The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-19
AT The CAPITAL.
Mr.. BristOw's Friends Pleased
With His Promotion.
Why He Has Made Many Bitter
Enemies.
STUDY OF THE MAN.
Rose From the Ranks Among
Kansas Men.
Senator Long Has Been His
~
STUDY OF THE MAN.
Senator Long Has Been His
Friend From Star.9


which occurred last week in the con-
nection of JoseDh L. Bristow of KAN
sas, with the administration is inn
portant; is in the nature of promo
ton and a recognition of his import
ant services to the country; and will
have an important bearing on his fu-
ture political career.
For eight years there has hardly
been a. government official who has
been in the public gaze more than Mr..
Bristow. His way has been set with
snares, most of which he has e1uded.
He has been honest, courageous, re-
fentless, and his pathway is strewn
with deeds accomplished, and wrecks
of dish onest men in the public service
whom he has pursued successfully.
Mr.. Bristows best friend Senator
Long, in discussing him the other day
made this terse but significant re-
mark: THE scripture tells us that
the way of the transgressor is hard;
say the way of the investigator is
harder
This tells the story Though Mr..
Bristow has been successful. and kept
in the public view with his career and
his accom- plishments, he has made
scores OF bitter enemies. in congress
and out; in the administration, and
out of it; in corporations, among men
high in business; and particularly
among scheming and designing men
who verify believe that governmental
connection is a species of graft and
loot.
Mr. Bristow will leave the Office of
fourth assistant postmaster general on
Friday OF this week. He VIII assume
the most important duties he has ever
had, at once. He viii be anSWerabls
for his conduct to two men. and two
United States and the secretary of
war.
Two most important questions are
now being considered by students and
by men in public life: The building
of the Isth1nian canal. and the con-
servation of public interests in the
proper control of tranScontine entail
freight rates. The American railroad
link in such rates. In both these Mr..
Bristow, in the next year, will play a
part that will show whether the gauge
of him that has been made by the adj
ministration be correct He has
measured up to all responsibility and
administrative importance for eight
years, but his task has been increased,
because of belief in him and his ca
pacity.
Men and papers in Washington and
outside the city are now saying, and
repeating it daily, that Mr.. Bristow
rushed to the president with tale of
woe concerning his quarrels with
Robert J. Wynne. postmaster general;
that the president refused to interfere
in the quarrel, and to take Bristow's
part; that the Kansan resigned in a
huff; and that, to sooth his wounded
feelings and those of his friends, the
president and the secretary of war
created an important Office for him.
They say that Bristow accepted the
sop; and that showed what sort of
man he is.
The absolute truth is this: For
over two months the place which Mr..
Bristow has just assumed-special
canal commissioner, to deal with
freight rates-has been in conten-
plation by the president and secretary
of war, and that it has been intended
all the time to offer it to Joseph L.
BristOw as reward for his meritori-
Gus services to the government.
1t was believed that no man could
discharge these duties like Mr.. BriS-
was nothing more in store for him as
that he had held the office for the
past eight years and extracted all the
possibilities and glories out of it; that
he had accomplished all in the way of
correction of evil practice and demoli-
ton of graft that would likely arise
for many years; and that all this de-
manded some sort of equitable re-
out of the digging of the isthrnian
canal, and the investigation of trans
continental railroad rates, demanded
some man who would make the neces-
favor, and embody them in a report
which should be comprehe nsive and
the basis for future action as to proper
policy. This called for a man of
been in mind for him for more than
two months. And last week it was
given him.
1t is a mere coincidence that the
place was finally prepared and given
at the time Mr.. Bristow had his
troubles with Mr.. Wynne. 1t was. per-
haps, unfortunate that the offer was
not made a day or two before, or
prior to the time Mr.. Wynne did the
rather small and contemplate thing
he did; but it was not necessary, as
there are so many ready to charge,
that the thing actually should occur
erly to reward the chief investigator
of his administration.
The thing that Mr. wynne did is
this: He took out of the jurisdiction
and control of the fourth assistant
postmaster general the division of
postoffice inspectors and mail depre-
dations This division included all the
poStoffice inspectors in the country,
something like 200 in number. He
placed them under the irnm ediate con-
troll of the postmaster general, an
SWerable to him, and not to any of
the assistant postmasters general.
The order has been in contemplation
for some time. 1t was considered by
Henry G. Payne when he was postmas-
ter general, but he decided that the
force of postoffice inspectors had been
too valuable in Mr.. BristoW's relentless
Investigations into postal frauds, and
that Mr.. Bristow understood them and
the workings of the system too well
to be crippled by taking the division
away from him. So he decided to let
the matter stand as it did. Mr.. Cortel-
you, who is to be postmaster general
after March next, is, it is understood,
heartily in favor of the idea that the
postoffice inspectors should make their
reports direct to the postmaster gen
eral and. therefore, should be directly
under his control instead Of under the