The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-03-09
THE POSTAL PROBE
"Influence' of Senators
and Representatives
A Document Laid Before the House
Showing Wherein This Has Been
Exercised for Increased Sal
aries, etc.
(Bv. the Associated Press.)

Washington March Another chapter
in the postofflce investigation of last sum
mer was revealed today when Chairman
Overstreet, of the House Committee on
PostofflceS and PoStroads LAID before the
House OF Representatives a closely printed
document of ZIG pages recountng the IN
stances on file in the Postoffice Depart
ment, in which members of the Senate
and House of Representatives. have used
their Influence with officials of the
Postofficc Department, with more or less
success, to increase salaries of postmasters,
additional clerk, hire and advantageous
leases for buildings for postofflce pur-
poses.
The report was made 10y the unanimous
vote of the members CT Mr.. 0verstreets
committee, in response to a resolution
calling for the information, introduced
by Representative Hay, Of Virginia. As
the information accompanies the report,
the committee recommended that the reso-
luton lay on the table.
Three cases are set forth in which mem
bers of Congress own buildings which
are leased to the government for post
office purposes. The members involved
are j. w. Wadsworth, of New Jersey; j..
Liley, of Connecticut.
The history of 161 cases is given in the
report wherein members of Congress fig
ure in getting authorization for clerk h1e
in excess to the amount the office in
question was entitled to. Many of these
increases were only temporary and have
been discontinued.
Among those whose Influence" seemed
good with the Postoffice Department. are
Senator Clay and Representative Griggs,
of Georgia: Senator Pritchard secured an
increase for clerk hire for Greenvile. n.
c., from $40 to $50 per annum, which,
on December LIST. 1903. was discontinued
from $40 TO $3.50 for Wake Forest, N. c.,
which was reduced TO the former amount
October /, 1903.
Senator McLaurin appears for an IN
crease in South Carolina Representatives
Brownlow and Gibson secured several in
creases in Tennessee. which have been
reduced since Six out of eleven cases in
Virginia are down 20 the credit of Rep
resentative swanson, while Park Agnew's
name also appears for Others in this State.
There arz accounts of III instances in
the report where members of Congress
tion with leases of buildings for post
Office purposes.
Senator Overman is the owner of the
building in which the postoffice at Sails
bury, n. c., is located. The report says
that on taking his seat as United Stats
Senator he offered to surrender the lease
but the Offer was declined by the gov,
it being held that the lease was
not invalidatcd by his election as Sena,
tor
The report declares that the files in
the Postoffice Department indicate that
the Office at Tuskegee, Ala. is owned
by Representative Thompson. OF Ala.
bama. The report gives the correspond.
ence between Beavers and Representa-
tive Thompson in his successful efforts
to have the rent allowance increased
from $40 to 5000 annually.
The many names of Senators and
members appear in the report as having
de representation to the POstofiice
Department concerning leases OF premi-
SEES for postotfccs, and for allowances
for rent, fuel and light.