The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-11
House Leaders Are Asked to See
That congressman Are
INDICATED.
Roosevelt Speaks Plainly to Bris-
tow About Stupidity of
Colossal Blunder.
Both Payne and Bristow May Re
tire From Official Life as
Result.
New York Sun Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service.
Chicago, March 12.-Walter Well
man in a Washington special to the
Record-Herald, says:
President Roosevelt took a hand
to-day In an effort to repair as far
as may be possible, one Of the most
stupid political blunders ever COM
moned to the White House Speak
er Cannon and Representative Over
street, chairman Of the house COM
mittee on postoffices, and also Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General Bris-
tow, the reputed author Of the now
famous report duplicating $50 sena-
tors and representatives of both par
ties in the so-called violations Of law
In connection with the rentals and
clerk allowances in postoffices.
The president said he hoped the
leaders Of the house would see to it
that ample opportunity was given all
members whose names had been used
in the report to refute the charges
made against them, and accordingly
it was announced that as soon as the
house met the leaders would recede
from their original attitude Of laying
the report on the table and dropping
the whole subject and substitute
therefor a motion to have the speak
er appoint select committee to In
vestigate the subject matter of the re-
port and present to the house and the
country their findings.
President Speaks Plainly.
What President Roosevelt said to
Mr.. Bristow' is not known, but it is
understood that Mr.. Roosevelt spoke
his mind very plainly about the
stupidity, or worse, which induced
some one to perpetrate this colossal
blunder.
Mr. Bristow says he did not pre-
pare al OF the: report-only a small
part of it. But he stands as the re-
sponsible person behind it, and it was
prepared by his subordinates acting
under his orders. 1t could not have
seen the light of day at all, but for
his authorization, and hence he is
the man who will have to stand most
Of the blame.
What connection Postmaster Cen
eral Payne had with the affair, if
as Mr.. Payne is i'll.
Mr.. Bristow, and not Mr.. Payne,
had been running the department for
some time. tits not as bad as Perry
Heath said 1t Was-that Payne was
nothing but Bristow's rubber
stamp but it is something like that.
Both Payne and Bristow have done
good work in ferreting out the frauds
in the, department committed by
Machen, Beavers and others, and have
had the praise Of the president and Of
the country for their services.
Huge, Practical Joke.
There is, therefore, great eagerness
to learn what spirit of malice or of
happiness or desire to play huge,
practical Joke, prompted Bristow or
some one else to compile this report,
which would be ludicrous If it were
not outrageous
No one would be surprised If the
blunder were to lead to the retirement
from official life Of both Mr.. Payne
and Mr.. BristoW. Mr.. Payne has lost
his nerve, which never was any too
strong. Mr.. Bristow has clearly out
lived his usefulness.
Many of the more indignant mem
bers of the house have wanted to give
their committee power to investigate
the postoffice department itself. and
to throw light upon all the methods
employed by Mr.. Bristow in running
down the scandals.
These members believe enough in
formation could be found to make it
impossible for President Roosevelt to
retain Mr.. Bristow in office. No one
believes Bristow has been guilty Of
any actual wrong-doing, but it is
Claimed MS meLnOdS nave been i'm
perious, tyrannical, and, in some in
stances, improper.
Rule of Detectives.
For months the postoffice depart
ment has virtually been under the rule
of a lot Of detectives called inspectors.
For the most part these inspectors
are honest men and have done good
work.
Members Of the house would like
to know why it is that a great many
officials of the postofdce department
against whom no charges are made,
have been reduced in rank and pay,
and why inspectors have been pro
noted to their places. In other words,
they say it is about time to investi-
gate the investigators.
But President Roosevelt and the
leaders of the house propose to con-
fine the Investigation by the special
committee Of the house to the sub
ject matter of this Bristow report.
They want to know why such a re-
port was made, who made it, on
whose authority it was sent to the
house and why the names Of $50 men
were included in it in such a way as
to- throw discredit upon them.