The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-29
FORCED TO MAKE
REPORT PUBLIC
Partial Publication Gave the
Whole Thing Away.
ANGRY OUTBURST FOLLOWED
CHAIRMAN ovERsTREET MAKES
EXPLANATIONS.

EAI ASHINGTON, March 2S.-The Nc
w Cali postofice investigation COM
mittee met in open session at
O'Clock today TO continue its hearing
on the charges concerning members
report regarding their connection with
postofice leases and increases in clerk
hire.
Representative Overstreet, chairman
Of the house committee on postoflces
and post roads, testified that the orig
inal Bristow report dealing with the
general investigation OF the postofice
department had been referred TO a sub
committee Of the house pOstofice com
mittee. In January the Hay resolution.
calling for additional information. was
referred to this subcommittee OF which
he was chairman.
Hay Resolution Came In.
While this committee was considering
the postofnce appropriation bill the Hay
resolution was brought into the several
meetings. Acting conformity with his as
| sociates. Mr.. Overstreet requested from
the fourth assistant postmaster general
details regarding property leased 10 the
department which was owned by mem
beers OF congress. During the hearings
on the Dostoffice appropriation bin AR.
/ Waters, chief Of the salary and allow
ance division. made reference to a list
which includes the names OF members OF
| congress regarding clerk hire which he
sistaut" Ii was suggested that a. letter
| De written from the committee TO the
| postmaster general askins Tor TINS m
| formation. Mr.. Overstreet dictated this
letter Jan. p. 1898. tt was read 10 the
| committee before being sent and asked
for. the information regarding clerk hire
and leases.
Was Kept in the Safe.
He had never had any communication
( with General BristOw on the subject. but
had called on the postmaster general ar
| his home regarding the information The
| information. when received. was kent I'm
the safe Of the sergednU-at-arms OF the
| house. In the meantime Mr.. Hay was
/ pressing for a conclusion regarding his
| Mr.. Overstreet said he was working for
4 unanimous report from the committee
/ the house. and not published Mention
| OF the report was made in New York
I paDer Mr.. OVerstreet asserted that the
information used by the PAPER did not
! come from any member or the commit
l tee.
Forced Their Hand.
This publication. ha said. was entirely
wrong. but IL did have a vital effect on
I members. who. fhnHURt- lll rfpW or the
Z exaggerated report in the paper. that
! the real facts ought to be printed, be
cause after that publication there was
/ and always would be a controversy IS
I 10 whether the committee was really
/ Suppressing something that was Sc
/ riOus reflection on members II was not
/ until after this publication that the sub
| committee took formal action and re-
! ported to the fun committee. When the
| fun comrlittee had acted. Mr.. Overstreet
] ordered advance copies from the printer
Fr.ra fher
[ the report had been received and dis
| trihuted i'm the house that it was discov-
/ cred that at the head of each page was
/ the following line.
Obnoxious Heading.
Charges Against Members OF Con-
gress.'
/ He at once ordered the public printer
TO take that line Oft
Mr.. Richardson asked Mr.. Overstreet
/ If i'm his conversation with Postmaster
| General Payne the latter had suggested
! the Improperly of publishing the names
i of members in this connection. Nothing
] was said on this point. replied Mr. over
/ street The original manuscript of the
[ after examining IT,. said that the line
| Charges Concerning Members of Con-
! gress' did not appear in it. and must
have had its origin in the government
1 printing office Mr Mccall informed
Mr.. Overstreet that Mr.. Wynne the first
! assistant postmaster general. had testi-
fled that list was prepared first with
out the names of members and that this
list was objected to by the postoffice
| committee.
I quest