The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-13

CLEARED
Findings in Report on Postofice
Investigation Completely Ex-
oncrates Congressman,
NEGLIGENCE OF INSPECTORS
NEGLIGENCE OF INSPECTORS.
Criminal Extravaganza on Part
81 Postmasters Considered One
Of Most Important Features.

NV Associated Pless.l

(By Associated Pless.)
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 12.--The
report OF the special committee OF tho
House. appointed to investigate the res
port from the Postoffco Depar tn1ent, res
! al,rintcd under TIL. captain, Charges
Members OF Congress was made to the.
House to-day by Chairman Mccall. The
| report IL signed by all sevon members
/ OF tho committee. Ths minority meH-
| bers.l however. append supplemented
| Views. -i5 8
The important phase Of the report Is
hts finding regarding the connection, OF
n.ampers with the business OF the Post
office Department. This finding 10 as
| follows:
l5}E"After careful conslderation@of all
cases specified in the report, the cons
lgmittee have unanimously reached ~ the
conclusion that nothing has appeared In
connection with said cases that will JUS
| tify the finding that any member Of tire
/ House of, Representa- tlves II has proflteus
/! Financially in the Slightest degree. 20 or
/ that any mem E'sr was guilty OF inprope
conduct in connection Herewith. or thnt
any member has done In connection with
! any a Ssaid cases anything that did not
| appear to be within the line Of his Of
| flcial duty. according to long established
Gus toms. "a @
3,ttIhying reached this conclusion. thu
comittee feel constrained to add that
In their opinion itwould te&well to make
as formal as may be, an dto restrain a.
within the narrowest possible limits "A the
lanctIon OF members In connection with
maj Of does and 4 the details OF other ex-
acutive matters, and that the severance
~ 5,;Anmb ers from work OF that character
| would augment t the efficiency OF the
] House of Representatives. @ 55
"It{ Is to the credit OF the members OF
he Housa that correspondence OF this
! cllara cter thus collected together snouAo
contain SO little OF an unfavoraole CHAT ali
meter. Undoubtedly there are =. letters s
/ witch we're careL.ssly written. Inc ac-
| 8tion "a some cases was not we'll con-
t slderea but there Is nothing IN any o.
I tha cases considered that reflects upon
| the integrity OF tbs membership o. the
! House OF Representa- tives.
| BEFORE reaching the above conclusion
| the report gives history OF the COM
/ pilation and publication OF the report In
| pticat!ng nbaInbers. Its conception 30
| far as the clerk hire cases are com
cerne0 the committee states. was Win
/ I.n,,rtb Assistant Postmaster-Generai
Rrlstow. Nine hundred such cases wero
! f,rally Included In this list and Opposite
1 earh case was placed the name OF O
nrember Of Congress-! This report, with
4 the names omitted, was sent to the lost
! office Committees, but "in some way,
4 (which the testimony does not maze
i clear" the list with names was cal1eo lof
4, ard supplied. The report says Nifty
i .rstrceL asked only for lease cases ana
1 that apparently ME-. br.slo"- 'i'1o
4 stood the request. -,
1 LEASED PROPERTY TO GOVERN
1 AfENT.
The report next takes up the threo
/. "a ses where members Of the present Coti-
q rress were stated to have leased proper
Lily to the government for postottlc pur-i
I, poses and concludes;
4 "J,nder the clrcumstnn ces OF the cases
4 the committee are unable to discover any
i sufticent justification for a reference
ia them OF tbs character Of that made
Nv tho Fourth Assistant Postmaster-Gell-
4 eral.
Regarding the rev cases in the report
whore members owned property used for
!. postofIlce purposes. but where no leases
y were made, the postmaster paying the
! rent out OF his salary. the commlttee
find no criticism, legal or otherwise.
4 There Is nothing In the clerk hire trans
actions OF members, according to the re-
mort, OH which a single member may
DO justly criticised.
BRGsToW'S STATEMENT,
The report refers to the Hrlstow state-
/!
appropriated FOR clerk hire during the
| past four years ''have been used by
| Beavers largely as n political perquislte
| for tho benefit of his personal and polltl-
| cal friends and remarks that the state
| ment would scarcely seem to be a
measured and temperate statement"
4 Tho Views Of the minority, signed by
Messrs, McDermott {New Jersey, Bart
| lett (Georgial and Richardson (Alabama)
/ are devoted entirely to a. discussion Of
i MIR. Brlstow, his connection with the
\ clerk hire cases at Erie and klnSman.
4 Kansas and his duties 10 Institute an
| Investigation with the force OF inspec-
tors under him, whenever he suspects
Irregularities AS to the two Kansas
oitlces mentioned, the report asserts:
"The postotlices at kingman aud Erie.
i Kansas. ara not mentioned In Mr.. Brls.
tow's report, hut they should have been.
4 for he Is clearly chargeable With knoWl-
edge that the law was Violated In the
4 payment OF money TO the postmasters a.
BI.AMEs FOURTH ASSISTANT.
i The regulations of the fourth assls-
4 tant's department are quoted, and this
\ conclusion drawn:
1 with these regulations existing. II Is
4 intolerahla to assert that crime being
4 ugestsd, the fourth assistant postmas-
i ter-geneyal must walt Tor orders 20 m
III these inspectors are not to keep
guard Of the department. they are al
4 most useless. II they are not 70 pe
4 on the lookout for crime. what ar. thes
i employed for? 10 1t not clear. that y the
4 inspectors under the control 81 the fourth
v assistant ostmaster-generaf had been
i yisilant body directed by q Yisilant
Y commander, the service would have esS
capped many OF the scandals With when y
i has been recently tainted ~ si58
Saf NHGLIiENcA OF, INsPEGroR a.;