New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-12
WILL CENSURE BRIST0W.
BUT NOT CONGRESSMEN.
Report of Committee Which InUes-
tigated "Charges against Members "
[FRoM THE TRIBUNE BUREAU

Washington. April 1.-THE report of the Nc
Call committee, which has had under investiga-
ton the connection Of Senators and Repre-
sentatives with the POstOffice Department, with
regard to recommendations for increased clerk
hire and leasing of buildings for postal pur-
poses, will censure Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General BristOw and practically exonerate from
blame all whose names appear in the now ia
nous galaxy of criminals"
The basis for the criticism Of Mr. Bristow's
actions will be the association Of the names Of
members OF Congress with those of criminals in
tire report which was compiled from the records
OF the department. at the request OF Representa-
tive Overstreet, chairman of the Committee on
Postoffces and Post Roads. It will be held that
9Ir. Bristow in order 10 substantiate the charges
contained in his original report. wherein he
cited that members of Congress were fmpIica ted
in these transactions. caused the supplemental
report which contained accusations that were
as unwarrantcd - they v5re unjUsrs-sa be pre-
pared.
The committee will overlook the fact that
postoffice inspectors. in their investigation or
the conduct Of George W. Beavers now under
numerous indictments. prepared a large portion
Of the data contained in the Charges against
members Of Congress-
In order to justify these structures on the
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General the re-
port will declare that while members OF Con-
Gress in their recommendations to and corre-
spondence with the department were indiscreet
and exercised poor Judgment. they can be ac-
cused Of nothing really csnsurabIe. The OBJ
jects they sought 10 accomplish. It will be
maintained. were properly In line with their
duty Representatives but possibly should
have been presented to the department in diff
ferent manner The report will declare that
they were careless in their method Of corre-
spondence and in making recommendations
without sufficient inve~tigation OF their rights
under the law and the regulations Of the de-
partment. but It will hold them guitless Of all
intentional wrongdoing.
Mr.. Overstreet VIII escape censure, and the
publication in "a newspaper (meaning The
Tribune Of March u viii be cited as his tustifi-
cation Tor making the report public. 1t will re-
fer to his statement that the story forced the
committee to place the report before the House
and to his plea OF exteHuation that he desired
by such action to correct any impression that he
was trying to suppress information 10 which the
House was entitled and 70 which it's attention
had been called in these dispatches.
The report will contain certain pertinent sus-
gestions as 10 the future relations Of members
OF Congress with the department. with reference
to recommendations that might be subject TO
criticism and will sharply censure the so-called
secret regulations of the Postofice Department.
which. IT is asserted are largely responsible for
the unpleasant predicament from which men,
bers have been compelled to extricate them
selves.
The minority of the committee will concur In
the report. but viii issue supplemental state
ment. in which Mr. Bristow will be still more
severely criticised. In this statement he will
practically be compelled to shoulder the entire
responsibility for the necessity OF the tnveStiga
ton which the committee has undertaken and
his sO-called reflections on the membership OF
the House will be severely condemned
IL WAS expected that the report would be made
public tomorrow. but because OF certain differ
ences of oniniOn between members of the COM
Tnittee IL may be delayed until later in the week