Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-08

better system. 1t was not a partisan mat
ter, he said. 1t was an issue that must be
met.
Mr.. Moon concluded by condemning the
railway mail subsidy carried in the bill.
Mr.. Grosvenor demanded to know if the
subsidy was not established by the demo-
cratic party and kept in the bill each year
by the votes of that party.
MI Moon said it was the votes of a ma
Jorlty of both parties that kept the sub
sidy in the bill.
MIR. Cowherd's Criticism.
Mr. Cowherd (Mo) said that in criticising
the administration of the Post Office De-
partment he wanted, first to pay his COM
pliments to the post office committee. 1t
had worked hard and it's chairman had
shown great zeal and ability in his work.
He proposed to show that the estimates of
the Post Office Department were not to be
relied upon and to correct the evil Congress
should order an investigation with view
to getting rid of maladmnistration that
had obtained during the past few years.
The provision in the bill for a purchasing
agent to buy all supplies for the department
was commended by Mr.. Cowherd. He illus
trated the necessity of this by referring
to the administration of NJ. w. Louis
Louis, he said, was put into the service by
First Assistant Postmaster General Heath
as cashier of the Kansas City office and
Immediately transferred to Washington as
head of the supply division because con-
tracts were to be let shortly afterward.
He declared that over 5e,600 pounds of ink
had been bought at an increased price,
when 1t had previously taken only u 900
pounds. The binding Irvine purchases also
were commented on. Mr., Metcalf super
intendent of the money order service was
mentioned in connection with the printing
contract for money order blanks.
Did not we have right to expect some
recommendation from the department after
those disclosures for n change in the meth
ods?' asked Mr.. CoWherd. Yet no recon-
mendations came" This was his reason for
demanding a congressional investigation of
the department. As emphasizing this ne
cessity still further, he called attention
to the item of 81 100000 in the bill for
separating the mails in third and fourth
class post Offices This item last year. he
disbursng of that appropriation that Bris-
tow charged that Beavers had used it to
advance his political standing and to give
away to his personal and political friends"
The expenditure for rent, fuel and light
referred to by Bristow as being extrava-
gantly used by Beavers was another case
cited. Mr.. Cowherd maintained that the
estimates in these cases had not been re-
duced by the department.
Touching the reasons why certain de-
vices were adopted by the department. he
read an extract from letter of Miller,
the Washington agent of the time clock
company, to Brandt of that company as
follows:
II am satisfied that we have the assur-
ance and friendship of both parties-Gen.
Heath and Mr.. Beavers-and all that is
necessary is to cultivate that friendship
If not by kind word by dollars and cents
and think the latter will be the most posi-
tive. However, the lines we have out now
will result in a change of program which
means our ultimate success
"a Shameless Story
Mr.. Cowherd reviewed the statements
made in the Bristow report. He said this
was the shameless story of what was
known as the Bristow report, In connec-
ton with the items in this bill 1t was
a story of fraud and corruption, he assert
ed, for period of several years Mr.
Bristow's investigation. he went on had
covered but one of the four great divisions
of the department and barely reached into
another. He appealed to the House in
the light of this showing, which, he said,
was shameless story of fraud and malad-
ministraton, to order an investigation of
the other bureaus. In the light of all this
he said, the department came before the
committee and asked for increased appro-
priations.
Stock in Montague Indicator.
Referring to the Montague indicator. Mr..
Cowherd said 600 shares of the stock were
to go to the first assistant postmaster gem
eral, Mr.. Heath. Beavers held 1000 shares
in the name of Richardson, the president
of the company.
Continuing, Mr.. Cowherd said:
''rhose shares had not been transferred
to Beavers, mark you. Beavers said he had
not seen Mr.. Heath as he had been hard TO
locate just now, being busy on national
committee matters. In August
1907 Beavers writes to Richardson as fol,
lows: Dear Richardson: Our friend in SaIt
Lake wants Enclosed stock down in the
name of Glenn G. Bacon. Kindly issue new
ceruncates and have these destroyed For
ward same to me by registered mail q
W. Beavers On the face of this certis
cate, the return certificate, is a notice as
follows: Editor Salt Lake Tribune On
the back of 1t is an Endorsement similar
TO that in the case of MIR. Heath The
Bacon mentioned is an uncle by maria ya
| of Mr.. Heath.
The certificate Is finally returned To The
company anonymously in a. blank envelope
| after the investigation began and that
Dlank envelope is destroyed so that we do
not know from what place it was returned
OF course. no man can say that this testi-
mony shows -coneluSively the complicitv of
| the first assistant postmaster general. be-
cause the testimony must rely largely upon
| the statements of Beavers. who is himself
| known to be dishonest and dishonorable
| that is if the Bristow1 report is to ne he
HeVeo at all, -Ihereiofe we cannot rely
| upon his statements. But submit that in
| view of this shameful story of graft thar
| has gone on in the department under his
management, with so many clues leading
| X-
IRENE measures might we'll have been
| adopted to find out whether there had been
any unlawful act on the part of that gem
tleman. ! submit further that the report
| on the Tulloch charges shows that numbers
| Of people were employed on the direct order
| of Beavers with the distinct understanding
| that they were never to do a days WORK
| In the cases of postmasters when they en-
| ployed men unwarrantably they were sued
| and compelled to return the money; and it
| seems to me the same course ought to have
| been followed by the Post Office Depart
| ment and the administration of the United
| States in respect to the first assistant post
| master general
Mr.. Van Duzer (Nev.) entertained the
| House with a defense of his state with es-
| pecial reference to fraudulent mining
Mr.. Murdoch (Kan.) told the story of the
| deficit that has grown up In the depart
ment. pointing out that improvements in
the service had been pushed ahead Of the
| revenues.
He said IL there had been Theodore