Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-07-02
COUSINS HOT SHOT
Iowa Congressman Defends Cons
gress and the Press From
Christmas SANDER.
Democratic Leader in House De.
nounced for Bringing Matter
Before Congress.
Speech Was Notable Incident
OF the Closing Hours OF
the Session.
al to Times-Republican.

yesterday was the speech of Congress
man Cousins of Iowa on the report OF
the committee which investigated the
charges of bribery in connection with
the purchase of the Danish West In
dies. Mr.. Cousins was a member of the
committee and took an active interest
in the investigation. His remarks yes
terday, during which he scored Rich
ardson, of Tennessee, brought forth q
heated reply from that gentleman. Mr.
Cousins said in part:
This is an indictment which, ac-
cording to- this report, Mr.. Christmas
drew against his own country and
against himself when he returned. 1t
seems he had fallen out with everybody
and was discredited by everybody, eX-
cept possibly by the gentleman from
Tennessee assisted by the honorable
gentleman from Alabma, who, at last.
gave him sufficient credit to spread
upon our record the ludicrous and
monstrous charge, which not only in
wolves by name two members of this
body but indirectly impugns the honor
of the whole American congress and
press. Nothing in this report, nor the
facts developed by it's investigation,
necessitates the defense of either con-
gress or press, not even the assertion
that the prime minister of Denmark
expressed to Christmas his adherence
for the political situation in America,
which makes 1t necessary to offer mon
.ey in order to bring political action.
The American people suspect neither
themselves nor Denmark. They know
too we'll the sterling qualities of the
Danes who live among us to believe
any high official of that country ever
uttered such an unbelievable, prepos-
ferrous scandal"
Except for the extraordinary char
acter Of this so-called report of Mr..
w. Christmas Dirckinck Holmfeldt,
automatically vouched for and solemnly
spread upon the records of congress
some three months ago by the honor
able gentleman from Tennessee CAS-
sisted by the honorable gentleman from
Alabama) the whole matter might be
passed without moments serious
thought. But there are features of the
fiasco SO attractive that we tarry with
them. Sometimes the ridiculous be-
comes so interesting that 1t deserves
registration, and when skillfully mixed
with a showing of seriousness and SOL
emnity, it is almost unavoidable.
During the brief moments that clap
sed While this extraordinary Christ
mas present was being so dramatically
flashed upon the attention of the house,
on the morning of March q by the hon
orable gentleman from Tennessee CAS-
sisted by the honorable gentleman from
Alabama) there was neither time to
read it nor to hear it read. 1t was
placed before the house in such serious
and sudden fashion and with such gray
ity of charges against congress and the
be wiser to let it cool until morning, it
was carried by its own furious impetus,
and by the apparent anxiety of its pro-
posers, TO an order of investigation.
There are come things that will not
keep over night, even in refrigerator.
This piece of putrid libel had TO be
used that very day or it's own stencil
would have probably offended the nos
trils even of it's custodians before the
next morning and would have remain
ed on their hands a useless. nauseous,
scred Of miserable and ignominfous
defamation 1t had already been dead
a long while, the press refusing to
handle or revive it and by the special
request of it's general agent, Gron, an
autopsy having been held upon 1T by
that eminent and skllful surgeon, DIR.
of Ohio, who expressed the
opinion that no one would ever bite at
it. But finally after begging all that
time for recognition, it was taken in
from the democratic doorstep-just
three DAYS too soon-it should have
been more appropriately discovered on
the first of April.
las soon as it was printed, the coun-
try smiled and went about its business.
The papers gave 1T a parting shot and
had it on it's hands, and en-
balmed forever in its record. If the
members could have read it before TAX
ing action they probably would have
thrown it into the sewer where it be-
longs.
Instead of inviting any sort of cred
ulity when it was read, 1t produced
and amusement One be-
gan to think at once of all the foolish
and extravagant hyperbole that he had
ever read. The tales of Baron Mum
ehausen are reasonable compared with
this. The stories of crusaders and the
and the alchymists and
fortune tellers and the magnetizers be-
come dull reading. Jack the Giant
Killer and the fairies are outdone. All
the magicians from Geber and Altar
abb down to Valentine Greatraks and
caeliostro are now in the shade since
Christmas has been respectfully Vouch-
ed for. One involuntarily eXclaims, as
an old neighbor of mine used to do
when he tried to avoid swearing:
Gemini Christmasn
when we contemplate what this
strange person claims to have done on
credit and possibly with q dollar and
or eighty cents IN cash.
truly we may say that no one needs
abandon hope because OF poverty
Think of it, according to the story, this
outcast from the Danish navy, landing
in a strange country, not even deputed
or authorized by his own, at once COM
bankers, skilled interpreters,
lawyers, capitalists, press associations,
investors, intimate friends of men in
power, representatives, senators, dip
premiers, presidents; claims
to have secured unlimited credit with
which, in his own ina gination and In
actual penury, he bribed n great nation,
wined and dined associates that We're
his dupes, travelled to and fro in ele
CANT apartments, stopping at the best
hotels and peddling mearNime the is
lie Of