The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-03-10
Involving Congressman is a
Mountain of Mole HILL"
NOTHING BUT HOT AIR
Document "DiscToses" Only Usual In
dorsement by Senators or Repre-.
sentatives Of Applications for
Increase Of Allowances.

4 Washington Spec1al says: Inc
much-heralded Bristow report which
was said to contain highly sensational
matter involving members Of congress
in improper transactions with the post
Office department, was made public
Monday and the ALLEGED sensations
proved to be nothing but hot air.
After all that had been said in ad-
vance the actual disclosures" are
shown in almost all caseb to consist
in nothing more than the Endorsement
by senators or representatives OF the
applications Of postmasters in small
places for increase in the allowance
made BY the department for rent and
fuel accounts. Allowances Of increase
for clerk hire in third and fourth-class
Offices have been made from time 20
time from a special fund designed to
cover special needs, such as those en-
tailed upon these Offices by the in
crease in the number Of rural delivery
routes and from other causes, in most
of these cases the increase being Sc
cured by the member of congress In
terested in the Office, who has indorsed
the application Of the postmaster.
These increases are set forth in de-
tail apparently for the sole purpose OF
bringing in the names Of senators and
representatives.
Even Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Bristow himself, is shown to
have made such recommendations and
in his case the allowance asked for
was granted. One increase was granted
at the request of t'the white house"
Some Of these cases show that Beavers
granted the increase evidently because
Of the political influence OF the men
backing the applications, but in most
instances it was done upon the show
ing made by the Offices.
congressman Involved.
Three cases are set forth in which
members of congress own buildings
which are leased to the government
for postoflce purposes. The details OF
these cases are given by Fourth AS
sistant Postmaster General Bristow In
a communication to Chairman Over
street, in part as follows:
Section 373s OF the revised statutes
provides:
mo member or delegate to congress
shall directly or indirectly, himself or
by another person in trust for him or
for use or benefit, or his account, un-
dertake, execute, hold or enjoy, in
whole or in part, any contract or agree
mant made or entered into on behalf
of the United States officers or person
authorized to make contracts on be-
half of tho United States"
The statutes further provide:
"All contracts OF agreements made
in violation of this section shall be
void.
"Yet in the face of this statute con-
tracts have been made with members
OF congress for the rental OF premises,
either in their own names, the names
of their agent, or some member OF
their families"
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 entitld to
according to the secret method en-
ployed by the department to determine
the merits of the case. Many Of these
increases were only temporary and
have been discontinued. A tabulated
statement shows that in 81 instances
where reductions have been made
since April, 1903, s15,SS0 was being
paid annually in excess Of the amounts
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