Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-01-12

partments, have a highly specialized
work to perform. In the treasury depart
ment the secret service is especially
trained and peculiarly fitted TO detect
criminality or abuses or fraudulent use
OF the mails in connection with the postal
service. In the interior department the
special agents of the land Office and the
ispectors OF the Indian bureau are trained
In similar fashion TO meet special needs
In addition. Il Is urgently necessary, as
set forth in Mr.. Roots accompanying
report that there shall be a central force
OF secret service men, who can be detailed
for work anywhere in the government
service.
s-Of course, In the Investigation OF spe-
cific frauds we sometimes come across
wholly unexpected phases OF misconduct.
The frauds I'm the postal department,
which were unearthed some six years
ago. for instance, offer a case In point.
My suspicious were first aroused by
report made as to the very extravaganza
and debauched manner of life OF a certain
postal employee. this report being MADE
BIZ an Official of the secret service In con-
nection with another transaction on which
he was at work. -.-..s
Franking Privileges
so with cases of the abuse Of the
fraking privilege. The postofice never, OF
through the mails by a senator or con-
gresham, but sometimes. through thu
accidental breaking of such package, the
contents are exposed. and II they are OF
character which makes their transmits
sion by franking privilege illegal, steps
are taken by the postofice authorities TO
collect the full postage. Some OF these
instances represent real abuses, but In
other cases they are due TO carelessness
or ignorance, and very often doubtless
are entirely unknown to the congressman
themselves. and no good purpose would
be served by any publicity In the matter.
but, a case has Just arisen OF an
ferent kind which, Il seems to me,
should put before you as Illustrating IN
striking fashion the way in which IN
vestigations begun by any OF these vari-
Gus agents in the strict line Of their
duty may develop facts Of high import
ance. which the investigators would not
in the FIRST instance, have sought TO dis
cover, which, when discovered ought moi
10 be hidden or suppressed. but the de-
velopnent Of which may tend to create an
erroneous impression that the agents IN
question were being used for purposes not
within the line OF their lawful duty
Investigation Begun
ION the 18th Of February, 1908 (see ex-
hibit A, senator Tillman called the at
tention of the senate to circular OF
syndicate firm for the sale OF lands In
Oregon, particularly In Cook and Doug
las counties, which had been granted to
corporations by the government, the cir
eular stating. that the company In posses
sion of the lands was bound to sell them
for s2.s0 am acre, or. upon their refusal
would be prosecuted by the government,
and that among those who have spoken
for a part OF this land is Senator Tillman'
of South Carolina, the leader of the Dem
ocratic party IN the senate, a man who
usually gets what he goes after Senator
Tfllman denied the statements of this
circular and expressed a wish for an IN
vestigation. and upon his request tine
postofhce department, through its IN
spectors. made such an investigation. he
stated in reference to this circular;
@'I have not bought any land any
where IN the west, nor undertaken TO buy
any. have made some inquiries, as one
naturally would, in roaming through the
west. I Simply want the people of the
country 10 be put on notice that this
sxfndIer az Portland has no warrant
whatever for endeavoring 20 inveigle 9TH
ers into hts game
II inclose the circular referred to, as
exhibit B, the report Of the postof1ce in
spectors, under date Of July ~ 1908, as
exhibit c. This Is confidential report
OF type usually not furnished. but in
this case the matter is so serious that
feel should put II before you. inciose
Won also. as exhibits D-1, Dc. DIS. D-4
and DIS. photographic fac SMILES Of let
tiers and envelopes and telegram from
Senator Tiliman and his agent. VIM. Z.
Lee. II appears that on October IS, 1907
Senator Tiliman wrote letter (exhibit
p-O to Messrs. Reeder a Watkins, or
Narshield. Oregon. who were attorneys
representing people, who were applicants
for the purpose of obtaining certain wag-
on road land. grand; Dorr was land
agent making his fling thr -gh Reeder
& Watkins.
Letter Sent by TiIlman
senator Tiilmans letter runs in part
as follows:
: / wired you from wausau, Mis-. as fol-
lows. and write to confirm It; William
r. Lee, my agent. win see you. about
land. want nine-quarters. reserved. VIII
forward signed applications and money
at once Members Of my family are en-
trymen. Letter follows, go. ...l..
Csigned) 'B. r. T.,
/ write now. to say 1 wired Mr.. Lee.
who resides at Moscow, Idaho, to go at
once to Marshfield and see you about the
land. to locate quarters for the seven
members OF my family, who are Of age,
and one for my private secretary, J. B.
Knight. whom desire to let into the
deal, and, Of course, he wants quarter
for himself.
TiIlman Would Force Deal?
THE letter continued, stating I'm de-
tail what was to be done in order to
enable the senator to get the land. The
William E Lee, to whom Senator Till
man thus referred as his agent, wrote
to Reeder g. Watkins. under date OF De-
eember Z. letter, Photographic copy OF
which Is herewith submitted. marked
exhibit ID In t.4s letter Mr.. Lee ex-
plains MAT he had written Senator Till
man fully as to the status Of the land
matter. advising him that II was a
good gamble, but that the senator was
lecturing. so that ne did not get Mr..
Lees letter until a week and a half
previously. The letter continues;
In case Senator Tillman gets I'm on this
deal with some good land in the eight
quarters we want I am satisfied that he
can be OF great help in getting matters
started from Washington and cause the