The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-04-15
HOUSE CONCLUDES
1T HAS Been GOOD
Mccall Committee Reports the
Expected Postoffiee Charge
Vindieation.
SOME CARELESS LETTERS
Members Wrote Them "Not for Pubii
cation" But Even Then the Gem
mittee Doesn't Find They
Wore SO Very Bad.
SOME CARELESS LETTERs

Washington, April 14.-The report of
the special committee of the house ap-
pointed to investigate the report from
the postoffice department, printed un-
der the caption, Charges Concerning
Members of Congress-" was made to
the house today by Chairman Mccall.
The report is signed by all seven MEM
bers. The minority members, however,
append their supplemental views. An
important phase of the report is the
finding regarding the connection OF
members with the business OF the post
office department. as follows:
after careful consideration of all
the cases specified in the report of the
postoff1ce committee on charges
against members OF congress, so far as
they relate to present members of the
to be the limit of their jurisdiction,
they have unanimously reached the
conclusion that nothing has appeared
in connection, with said cases that
would justify finding that any MEM
Der of the house has profited financial
ly in the slightest degree, or that any
| member has done in connection with
any of the said cases anything that did
not appear to be within the line of
official duty according to long estab-
/ lished custom.
! Having reached this conclusion. the
committee feel constrained to add that
in their opinion it would be well to
/ make as formal as may be, and to re-
strain within the narrowest possible
limit, the action Of members in connec-
ton with the postoftice and the details
of otner executive matters; and that
the severance of members from work
of that character would augment the
efficiency of the house of representa-
tives.
Some Careless etters.
I'm this connection, the committee
would desire to call attention to the
fact that this inquiry has come upon
the house. suddenly and without any
notice to it's members. Their corre-
spondence has been brought 10 light
with that department OF the govern
ment with which their relations are
most intimate. In no instance is it
likely they expected the letters which
they wrote would be published. These
letters were written under great va
riety of circumstances. In haste, and
some doubtless by the private secre-
tary of a member; some of them for
4 NAL and some of a personal nature.
1T is to the credit Of the member
ship Of the house that correspondence
of this character, thus collected to-
gether, should contain so little Of an
unfavorable character. Undoubtedly
there are letters which were carelessly
written. The action in some cases was
not well considered. The statemen,
found in some instances. in some let
ters from the executive office, that
what was done was done as a favor te
the member, might we'll have been re-
sented. But there is nothing in any OF
the cases considered that reflects upor
the integrity of the membership of the
house of representatives"
Senator Tillman was in the senate
} chamber today for the first time il
six weeks. The postoffice appropria
ton bill was taken up.
Senator Gorman's amendment pro.
viding for the appointment of a com.
J mission to investigate the affairs of the
postofice department was on motor
Of Senator Lodge laid on the table.