Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-12
BILL PASSED
Action Taken by the Senate
This Afternoon.
G0RMAN AMENDMENT
TABLED BY 40 TO 10, STRICT
PARTY VOTE.
Mr.. Teller's Proposed Investigation of
Post Office Department by sena-
torial Commission.

senator I1llman was In the Senate cham
ber today for the first time in six weeks.
His absence was caused by Illness, and he
was congratulated by all his colleagues
upon his recovery and return to duty.
Mr. Hansbrough called up bill modify
Ing the agreement with the Indians of the
Devils Lake reservation, in North Dakota
The bill fixes the price of the ceded lands
at $3.50 an acre, and Mr. Dubois sought to
have 1t amended SO as to provide for set
tlement under the homestead law. The
Idaho senator spoke in support of his
amendment, making a general plea in op-
position to any agreement for the disposal
OF public lands that would cut out the
homesteader.
For Postal Investigation.
He had not concluded when the bill was
laid aside and the post Office appropriation
Dill taken up. Mr.. Germans amendment
providing for the appointment of a COM
mission to investigate the affairs of the
Pest Office Department was, on motion of
Dr. Lodge, laid on the table, 40 to 49, The
division was on strictly political lines.
Mr. Teller presented an amendment for
an investigating commission composed en-
tirely OF senators.
Mr.. Teller said that any senator who said
that he did not know what the charges
were could not have read the Bristow re-
port or the public press. He had seen a
charge In one newspaper THAT more than
hundred senators and members had been
caught in Bristow's trap"
He also said that such charges had been
made against the Treasury Department as
would under any other administration have
caused the head of that department to call
for an inquiry. He referred to the contro-
versy over the willingness unwillingness
of republican senators to have an investi-
cation into postal matters, when Mr.. AID
rich interrupted with denial that repubIi-
can senators were trying to avoid an in
quiry, and Mr.. Teller repeated his state
ment that no investigation was wanted.
The senator can speak for himself, but
not for any one else," Mr.. Aldrich replied
sharply. and Mr.. Teller responded by say
ing that every resolution looking to an in
quiry had been voted down. TT is in the
power of that side of the chamber" he
said, Ito secure an Investigation if it de-
sires it, and charge that it does not order
it because republican senators fear the ef-
feet upon the next campaign"
Can the senator of his own knowledge
make specific charge of malfeasance in
office that has not been Investigator Mr..
Aldrich asked and added, IF so, let him
name the man."
Mr. Teller replied that he did not intend
to give any names, adding that it was an
insult to ask him to do SO. He declared,
however, that it was evident to all that
there was corruption IN tHe Tost OiHce Lee
partment that had not been uncovered, and
that the republicans were afraid to let in
the light.
In support of this last statement he re-
ferred to an original resolution of inquiry
offered by MIR. Penrose, chairman of the
committee on post offices, saying that evil
IDENTIFY at that time Mr.. Penrose had had
sufficient information to justify the belief
that there was fraud in the department.
Post Office Bill Passed.
Some time after the passage of words
between Senators Teller and Hopkins. de-
scribed in another column, the post office
appropriation bill was passed, and the con-
ference report on the Indian appropriation
bill was taken up.