The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1904-03-25
'BlRl|ST|OW PLAINS
P'OST | 4 E.
DECLARES NO ASSAULT ON MEN
Z BERs OF CONGRESS WAS
y,3s>'r EVER INTENDED. 2 4.S
ANSWERS QUESTIONS
or MCCALL COMMITTEE

.}a'
or M'cALL COMMITTEE
Information Requested Of Fourth A..
sistant Postmaster General Re-:
garding Clerk Hire Allowance
other Testimony. .'' r.
washington, March 22.-The Mccall
committee Monday continued fnvestiga-
ton of the report of the post once de-.e
spartment concerning congressman
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow continued his testimony. flrs1
Assistant Postmaster General Wynne
also was present. Mr.. Burton asked Mr'~
Bristow II the clerk hire allowances
were not made according to secret reg
ulation In the post Office department.
There is q schedule, understand
replied Mr.. Bristow, Tin the first assist
ants Office that Is confidential, upon
which these allowances are based.
would not want to say that Mr.. Beavers
in the administration of that once,
made these allowances in accordance
with those regulations. think that ne
made them according to his own pleas
ure." .-.~-,. -
Mr.. Mccall asked If any congressman
knew what that secret rule was.
II don't know anything about that
was Mr.. Bristow's response. 1T IS not
in nv own bureau and could not say.
I was informed by the first assistant FRI
day that it was accessible to members
of congress-. =
Mr.. Bristow did not know whether In
actual practice members of congress
ever had been informed about TINS Sc
cret test. He suggested that the hrst as
sistant would be able to give, a more
satisfactory answer.
Rent of ,fourth-class Offices, it was
explained by Mr.. Bristow, was limited
by law to a maximum of $500 year,
and an allowance of $50 for fuel and
light.
The Brownlow Case.
Mr.. Richardson, of Alabama, took up
the case at Johnson City, Tenn. He out
lined the increase in population In the
town, including the establishment OF
soldiers home, and asked II Mr.. BrlstoW'
did not think the rent increase from
$500 to $500 was jastifiable, and that Mr..
Brownlow. was justified In making the
request for the increase.
Does that look suspicious? asked
Mr.. Richardson.
1T would all depend upon the facts.
whether anyone else had building
that they wanted to rent to the govern.
ment," Mr.. Bristow replied. -. =.
Hr. Bristow Explains. *S--@
The lease section Of the report was
later referred to. Mr.. Bristow said he.
had not in mind any cases outside the
three cases he had prepared. He ex-
planned further that in his report Of the
postal investigation dated October "a,
he was not endeavorfng to ascertain
whether member of congress had done
a proper or improper act. Continuing,
Mr.. Bristow said: 80.
"What was endeavoring to inves-
tigate was Mr.. Beavers. That report.
refers to the methods of his administra-
ton, and in discussing that 1t necessi-
tated bringing in instances where MEM
bers of congress had made recon-
mendations that he had allowed where
I considered such allowances improper.
I did not consider it incumbent on me
to state whether a member of congress
had done anything improper or not. 1
simply set forth the facts and drew my
conclusion with reference to Mr.. Beav-
er's administration. I think clearly
said that on page 145 of my report"
Here Mr.. Bristow read: congressman
as rule want their constituents to
have what they are justly entitled to and
no more"
|. Continuing his testimony, Mr. Bris-
tow remarked: ''The responsibility of
these allowances l placed entirely on
the department. If member of con-
gress purposely or inadvertently makes
a Recommendation the responsib ility is
in the department" -" .
- No Assault Intended. = .,.
There seems to be a misapprehen-
sion that I have made an assault on
members of congress-" continued Mr..
Bristow. ..... X, =. = :. .:z>@-~'
THAT includes both houses?" inter-
jected Mr.. Mccall. 4 : = ~
"Well, I certainly never have con-
cluded Mr.. Bristow, fused any language
that could be- construed in that way"
Mr.. McDermott ceL&luded the investi-
cation of Mr. Bristow by asking num-
Der Of questions regarding the official
duties of the fourth assistant. ..L
At 1910 O'Clock the committee went
into executive session and adjourned at
two p M. ~. Il
go a.. rs Il
- Another Lynching. - :.