New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-13


cases when only notice had been sent TO a mem
Der that en- increase had been granted affecting an
Office IN his district, although the member had
made no request concerning the same. The report
continues:
Under the impression that the sending Of tho
names Of Senator'S and Representatives upon the list
mace up "A e 80 I5str,aste General after con-
s-,i+.+ir -r+h he postrra ster General prepared a
list OF officers emitting therefrom the names OF
list in that form was sent the Committee on the
Postoflce and Postroads. but in some way, when
was received by the Postoiice Department that the
list should include the names OF members, ana, &C
oordlngly. The list was prepared which appears IN
House Report No. LES.
HOW THE CHARGES" CAME OUT.
That part o; the report involving members which
related 10 leases. contained more information than
was asked for by the House Committee on Postof-
fees and Postroads. What was called for was list
OF the cases where leases had been cancelled and
renewed at higher rental on the recommendation
OF members. Instead OF this q list was prepared
under the direction of Fourth Assistant Bristow
"purporting 10 give all cases where members OF
Congress had made any recommendations with re-
gard TO the leasing OF premises or allowances for
rent. fuel and light IN connection with postofces
Continuing, the report says:
Precisely how this came about IS not clear. The
chief inspector testified that he told the Fourth As
sistant that he thought the inspectors were doing
that he had talked with Mr. Overstreet and knew
just what he wanted. and he instructed Mr.. Cock
On the other hand Nfr overstreet states that the
SIliy SoLninulc5uoh upon the suoJeet ne nta WI
Apparently Mr.. Bristow misunderstood Mr.. over
involved But no duty devoived upon the com
mittee more than II desired to make
The whole or any portion Of 1t public.
Tho committee concludes that the impression made
upon the minds Of the members OF Mr.. Overstreets
committee by the publication in newspaper Of
the fact that the report was IN its possession, to-
gether with the inference that II contained things
WIFI Vgn-n Vag-0 ,rron hara
the reason for its publication by the commit
tee. 1t thus came about" the report continues.
that the report published containing tho
names Of many members OF Congress which should
never have been associated with the so-caed
charges set forth 81 the Hay resolution"
The report next takes up the three cases where
members Of the present Congress were stated to
have leased property TO the government for post
Office purposes the Winsted. Conn. being
that OF Representative Liley; the Geneseo. y. Y.
case Involving Representative Wadsworth. AS 10
these two cases the report says:
There was clearly intention on the pert OF
either OF the gentlemen TO violate the law. In
HltJ nor an advantage TO the other party.
MEMBERS IGNORANT OF THE LAW
Neither OF the members was a lawyer, and they
sIaIea mat ignorance, which Is probable unlvers-
81 outside and quite general inside the legal pro-
Iession, concerning the great mass OF the statutes
OF the artificial standards created by act OF Con-
gress. they could only regulate their conduct ac-
ural morality. But those IDEAS and principles would
lead them to permit the government to retain the
It's appointed agents had determined it for the
interests Of the government to retain them. with
out reference TO the statute and purely ques-
ton OF what was public spirited and right to he
done no other decision could have been made.
Under the circumstances OF these cases the COM
mttee Is unable TO discover any sufficient justih-
cation Tor reference to them Of the character OF
that made by the Fourth Assistant Postmaster
no money loss.
In the third case OF this class. that Of Repre-
sentative Bowersock, Of Lawrence. Mass. the
committee finds the property IN question was pre-
scented by Mr.. Bowersock TO his daughter and that
by reason OF his wealth the gift OF little con-
sequence to him. which IS point bearing on his
good faith in the transaction OF the few cases IN
the report where members owned property used for
postohice purposes, but where leases were made.
the postmaster paying the rent OF his salary.
the committee finds criticism.
CLERK HIRE ALLOWANCES ALI, RIGHT.
On the subject OF clerk hire cases the report
The committee IS constrained 10 say that the
.L WIN ne accoIlp scheduie Is not OF inc
sIgntest slgnlhcence either with reference 10 the
conduct OF Representatives OF any other officers
OF the government. If an Office is advanced to the
second ciass me allowance OF thlrd class clerk
hire would necessarily be discontinued. So too.
the sO-calied separating business OF the office
dwindled or disappeared The bare fact, therefore.
shows that in more than nine-tenths OF the otfces
named the allowances were warranted at the time
they were made.
The report then refers TO the Bristow statement
thar the millions that have been appropriated FOR
clerk hire an me last four years have been used by
benefit OF hts personal and political friends" 1t
81 COO which it says would appear to be no more
than the minimum OF error. inevitable even with
allowed Cor clerk hire In third and Fourtb Class
Offices had been used largely as an official per
Quisite would scarcely seem to be a measured and
TO the actual facts as shown by the which the
Postofice Department has sent to the House OF
There IS nothing in the clerk hire transactions Of
members, according 10 the report on which q
single member may he Justly criticised. The report
says the committee was unable find a single
member who knew what the secret rule OF the de-
partment on which these allowances are made was.
and adds Secret rules for the disbursement Of
public moneys not TO be tolerated"
JUSTICE HOOKER ENUMERATED.
In the case Of the Dunkirk IN. " Office. in which
the report connected the name Of ex-Representative
Hooker. now justice OF the Supreme Court Of
New-York. the committee says:
The government agreed TO pay a sum apparently
much in excess OF what should have been paid at
had to the amount it was paying before the pres
eTts tive from TIE district took lIttIs mart and
such recommendation as he made related 20 the 10
venient available
The comment IS made that although the lease
section Of the report from the Postofnce Depart
rnent seems 10 have been fairly prepared there
some exceptions to this. and says thu OF Rep
resentative Conner. Of Iowa, is one OF rhese.
The views OF the minority signed by Nessrs.
McDermott Of New-Jersey; Bartlett. OF Georgia
and Richardson, Of Alabama, are devoted entirely
10 discussion OF Mt. Bristow his connection with
the clerk hire cases at Erie and Kingman KAN
and his duty to institute investigation with
the force OF inspectors under him wherever he