The age-herald., 1902-04-07
Washington Day ybyDay

washington, April 6.-(Special. )-Doubt- ess the most farcical and absurd "in- sestigation' ever undertaken by the House of Representatives Is the pending inquiry into the charges made by orcign adventurer named Christmas to he effect that the press and the Congress If the United States had been bribed with half million dollars to favor the pur- chase by this country of the Danish West ndies.
 The unhappy Dane Neils Gron, who las finally sworn that his sole mission was to place the facts before Congress and the public, not to make bribery charges and that he "was desirous of saving the honor' of Denmark and the United States, a mission" which Con- gressman Dalzell sneeringly termed glorious" declared under oath that he first submitted his facts to the Re- publican leaders. They laughed at him. whereupon he sought Democratic Leader Richardson of Tennessee and another Democrat or two. Immediately there were stentorian demands from the Dem ocratic side for an Investigation" The
  these charges must be "probed to the bottom" and so on.
 Truly this investigation" is not mat ter for Democrats to laugh over for through the nasty and unconsidered ac- ton of their floor leader in the House their party has been placed in a ridicu- lous attitude before the country. Dem- ocrats join Republicans in ridicule of the whole silly business but Democrats should forbear. Persistent ridicule from respectable sources Is extremely hurt full to a political party as well as to individuals.
 The French have a provcrb that mo man can survive ridicule,' and the his- tory of Frence gives amplest proof of the claim. In our own country at this mo- ment we have some striking examples in support of the proverb. Rdicule has just driven from the Senate a man who has been twenty-four years in Congress and for a fourth of that time the official leader of one of the two great political parties of the Union. Likewise 1t has de- stroyed the prestige of some of our latest military heroes.
 pending proposition on the part of Republicans in the House for an "in- vestigation'' of franchise conditions in the South has made every Southerner resentfully indignant. Now Democrats give the enemy the right to sheer at them about Christmas and Neils Gron. And if the Democratic party leader in the House should discover something really demanding investigation the cry would be, Another case of Christmas"
 If Democrats in Congress would simp- ly say nothing, except in the fight against Crumpackerism, the party would elect a majority of the next House.
 It Is claimed by many Democrats that Crumpackerism Is intended merely to consolidate the negro vote in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and other states in which that vote Is a powerful factor in cleo tons; as, for example, there are about 6e0O0 negro voters in Indiana, Crum- packers own state. But the negro vote is and always has been almost unani- believe to be truth the utterly false Re- puDHcHn CdHlpdiBH SlOfy tndt lne war between the states was fought by the party "of moral ideas in order to free the slaves.
 Still, Crumpacker himself Is making the most of his own political claptrap. This much is demonstrated by the last issue of The Freeman, the national illus trated colored newspaper of Indianapolis which Is perhaps the most creditable ne- gro journal in this country, excepting of course the more widely known and power full negro newspapers published daily by white men in the great cities of the East and the West. This issue of the Freeman, marked copies of which have been sent to members of Congress and received by them today, contains a letter from Crum- packer addressed to "Mr. c. l.. Knox and others" Indianapolis, MT. G. l.. Knox"