New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-09

II would be neither safe nor Just to pass
sweeping judgment on the transactions disclosed
in the lntest chapter Of postal scandals. Inc
section Of Mr.. Bristow's report now made Pr
lie bv the House Committee on Postofii"~s and
Post Roads deals with so wide a range OF facts
and duplicates so many actors whom IT would
be extravagant to charge with conscious wrong
doing that indiscTiminate condemnation can
onlv defeat its own purposes The part taken
by Senators and Representatives in Congress
in promoting and countenanclng the Irregular
lies and abuses uncovered by the investigation
Of the postal service is frankly and minutely
exhibited Scores Of members in one branch
or the other are shown to have had some hand
in influencing department chiefs 10 do certain
acts more or less open 10 censure or crluclSm.
But these acjs do not all stand on the same
level Of culpahility; and IT would be an error
of fudgucot 20 visit wholesale condemnation on
the members caught on one showing or another
in the meshes OF Mr.. Bristow's net.
in three cases n violation Of the Revised stat
r,ias is charged 10y Mr. B-istow. He states him
self that no fraud is Indicated I'm these three
transactions: but evidently the leases Of post
office buildings complained of, II such leases
have been established. do constitute a breach
% the statute which forbids any member or
delegate 10 Congress- directly or indirectly
himself or nv any other person in trust Tor
him or for his use or benefit or on his account
TO undertake. execute hold or ENJOY, IN Whole
cor IN mart any contract entered into in behalf
'.of the United states" Whether innocenuy or
not. the law seems 10 have been broken In the
three transactions OF this sort which Mr.. Bris-
tow reports.
IN the other instances members Of Congress
have used their influence to encourage the Post
office authorities 10 allow Increases Of rent and
,f.s1,
cases aftervard revoked as irregular and eK-
,essire. Just what moral blame attaches 20 a
member OF Congress who thus lends his aid 10
% constituent appealing 10 the Postofiice for Ia
vored treatment is not easily determined Such
practices have been followed In politics from
time innemorial. Custom has dulled the sense
botb Of legislators and administrators 10 the
indelicacv Of asking and the improperly OF
granting these personal lndulgences. But II j.
impossible 10 think that any corrupt or dlscred-
table motive lay behind the Endorsement given
10 these appeals 10y many Of the most useful
capable and public spirited leaders In the two
houses
Scandal has arisen. however. from these per
sonal applications. and that scandal remains.
The uractice which the Brstow report shows
IN have becr so common is an indefensihle one
Members OF Congress thanks to the Civil Ser
vice act. have ceased 10 be mere Office brokers.
There g. no reason why they should not now
put behind them all the other memories OF the
old system which made them virtually MD
dlemen between a patronage discussing gov
crnment and their own patronage hunting
constituencies The legislator should have no
favors 10 ask Of n department chief, and de-
partment chiefs should think II dishonorable 10
curry popularity in Congress 10y irregular ser
vices 10 mendicant lawmakers. The relation
s,o.,,-oor -ba two llT-s inches OF tho government
disclosed in the Bristow report IS bad for both
II hammers the honest legislator and the honest
administrator 1t lowers public spirit and de-
moralizes the public service.
The postal scandal VIII have worked puo-
lie benefit II IL sweeps away forever the per
nicious system under which public men have
too often consented 10 act as gO-betwecnS for
constituents eager 10 prosper at the govern
ment's expense