The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-08
CLAY AND GRlGGS
HAD INFLUENCE"
other Senators and Representatives
Whom the Report Names.

Other Senators and Representatives
Whom the Report Names.
Washington, March 7.-Another chap
ter in the Postoffice investigation of
last summer was revealed to-day when
Chairman Overstreet of the House Com
mittee on Post Offices and Post Roads
laid before the House of Representa-
tives a closely printed document of 21S
pages recounting the instances on file
in the Postoffice Department in which
members of the Senate and House OF
Representatives have used their in
fuence" with officials of the Postof-
fee Department, with more or less
success, to secure increases In salaries
of postmasters, additional clerk hire,
and advantageous leases for buildings
for postoffice purposes.
The report was made by unanimous
vote of the members of Mr. Overstreet's
committee, in response to resolution
calling for the information introduced
by Representative Hay of Virginia.
AS the information accompanies the
report the committee recommen ended
that the resolution lay on the table.
Three cases are set forth in which
members of Congress own buildings
which are leased to the government for
postoffice purposes. The members in
York; ]. d. Bowersock, of Kansas,
and George L. Lilley, of Connecticut.
The history of 161 Gases is given in
the report wherein members of Con-
gress figure in getting authorization
for clerk hire in excess of the amount
the office in question was entitled to.
Many of these increases were only tenn
porary and have been discontinue.
Among those whose Influence" SEEM
ed good with the Postoffice Department
are Senator Clay and Representative
Griggs, of Georgia; Senator Pritchard
secured an increase for clerk hire for
Greenville, N. c., from $40 to $3.50 per
annum. which on Dec. l, 1903, was
discontinued altogether. He also Sc
cured an increase from $40 to $3.50 for
Wake Forest, N. c., which was re-
duced to the former amount Oct. l.,
1903.
Senator McLaurin appears for an in
crease in South Carolina. Representa-
tives Brownlow and Gibson secured
several increases in Tennessee, which
have been reduced since. Six out of
eleven cases in Virginia are down to
the credit of Representative Swanson,
while Park Agnews name also appears
for others in this state.
There are accounts of 177 instances
in the report where members of Con-
gress have made recommendations in
postoffice purposes.
Senator Overman is the owner of the
building in which the postoffice at
Salisbury, N. c., is located. The re-
port says that on taking his seat as a
United States senator, he offered to
surrender the lease, but the offer was
declined by the government, it being
held that the lease was not invalidated
by his election as senator.
Tho ropOFf darlarac that the AIaa ~,
the Postoffice Department indicate
that the office at Tuskegee, Ala, is
owned by Representative Thompson of
Alabama. The report gives the cor
resDondence between Beavers and
Representative Thompson in his sue
cessful efforts to have the rent allow
ance increased from $240 to $500 an
nually.
The following names of senators and
members appear in the report as hav-
ing made representation to the Post
Office Department concerning leases OF
premises for postofiices, and for al
lowances for rent fuel and light:
Alabama: Representatives Bank
head and Clayton. Senator Pettus.
Representatives Henry
Hill and Lilley.
Representative Griggs.
Illinois - Representatives @. W.
Smith. Marsh, Graf. Mann, senate
Cullom, ex-senator Mason. Speaker
Cannon.
Indiana Representatives Watson.
Hemenway. Cromer, Overstreet, Brick
and G. -. lands.
Iowa Representatives Conner, Hep
burn. HUI, Cousins Thomas. Haugen
and Senator Dolliyer,
Kansas Representatives caiderhead,
Curtis and BOwersOtk.
Louisiana Representatives Bfoa-