The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-03-08
The Republic Bureau,

The Republic Bureau.
18th St and Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington. March More than half
the congressman and not few of the
Senators are mentioned by name in a
report which is a sequel to the POST
Office investigation of last summer, deal
ing with instances on file in which MEM
bCrs of both houses have used their
names and influence in communications
10 the Post-Odice Department to secure
increases IN salaries OF Postmasters, ad-
ditional clerk hire or the leases OF build
inGs.
The report. which came through Rep
resentative Overstreet, chairman of the
Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads,
emanatcs from Fourth Assistant BrlstoW
of the Postal Department. BrlstoW ScOT-
pionlike way of running the 'lnvestlgat-
ing department., II Is called, raised Il
turmolI in the House sucn as mas not Deeh
seen this session. The developments of the
next few Gays, w.ll include some very
pointed remarks from members relative
10 Mr.. Bristow.
BEFORE the House convened this morning
il was known that MIR. OVerStreet WouIu
render the report and half the Republican
side of the House surrounded MIN ana
heatedly expressed their opinion OF such
II course The impression here is that the
report does not reflect upon members
utner than that it states the common
Practice among the congressman which
IS TO address. the department upon tile
wishes of the Postmasters within their
districts.
PATRONAGE DISPENSERS
RECEIVE CHIEF ATTENTION.
Democrats and Republicans all over the
country are named. But the dispensers of
Republican patronage In the various
States come in for the chief attention.
Among the men mentioned not in Con-
greSs who have the call ON patronage
and have in that capacity asked favors of
the department is r. c. kerenS of Mis-
souri,. whose name occurs with marked
frequency. MI. Ralph o. Stauber of ST.
Joseph and Webster Davis also come in
for attention.
Referred to in connection with Illinois
cases are Senator Cullom, former Senator
Mason Congressman George w. Smith
Congressman W. A. Roden6erg and Con-
gressman Vespasian Warner. Congress-
man Dougherty Of Missouri Is mentioned
hat they acted within what they deem to
have been their proper right under the cir
cumStances.
are Cassville, Hopkins, Liberty, Mount
Vernon, Pattorsburg, Rockport and Tar
kio. In Illinois are named Alto Pass, Ava,
Beardstown, Golden. Duquoin, Edwards
Vile. Hallidayboro. Herborn, Marion, Me-
nard, Metropolis, Mound City, New Burn
I:de, Parker. Petersburg. Pinckneyville.
terloo, Winnetka ana Wyoming.
The report was made by the unanimous
vote of Mr.. Overstreet's committee in
to a resolution Gaining Ior M
Hay of Virginia. Some of the trans
actions recorded are held to he technical
violations of the statutes. others are pro-
nounced clearly censurable, while 1t is
maintained by the majority who have
read the report that the members who
made the recommendations. expected
nothing not In harmony with the rules
of the department
EXPLAINS HIS CONNECTION.
Speaking of the reference to him,
which couples his name with that of r.
C, Kerens, Congressman Dougherty of
Missouri, said tonight:
II do not care to discuss the matter at
length now, but after further lnvesti-
cation regarding the relations OF the
Post Office Department and kepuDlcah
politicians OF my State, Will proDdplS
have something to say on the floor OF
the House. . -,
".At the request of the Postmaster Of
Liberty, No, l Investigated the neeuS oL
the office and found him to be a nrISaa mIen7
from in the morning to . in the eVehin9
at the routine affairs of his office, and
WAS perfectly satisfied that the man was
entitled to additional clerk hire or an m
crease of salary, In my request TO the
department for an increase l did net ask
for any more than tie law permits, anu
am of the opinion that the emergency
clause provided in the Postal Department
rules covered the case.
at is strange that, in several instances
in Missouri. this law was invoked at otner
offices at the urgent solicitation of Re
publican politicians.
Nashville, Waterloo and Edwardsviile,
Ill. are post offices with whcn tRe ,it naHte St
Louis is associated. Mr.. Rodenburg de,
clared that in the case of each he had
looked into the claims OF the respectlve
tained by the facts. He then, as repre-
senting the district In which the offices
are located, had addressed the depart,
ment setting forth the circumstances and
suggesting that the reqeusts be compiled
with.
INCREASE OF SALARY
AT LIBERTY. MO.
The Liberty, Mo, instance is outlined In
the report, as follows:
Allowance, $50. November Is. 1899, Postmaster
asked increase.
November IS, 1899 the Honorable John Dough-
erty persor ally recommended increase; 49,,
Ncvenber 2s, 1883, increased from ~ 80 70 SSy9'
effective December !. 1888. and so advised Mr.
December 81 1900, directed Postmaster make
reported on January 16. l9el. showing him en-
sqrsrv az an Iss S requested in
crease for local work O''''''r'N'
Januery 2s, declined but sent him circular for
another cou4t OF sit matter handled. NO
April "a. 1902. the Honorable John Dougherty
recon.mended increase, April 25. 1902 declined.
May %. 1903. asked railway mail service to
Augs, Is. i istS. i railway i mail Service reports
showing office entitled to no allowance.
tinee ro epsbe4 lsSa ailG"anee OF SO
September q. the Honorable r. c. Kerens and
resomM spded j, restoration Of allowance. w.
separating and SO for unusual business No
The Tarkio CIo) case is fully treated
and contains a vivid illustration of the
activities OF Mr.. Kerens in Washington
patronage matters 1t follows:
KERENs'S ACTIVITY
Is EXHIBITED.
Memorandum shows personal application from
ance Allowance at rate of $50 per annum had
been ir force for q number of years.
A report from the Postmaster, dated June 13.
1882 showed transit matter handled sufficient
10 warrant an allowance OF $40. Accordingly in
Postmaster renewed application for increased
allowance. and a new count was ordered. which
master entitled tc an allowance Of $3.50 per an
mum. which was allowed.
had prpbably made error in his count. Ac-
eordRs new sous' @ @ osSeTed s5e Whsh t oa
entitled to an allowance Of only so per an
In the meantime Mr.. Ralph C stauber. De-
cember 5. requested that no reduction be
made.
Memorandum shows that on January 20 1900.
the Honorable r. c. Kerens personally refers
to a letter from R. o. stauber. recommending
$500 for clerk hire.
January 90 1907 a further increase was made
from $3.50 to s4o0 to take effect April /. 1902.
May &C. 1908. the Railway Mail Service
requested to make a count Of transit matter
ho nded.
June % report received from the Railway
Mail Service showing practically no separating
Accordingly. on July s. the allowance Of 800
was discontinued. to take effect August l.
received to the effect that very little transit