Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-08-13
DEPARTMENT OFFICERS BRAND
SENATOR'S CHARGES As
ABSURD.
WILL Vote ON BILL TODAY
senator Decides Ia Take Final Action
ON Post office Bill This
Afternoon.

WASHINGTON. Aug. l2.-senAto,
La Toilette enliyened the senate ses.
SION today during discussion of tho
rost office appropriation bin by
charging the post office department
with rifling his mall. lie said II was
cone In an attempt to delye into au
Investigation he Is making into postal
conditions, After five hours work the
senate agreed TO vote on the bill to-
morrow afternoon at O'Clock.
The Wisconsin senator declared
his mail had been subjected to an
espionage almost Russian In char
acter' and he showed TO the senator's
a bundle Of letters which he said had
been lampered with.
Absurd and ridiculous" are
adiectiyes applied to Senator I.a
Follettes charges by officials OF tn,
post office. II is declared positively
that II the senator's mail has been
r fled, the crime was committed by
somebody not connected with the de-
partment.
Or, Charles =, Grandficld, first
assistant, and In tho temporary alb
, senco OF MIR. Hitchcock acting post
master general said:
I'VE never have heard until now
Senator La Follettes mall had been
tampered with. / think the senator Is
quite mistaken when he charges that
officials Of the post office rlfled his
mail. As 20 the senators statement
that his mail was subjected ito an
espionage almost Russian he con-
tinued, "the charge is absurd as no
one in the post office department has
the slightest interest In the senator's
inquiry"
Chief Inspector Robert C. Sharp
was equally certain that Senator La
Follettes charges were unfounded
and was emphatic In his denial Of
them.
mo attempt, Of course, ever was
made to waiGh Senator La Follettes
mall or to ascertain the contents OF
any letter sent to him, or sent by him"
said the Inspector. ANY inspector
fNubHl OD'UluE ~ hfhifu lfllNl Ilpl nh-
dressed to him would be subjected to
the full penalty OF the law. In fact
an inspector, having knowledge Of the
law on the subject. could not in such
circumstances escape a penitentiary
sentence"
Senator La Toilette said men were
removed from the railway mail SER
vice for mo other reason than that
they Joined organizations designed TO
improve labor conditions in the SER
vice. He cited several instances, ~
Guiding the case OF George w, NicholN
who after 22 years service IN he de-
Tartment, was suspended shortly after
he became candidate for office in
the railway mail clerks protective
association" The senator declared
the movement was promulgated by
President Roosent and Taft as pre-
cedent
During the day three important
of the post office bill were
acted upon. The Bourse- Bristow plan
for a parcels post sysem with system
Of graduated charges based on each
zone Of district division, was placed
H. the bill as a substitute for tho
house parels post provision. which
outlined flat charge Of II cents a
pound throughout the country. A
PROVISION in the house bill making
available federal funds TO assist the
states in good road construction was
voted down and an amendment franz
ed by the senate committee providing
for a commission Of three senators
and three representatives. to study the
question was adopted.
Another amendment written into
The bill would compel newspapers
Using the mails to file with the post
master general the names OF owners,
publishers, editors, stockholders and
1clders of bonds and mortgages.