Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-03-15
CHARGED UNJUSTLY
Mr.. Finley Makes Answer
to Mr.. BristOW.
PLAIN STATEMENT WITHOUT APOLOGY

Yor<viIIe Post. Office Had Not Been
Leased by Government, and Con.
sressman's Efforts Were Merely to
Secure an Equitable Adjustment Of
the Rent.
Congressman Finley Of the Fifth
district was among those accused In
the recent report Of Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General Bristow, Of hav-
ing used their official influence to Sc
cure the abrogation Of leases by the
department on public buildings and a
renewal Of those leases at a higher
rate than had been paid. The offense
was alleged to have been committed In
the case Of the Yorkville postoffice.
Mr.. Finley. who Is at present men,
ber Of the committee on postof1ces
and postroads, took occasion last FRI
day to give the facts in the case, and
his remarks as printed in the Congress
sional Record were as follows:
Mr.. Finley. Mr.. Speaker, some gen.
tlemen in discussing the subject under
consideration have stated that as far
as they personally were concerned they
had no objection to the report coming
from the postoflce department to the
committee on the postoffice and post
roads in so far as the same makes ref
erence to them.
Mr.. Speaker, am mentioned In that
report, and I do not take the floor now
for the purpose Of apologizing or ex-
cusing any act of mine in dealing with
the postoffice department. For many
years 1 have held offices Of trust or
profit in South Carolina, and at no
time has it ever been necessary for me
to excuse my conduct or to apologize
for any act.
I did not vote for the report from
the postoffice department. but no doubt
it will be said that You are a men,
Der Of the committee on the postoflce
and postroads bringing that report in
to the house"
Yes, Mr.. Speaker, but what are the
facts? ]. L. Bristow, fourth assistant
postmaster general, in his report filed
on the 25th day Of November last, on
pages 13S to 145 Of the report, cites
nanv instances where specific abuses
are alleged to have been perpetrated In
the way Of canceling longtime leases
for postoffice buildings and making
new leases at a higher rate Of rental.
In a general way, he cites in that re-
port that in some instances influential
and prominent members Of congress
secured such action by the postofflce
department, and in addition to this the
charge Is made that prominent MEM
bers Of congress in many instances Sc
cured increased clerk hire and allow
ances for separating the mails at third
and fourth class postofflces when the
same was not warranted by the rules
of the postoffice department.
In the matter Of allowances for sep
arating the mails at third and fourth
class postoffices, Mr.. Bristow was fair
enough to state that the members OF
congress are not to be blamed for
making an effort to secure such al
lowance.
In the report referred to, Mr.. Bris-
tow, at page 145. used the following
language:
The executive officer Is expected to
do his duty in accordance with the law
and the practice Of the department.
congressman, as rule, want their
constituents to have what they are
Justly entitled to and no more. 1t Is
true that there are occasional excep-
tions to this rule. but happily such
exceptions are few. But whatever may
be the request of the congressman, the
executive officer has plain duty which
the member of congress expects him
to perform.
Mr.. Bristow could not say less than
this in reference to the matter. Mem
bers of congress cannot we'll abuse
their influence in the way Of securing
increased allowance for separating the
mails at third and fourth class post
offices for the reason that no member
of congress knows the rule or scale fol-
lowed at the postoffice department and
governing the department in making
such allowance. This rule or scale Is
a secret of the department. 1 do not
know the rule; neither does any 9TH
er member Of congress. So that the
only course to pursue when a request
comes to a member Of congress to Sc
cure increased allowance at a postoffice
for separating the mails. is to submit
the matter to the department. Then
an investigation is ordered by the post
office department, and the allowance
asked for Is either made or refused
according to the secret rule or scale
have mentioned.
Mr. Speaker, the now noted Hay res
olution was brought into this house,
and is as follows:
[Fifty-eighth Congress, second ses-
sion, House of Representatives. Res
olution No. 1851
Whereas Fourth Assistant Postmas-
ter General J. L. Bristow, In his report
to the postmaster general, dated Octo-
ber "a, 1903, and which report has
been transmitted to a committee OF
this house, has charged that long
time leases for postofflce premises
were cancelled and the rent increased
upon the recommendation Of influential
representatives" and
Whereas it is charged in the same
report that "if member Of congress
requested an increase In the clerk
hire allowed a postmaster Beavers
usually complied, regardless OF the
merits of the case" and
Whereas certain cases of an aggra-
waited character are cited on pages 1873,
1874 and 1876 of said report to sustain
the above charges; and