Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-03-11
C0NGRESSMEN INDIGNANT
ACCUSED OF IMPROPER INFLU.
ENcE IN POSTAL AFFAIRS.
They Denounee Bristow Report as
lnquitous and the Production Of
Liar and ScoundreI and Demand In
vestieation Forthwith.

e vestigation Forthwith.
The committee on post office and
post-roads submitted its report to the
house at Washington Monday, March
Z on the Hay resolution calling for
certain information regarding the use
OF influence" by members of the
house TO secure increases in salary for
postmasters, additional clerk hire and
advantageous leases of buildings for
post office purposes. Mr.. Overstreet,
the chairman, said the committee has
felt that there has been no violation
OF law in these recommendations for
increased clerk hire and rent He did
not think there were any instances in
the cases cited In the report which
reflect upon members and that the
only motive was TO promote the inter-
est of their constituents and they
trusted public officials to discharge
their duties. Four thousand copies
OF the report were ordered printed
Some OF the transactions involving
members of congress recorded i'm the
report are held 10 be technical viola
/ tions of the statutes, others are pro-
nounced by members who have read
the report as clearly censurabe while
In the majority of cases il is held that
members in making their recommen-
dations 10 the department expected
nothing out of harmony with the rules
and practices of the department.
Three cases are set forth in which
members of congress own buildings
which are leased to the government
for post office purposes.
The details of these cases are given
by Fourth Assistant Postmaster GEN
eral Bril- tow in a communication to
Chairman Overstreet After giving
some examples Mr.. Bristow says: ia
none OF the above cases does it ap-
pear that the government has paid
an excessive rental. / referred to these
cases in my report. not because there
was any fraud indicated in the busi-
ness transactions. but solely because
such contracts appeared to be in vio-
lation of the statute above mentioned"
The history of 161 cases is given in
the report. wherein members of con-
gress figure in getting authorization
for clerk hire in excess of the amount
the office in question was entitled to,
according to the secret method en-
lloyed by the department to determine
he merits of the case. tabulated
statement shows that in 50 instances
where reductions have been made
'ince April, 1903, s15,SS0 was being
,ald annually in excess of the amounts
hese offices were entitled to.
There are accounts of III instances
n the report where members of con-
'ress have made recommendations in
onnection with leases of buildings for
'ost-office purposes. The history of
hese transactions occupies 164 pages
the printed report
Among the names of senators and
MEMBERS appearing in the report as
aving made representation to the
ost- office department concerning
,ases of premises for post offices, and
,r allowances for rent, fuel and light
re those of Representatives Foster
nd Haskins of Vermont. The list in
udes names from % states. The
port gives samples of correspond
ice between representatives and Geo,
:. Beavers. chief of division of sal
les and allowances of the post office
,partment, in their efforts to get
,tter allowances and post office
The report was laid over until Wed
sday, March 8, when 1t was taken
} with a whirlwind of protest by in
gnant members Their personal
injection with it was explained and
ithets hurled at Fourth Assistant
stmaster General Bristow
The Bristow report was conceived
fniquity, born in sin and has tray
d its course until it has struck the
blic of the United States as a great
ack on body of men as free from
ong doing. corruption, crime and
egularity as any equal number of
n on the face of the earth" said
preventative Grosvenor of Ohio.
That document is the production
a liar and a scoundrel," shouted
Hill of Connecticut in
king an explanation of his connec-
n with certain leases. An investi-
ion of the charges and of the post
ce department by the house was
handed, Chairman Overstreet Of
committee combating the idea.
ing such an investigation would
y result in the conclusion which
himself held true, that there Is
hing in any of it to impugn the
tives of conduct of any member of
house.
Ir. Williams. the democratic lead
urged a complete investigation of
whole post-office department, and
lived the hearty applause of both
IS of the house and the galleries.