The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-07

mouse committee OH poSLolIASCS oAANt
post roads laid before the house OF
representatives a closely printed doc
ument of Els pages, recountlng the IN
stances on file in the postOnice depart
rent in which members OF the senate
and house OF representatives nave
used their influence" with the onic-
ials of the postoffice department, with
more or less success, to secure In
creases in salaries of postmasters, adj
ditional clerk hire, and advantageous
leases OF buildings for postoffice pur-
poses.
The report is made by the unani-
nous vote of the members OF the COM
mittee, In response to a resolution call
Ing for the information introduced by
Representative Hay of Virginia.
The committee recommends that the
resolution lay on the table.
Some Of the transactions involving
members Of congress recorded in the
report are held to be technical VIOLA
tions OF the statutes, others are pro-
nounced by members who have read
the report as clearly Censurable, while
in the majority Of cases it is held that
members in making their recommen-
dations to the department, expected
nothing not in harmony with the rules
and practices Of the department..
Three Cases Cited.
Three cases are set forth in which
which are leased to the government
for postoffice purposes
The details Of these cases are given
by Fourth Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral Rristow in a communication to
Chairman Overstreet as follows:
Section $3.50 Of the revised statutes
provides:
No member of, or delegate to con-
gress. shall directly or Indirectly, him.
self, or by any other person in trust
for him. or for his use or benefit, or on
his account undertake, execute, hold
or enjoy, in whole or in part, any con-
tract or agreement made or entered
into in behalf Of the United States by
any officer or person authorized to
make contracts on behalf of the
United States.
The statutes further provide:
"All contracts or agreements made
in violation OF this section shall be
void.
Yet in the face Of this statute, Beavers
has made contracts with members Of con-
gress for the rental Of premises, either in
their own names, the names of their
agents or some member Of their families.
Geneseo, n. Y.-The postoffice at this
place was located In 1885 in building
owned by j. F. Wadswerth. At that
/ time Mr.. Wadsworth was not a member
of congress-. f..
It was advanced from third to second
class office no contract was made for the
lease of the building, but the postmaster
was allowed $3.50 per annum for rent,
with an allowance of $50 for fuel and light,
making $3.50 in all
When the office became second class a
lease was made, dating from Oct. l., 1901
At this time Mr. Wadsworth was a mem
Der Of congress. The building was I'm
proved to comply with the requirements
Of the department for a second class Of
fee the annual rental was fixed at $3.50
including equipment, heat and light.
Agent Of wadsworth.
The proposal was made by W. l.. S
Olmstead. who is said to be the agent oil
Mr.. Wadsworth. The property stood ir
the latter's name Sept. o. 1903. It does
not appear from the report Of the inspec'
tors aud information secured by the de-
partment that the rental is excessive OF
that the allowance is in any way more
than should have been made
Lawrence, Kan.--The postoffice prem
Uses at this place were leased from j. D
Bowersock many years prior to his cleo
ton as a member Of congress in 1893
at an annual rental of $1,000. That lease
expired April l. 1900. On Dec Ii, 1899
Mr.. Bowersock submitted a proposal tt
renew the lease for term Of five years
at the same annual rental.
After a conference with officials Of thu
first assistant postmaster generals office
Mr. Bowersock withdrew his proposal
submitting one from his daughter, Mrs
Hortense B. Hill, and the lease was exc
cuted in her name on terms before men
toned. The record shows the title t
premises in question was vested in MI
Bowersock.
The annual rental is the same that /
was for many years before Mr.. Bower
sock was elected to congress- and the post
lao tod y1,aro 4 Sr f0
about thirty years.
Station A, Winstod, Conn.--The post
office premises at this point are owne
by George L. Lilley, member Of congress
The original lease, which was made befor
Mr.. Liley was elected to congress, ex
pired April 1, 1908. The entire block |
which the office is located was then lease
by Mr. Lilley to Charles H. Newcoml
and the lease to the postoffice depart
ment was made in his name, tho the It'll
to the block before mentioned appears
remain in Mr.. Lilley's name. The rer
is practically the same as under the form
er lease.
Rentals Not Excessive.
In none of the above cases does it az
pear that the government has paid a
excessive rental. / referred to these case
in my report not because there was an
fraud indicated in the. business transat
lions, DuL solely because SuCn COntraCl
appeared to be in violation of the statut
above mentioned.
The history Of 161 cases Is give
In the report wherein members
congress figure in getting authorize
ton for clerk hire in excess of tt
amount the office in question was Ell
titled to. according to the seer
method employed by the denartmel
to determine the merits of the cas-
Many of these increases have bee
discontinued. A tabulated statemel
shows that in eighty-two instance
where reductions have been made sint
April, 1903, S15,SS0 was being pa
annually in excess Of the amour
these offices were entitled to.
AS illustrations Of the nature
The long list of cases, four instanc
from a. single page are quoted, ar
another on the following page
which Fourth Assistant Postmast
General Bristow appears as the Il
fuence" as follows:
Nora Ind.-On June %. 1902. Jes
Overstreet wrote. requesting an allowan
of 5000 for separati ting clerk hire at tt
office. Two days later he wrote requestil
that the allowance be made $3.50 On Jul
~. 1902. the allowance was fixed at Sill