The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-08
PROMISED BOMB
DID NOT EXPLODE
EXCESSIVE ALLOWANCES
DID NOT EXCITE THE GEORGIA
DELEGATION.

Predicted Sensation Was Discounted
by the Statement of Overstreet
That the Report Did Not Reflect
Upon Amy Member of the House.
POstmasters - Excessive in Three
Cases i'm Georgia.
BY r. M. Larner.
Washington, March members of
in, but not excited over, the report of
Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen&al
Bristow to the effect that excessive al
lowances for clerk hire in various
postoffices were granted at the per-
sonal request of senators and repre-
sentatives.
When Representative Overstreet,
chairman of the Committee on Post
offices and Postroads, brought the
subject to the attention of the House
to-day in a report from that commit
tee there was momentary furry of
excitement among members on both
sides of the chamber. Owing to sem
sational statements in the morning
papers that the Bristow resolution
would seriously damage the character
of many senators and one-half of the
membership of the House, there was
much curiosity to see the list of 'sus-
poets"
Members crowded about Chairman
IL
aisle in front of the Speakers desk
that was said not knowing whether
their names were included In the list
and the statements furnished by Mr..
Bristow. The printed report, contain
ing 21S pages, was eagerly sought
after by numbers of newspaper cor
respondents.
Wanted to Know AbOut 1t.
Representatives John Sharp Williams
and Oscar Underwood on behalf of
the Democrats, and Representative
Grosvenor. for the Republicans, In
sisted that the debate should not pro-
coed until the text of the report was
presented to the House.
Mr.. Overstreet relieved the suspense
somewhat by declaring that in his
Judgment there was not an instance
any member of the House. and that
their only motive had been to pro-
mote the interests of their constitu-
ents. He added that he had taken the
liberty of having the report print ed
and promised that each member of the
House would be provided with copy
Of the document within an hour.
When the printed report arrived from
the government printing Office there
mo 4 hi e.
for the next hour members were in
dustriously searching through the re-
port to see how it effected them as
individuals.
In Georgia the report shows that
there were forty-one cases where al
lowances for clerk hire were made.
In only three instances were the al
lowances excessive. At Cedartown an
allowance Of $500 was granted at the
instance of Senator Clay. Investiga-
ton showed that it was reduced to 800
on the ground that it was excessive. At
Camilla an allowance of S240 was re-
duced to $40, and at Moultrie the s408
allowance was reported as excessive
by $3.50. These last two recommends
thSns were made by Representative
Griggs
Representatives Howard and Lewis
are mentioned as having recommend
- AtANit At'1o At ana fllCu-
land, respectively, but the allowan ces
granted are not reported as excess
sive.
want to Investigate.
The minority members. including
Messrs. Williams of Mississippi and
Maddox of Georgia, urged that debate
and vote on the resolution should be
deferred, as they had not had an op-
portunity 10 read the report, so an
agreement was reached to postpone
further action until Wednesday, and
1000 copies OF the report were ordered
printed. There will be three hours
debate on the motion TO table and a
formal amendment VIII be offered by
the minority 10 provide for general
investigation Of the Postofiice Depart
ment.
The postohice appropriation bin was
then taken up and Mr. Moon Demo
craD Of Tennessee, the ranking mi-
nOrity member Of the Postoflice Conn
mittce. arraigned the present system
employed IN the PostOnlce Depart
ment. and made an appeal for a gen.
eral investigation ~ the affairs ~ the
department M Cowherd (Democraf)
of Missouri. also a member Of the
committee. followed with Rn anniytl-
cal review Of the charges made IN the
BT.ffOW report which be referred 10 a.
shameful story ~ fraud and missd-
mlnieiraiion. iie also favored gem