The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-01-25
SPOONER In DEFENSE
OF Action Of the Administration in
The lndlanOla Affair.
MLAURIN IN POOR FORM
Did Not Use Effectively The Material
lie Had for Answering.
THE EPITHETS OF Mr.. cORTELYOU
Not Justified by the Facts ia the Case,
lie COnteRded
SOUTHFRSFR WAS At A DISADVANTAGE
As the Postmaster General Refused to
Permit Him Access to the Papers
IN the cane.
THE EPITHETS OF mr.. cORTELYOU
Not Justified by the Facts ia the Case,
lie COntegded
SOUrHFRSFR WAS At A DISADVANTAGE
As the Postmaster General Refused to
Permit Him Access to the Papers
IN the Cane.
csneclnl 20 The post.N

Especial to The poSt)
Washington, January ~ Tho feature OF
TIE legislative day in the senate was tho
discussion of the lpdianola postofice ia.
cidenr by senator Spooncr OF Wisconsin
aud Senator McLaurin OF Mississippi AS
has been stated ~ these dispatches. Spoon
er nt the request OF the president, was
10 have delivered HIS speech last Tuesday,
hut Senator Aldrch and others prevailed
on him 70 refrain. II was thought for
while that the proposed defense OF the ad-
ministration's Southern policy would not be
made at all, but Spooner disproVed this
today when no secured time from Senator
Durham and delivered a speech which,
from tho republican standpoint, could hard.
~ have been improved on
Senator AcIaurln, whilo tho facts at his
command undoubtedly gave him great sd-
vantage over niA opponent did not use
them HIS friends thought they might
have been uaed and the result was that no
came out second best In the forensic con-
test. He failed utterly to lay proper stress
on the vital facts that he had not been al
lowed TO sec the papers In the case, which
were at all times at the disposal OF Spoon
err, and that the lndinnola man who seif-
confessedly wanted Minnie Cox ont OF the
way IN order that he might get the post
mastsrship for himself was not a democrat,
but former member OF that party who
by the republicans
The prevalent interest In the matter was
evinced by the fact that the preEs gallery
and the public galleries were crowded tc
their capacity, while practically every sena'
tor was In niA eeat-
spooner said ne had no criticism to make
OF Mr.. McIAurin, whose remarks had boon
respectful, but that no appeared Co justify
tho attitude of the postmaster general and
tho prbstdent. lie COMMANDED there was
nothihG In Secretary o0rtelyon's Announce
ment 81 the presidonts attitude in the case
TO justify the inference OF Mr.. AcLAurin
that It wab intended TO denounee tho entire
population OF Jndiapola a. lawless and
brutal.
mo man IL less likely than the president
20 enter on sucn a Wholesale condemnation
of tho people OF IndiAnols,' he said.
Mr.. spocner said tho presidcnt'a action
had been caused by the course Of tho
minority In the vicinity Of the postottice.
Mrs. Coz, Mr.. Bpooner declared, had az
rnuch right under the constitution and the
laws 10 hold the Office without restraint
and durens rs has any member OF the sen-
ate TO hold his seat in tho senate chamber,
Detailing the proceedings at the mass meet
ing at which Mira Co1's resignation was
requested, Mr.. Rpooner said the eircum-
ptancea were such rs to convince anyone
that she was not free agent tn the mat
ter.
~ "a e 49,
LEFT TO a local mAss meeting to accept the
resignation Of a Federal oGice holder and
n1 the time within which st should take
efectT
Whether this course on the part OF tho
meeting had indicated tho presence OF a
lawlesS and brutal element depended, tho
senator said, on the point Of Wow. He
called attention to tho fact that the Hher!f
Of the county was among tho participants
in tho meeting.
Replying to Mr.. Tfllman, Mr.. spooner
said: Tho sheriff is the eonservator OF
the peAee up North"
no this Mr.. rillmAn responded that ne
had not observed mat generally Sherins
devote themselves 10 tho duty Of acting ar
body guards for people.
Proceeding, Bfr spooner said the sheriff
had not denied tho statements credited TO
MIN. lie again referred TO the sheriTs
participation in the msas meeting, and
asked whether Sfrs Cox would have re-
signed OF her own free viii but for the
pressure thus brought upon her. Tho WON.
ans compliance win the request for her
resignation was, he asserted, an attitude or
fear. lie Appreciated the delichcy Of the
situation Of the people OF tho South, ne
said, and sympatlized with them in their
inicuties. II must, however, be borne IN
mind that this case, the opposition was 10
d woman OF good Character Tue fact OF
ner sex, he thought. went far toward just
tylng the allegation that the conduct OF the
meeting was brutal
sir spooner read a letter 10 the post
5nlcs Inspector from ConEresaman-slsct
iumphFey. bearing on the lndinnola case,
Us whioh he stated that "a majority Of the
9eople Of Indlanoa are opposed to the
3urse of the minority Insisting on Mrs.
eoxs resignation"
This statement, he said, confirmed the
charge OF undue pressure aud Of lRwless
| ness. Proceeding, Mr. speoDer said IN,
| president knew that Mrs. Cox aid not wisl
TO resign, and he had accordingly refused
20 have the Office vacated The people
| themselves, 10 all infants and purposes
| had closed the o1iea In pursuing IN,
course no dld the president had acted ca 4
prineiDai vital 70 tas strength and yirilit,
Of tho ppeservntisa of ths sovernsnnAt
namely. that ths PedsTai government shall
be aHswad 20 eaaAHst tn ewn affairs with
out regard - iocd pReaaEsrs. 1he main