The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-09
IS STIFLyga
 THE.xtQUIRY
  GOrman's slarge Against { SosItion. SHARP DEBATE IN SENATE
 .- Marylan1er and Mir. Lodge
 have a Tilt. Senator Teller Argues Against the Passage of the Cuban Reciprocity Bill and criticises the
 Activity of Wood.


 .iga.lon ia.o frauas in the fos.oitice De- pa. LnlenI was the Dasls of . s.aarp aepats in the senate goaay py Ar. Garinan and aaf. Loage.
 The oiscusslon arose over a motieh by Mr. Loase to refer to the Comm.tsee on Postoances the resolution inlrouuneA Dy Mr. Penrosa looking to Senate snxesti- gation Into the condition of the depart- nlenl. Mr. German indicated that the IIa- vesngation by the aepartment has been partisan In character, and sad that |connter-charges had peep made Against the men who made it Mir. Lodga oe- tended the departpent's work and de- clared that 1t was far more tnox0ngh
 The resolution went over without ac- ton.
 Mir. Teller made a speech in opposition to the Cuban bill. He severely criticized General Wood and declared the bili was in the interest of the sugar trust.
 Mir. Clapp spoke briefly, holding that the Senate had absolute power in making treaties.
 Hcar Resolution Adopted.
 The Senate began it's session today by adopting resolution presented by Nil. Hoar calling upon the Secretary of State for the correspondence relative to claims against the Republic of Colombia on account of damages sustained at Colon. and calling for information aa to tho rs- sponsibIlity Of that Government. Mir. Hoar explained that the correspondence called for relates entirely to private bills and has no reference to public questions. The Senate then, at the request of Mir. Penrose, took up the resolution calling on the Postmaater-0ene to send to the Committee on PostofElces the reports bear ing on the recent investigation in the Postofilce Department. to which Mr. Cor man had offered amendments directing the committee to make an investigation. Mir. Lodge moved tho reference to the Couafttttea on Fostofdeeas Mx. GoKkan I9Aiectbd 1p tEa eaeaFaspo 9f kh6 fNa1gszs | ton Co the committee. saying that he l dosiid not see why Mir. Lodge or any one else ..shQuId desire to stiae tho inyes- tigation."
 The President had called attention to. the Irregularities in the department, saying that the frauds perpetrated in the past ten years had been greater than in the past two centuries.
 A Horrible Declaration.
 This. declaration. he characterized as Sweeping and horrible" and he declared that no Senator could afford to stand in the way of an investigation in which the
 
 money taken, he said. had been filched from the pockets of the common people. The corruption had been so great that it had bubbled up to the surface and this had occurred because the thieves had quarreled among themselves over -t the piunder" Mir. German declared the iu- vestigation had been made by men charg ed with participation in the crimes. In view of this fact he could not believe that MT. Lodge or any other Senator would desire tos stine an inquiry at which Q few of the members of the minority might be present.
 we want to ascsrtain,'s he said, whether the investigation whlch has been made has been entirely on the sur face and whether it is true that these who have made the investigation are not as guilty as those who have been inyes- tigated."
 T assert here as a senator.", he went on, that there is evidence in writing that there were frauds perpetrated by a high ohieer who vas allowed to escape entirely. We want facts. The country is not satisfed with the thoroughness of the inquiry. and wants the books lad open for inspection in order that the en- tire truth may be known. We want to aid the Preaident in turning the rascals out, as we have no doubt that he desires to do. and for theRe Feasons we hope that the inquiry will Do undertaken" Lodge Answers German. Mir. Lodge sal dthat if he had needed any further assurance of the correctness s of his position that the resolution should be referred. the speech made by Mir. German had supplied it. He charged Mr. German with incorrectly quoting the Pres ident, and said that the portion of the Presidents message to which reference had been made applied to the frauds in St. Louis and not to the postal frauds. The Senator from Maryland had forgot ea that Congress had twice investigated that portion of the postal department found to be most at fault. Both the Senate and House have made inquiries under the eyes of friends of the Senator, and both gave the department c clean bill of health As a matter of fact, there is nothing more clumsy than a Congress sional inquiry, and the results of the departments inquiry made under the d. Fecti0n of the President Illustrates the great advantage the department with It's numerous detectives. enjoys over any Congressional committee in this respect. The departments Inquiry, he said, had covered the entire country. The result had been that great mass of testimony had been gathered. which, he thought. ttAH 9SAtEAS HAtnlA Ale<FS eS'ss-8o 70 kltOuAu committee. T want the testimony brought here" he said, land examined, and I do not want the committee com- mitted to the inquiry until we know what the facts are. Then and not until then, could the Senate know what it wants .o do."
 Inquiry Not stifIed.
 The talk of stifiiag inquiry had no meaning to him because the investigation had been made and at times more thoroughly than the Senate could make it. He did not know whether MT. Cor man had meant to refer in hss accusa- tons to the Postmaster General and the Fourth Assistant, but if he did mean to do so Mr. Lodge said he wished to say that both those ofEieials had pressed the inquiry with zeal and with all the machinery In their power.
 The discussion was participated in by Messrs Nelson. Tillman. Hoar and Bailey. Mt. Nelson said that the great danger of a Senate investigation would be found In the fact that the publicity that would be