The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-09
German and Lodge Have a Sharp lit on Resolution to h.
 Vestigate Further
MARYLANDER HORRIFIEO
 AT GENERAL CORRUPTION
Crime Is So Great That 1t Has Bubbled Up to the Surface, Because the Thieves Quarrel Over
 the Plunder.

the Plunder.
 Washington, December S.-The recent in- vestgation into frauds in the postofflce was the basis of a sharp debate in the senate today by MT. German and MT. Ledge. The discussion arose over a mo- tion by MT. Lodge to refer to the com mlttee on postoffce the resolution intro- duced by MT. Penrose looking to a scn- ate investigation into the condition of the department. MT. German intmated that the investigation by the department has been partisan in character and said that counter charges had been made against the men who made it. MT. Lodge de- tended the departments work and de- clared 1t was far more thorough than a congressional inquiry would be- The reso- lution went over without action.
 MT. Teller made speech in opposition to the Cuban bill. He severely criticized General Wood and declared the debate was in the interest of the trust
 MT. Clapp spoke briefly holding that the senate had absolute power in making treaties.
 Senate Routine.
 The senate began it's session today by | adopting a resolution presented by Mr. | Hoar. calling upon the secretary of state Tor the correspondence relative to claims | against the republic of Colombia, on ac- count of damages sustained at Colon, and l calling for information to the respon- | slbiiity of that government. Mr. 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 postmaster general to send u the | committee on postoffices the reports bear ing on the recent investigation in the | postofflce department to which Mir Cor | man has offered amendments directing the | committee to make an investigation.
 MT. Lodge moved the reference of the | resolution to the committee on postoffices | MT. German objected to the reference | of the resolution to the committee, .aying l that he could not see why MT. Lodge or l anyone else should desire to stifie the l investigation" The President has called attention to the irregularities in tho de- partment, saying that the frauds perpe- trated in the past two years had been greater than the past two centuries This | decision he characterized as sweeping and horrible" and he declared that no sen- ator could afford to stand in the way of an investigation in which the minority l party could participate. The money talk en, he said, had been flched from the | pockets of the common people
 Corruption Rampant.
 The corruption had been so great that fl had bubbled lip to the surface and this had occurred because the thieves had quarrelled among themselves over the plunder." MT. German declared the in- vestigation had been made by men charg- pl tifh f,utf ffaf, Ia, fla .nrfft, I.. view of this fact, he could not believe that MT Lodge or any other senator would desire to stine an investigation at which few of the members of the mi- nority might be present. We want to as- certain" he said whether the investiga- ton which has been made, has been en- tlrely on the surface. and whether it Is true that those who have made the lnves- | tlgation are not as guilty as those who have been investigated"
 l "l assert here a senator" he went on. that there is evidence in writing that l there ware frauds perpetrated by a high officer who allowed a escape en- | trely. We want facts The country is not satisfied with the thoroughness of | the Inquiry. and wants the books laid | open for the inspection in order that the entire truth may be known. We want to aid the President in turning the rascals out as we have no doubt that he desires to do. and for these reasons we hope that 1 the inquiry will be undertaken"
 MT. Lodge said that if he had needed any | further assurance of the correctness of | his position that the resolution should be referred, the speech made by Mir. Cor man had supplied it. He charged Mir. German with incorrectly quoting the President, and said that the portion of the Presidents message to which refer ence had been made. applied 10 the frauds in St. Louis, and not to the postal frauds. Twice Investigated. The senator from Maryland had forgot ten that congress had twice Investigated that portion of the postal fraud found to be most at fault. Both the senate and the house have made inquiries under the eyes of friends of the senator, and both gave the department a clean bill of health. As matter of fact, there is nothing more clumsy than a congression- al inquiry. and the results of the depart mentf inquiry, made under the direction of the President, illustrates the great ad- vantage the department, with it's numer- ous detectives enjoys over any congress slonal committee in this respect. The de- partment inquiry. he said. had covered the entire country. The result had been that a great mass of testimony had been gathered which he thought the senate should have access to through q commits tee.
 "I want the testimony brought here" he said and examined and l do not want the committee committed To the Inquiry until we know what the facts are. Then. and not until then. could the sen- ate know what it wants to do."
 The talk of stirling inquiry had no meaning to him. because the investigation had been made. and at times more thor oughly than the senate could make. He did not know whether Mir. German had meant to refer in his accusations to the postmaster general and the fourth assist ant but If he did mean to do so, MT.