerns without W,Tking more
than eight hours day they could have
prevented or dis covered and punished
nearly every fraud and wrong mentioned
in Mr.. Bristows October report.
The business Of this department is to
watch and guard all other departments of
the postal service. It's chief merit must
be found, not in the result of Special in
vestigations of demoraliZations that have
become so great as to challenge general
public attention, but rather in the exercise
of a vigilance that will prevent wrong do
ing