The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-12
DR.. Miles Nervine

SANDER against members of the house.
Several members did it for a purpose,
and they. the members of the house,
Will appoint committee before which
members can go and have the particu-
lar case investigated.
But" he said. his words being greet
ed with applause, when you come to
investigate the department it must be
done by yourselves" Continuing, he
inquired: Are you going to say to the
country that the department that lies
about you tells the truth about it's own
actions? Do you intend to go before
your constituency and the good people
of the United States and say that this
great department which has published
this report conceived in sin and born
in iniquity' is the purest and best and
most capable to examine into its own
iniquities?'
Loud applause followed this utterance.
He was, he said, a partisan and party
man, but he put the honor of the house
and the honor and welfare of the people
of the United States, aye he said, Il
agement of a great department of the
government above the demands of any
party that ever lived
The American people are not hyster-
zeal, he said, and members need not be
afraid Of their censure because they go
to the department and demand their
just rights and the rights of their con-
stituents. THE American press is not
a press of the yellow Journal" he con-
tinued. In the first flush and heat of
this discussion, he declared and before
the facts reach these great papers, edi-
torials may be published that never
ought to find a place in the press of the
country, but when they have an oppor
tuaity to examine the facts they will
exculpate every man who did only his
duty, but no man who did what was
not his duty ought to be exculpated.
''I say here and now he continued,
that the sunlight of publicity never
hurt an honest man or an honest ad-
ministration." There was loud applause
when Mr.. Cowherd said: "If there is an
unwholesome and unhealthy growth.
the sunlight of publicity will kill it. If
it is an honest and wholesome growth
that sunlight will only make it blossom
into better fruition for the people of this
country" He closed with the suggestion
that there is but one path you can
tread with justice to yourselves and
honor to the country-and that is full
examination of the entire postal affairs,
both as to themselves and as to u.s.
Mr.. Crumpacker of Indiana, put him
self on record in favor of committee of
members of both sides of the house to
investigate the 'indictments' made
against members.
Mr.. Clayton of Alabama, was unspar-
ing in his criticism of Postmaster Cen
eral Payne, whom he referred to as
that distinguished imbecile who hap
United States
Mr.. Clayton spoke of the Tulloch
charges and the light way in which
Postmaster General Payne treated
them. When members of the press
called on him about it, Mr.. Clayton said
the postmaster general laughed. When
further pressed for information, he
said the postmaster general, that dis
tinguished specimen of asininity,''
characterized the Tulloch charges as
hot air.
Clayton closed with a. bitter personal
attack on Postmaster General Payne
and referred to him as "Mr. Hot Air
Man." and a "horse laughter man."
who had been publicly convicted but
was continued by the president for the
distinguished service he rendered the
country in securing the conviction of
Machen and his confederates.' He
wanted, he said, ito rip open the whole
stomach of the poStoffice and show the
vitals of corruption" He was greeted
with loud applause as he took his seat.
Mr.. CaIderhead, of Kansas, said the
president and the postmaster general
had charged him with making a cor
rupt contract with Beavers. They
shall not do it." he said, without my
protest here or anywhere" He could
not, he said, approve of a report which
mixed the names of honorable men
with those of criminals.
Mr.. Burkett, of Nebraska, denounced
the suggestion that he had unlawful1y
obtained increases for postoffices. He
charged that Somebody had bundled
up a mass of stuff in a haphazard way,
and the committee has sprung it as
bomb with a fuse to it, He demanded
an investigation.
Mr.. Swanson, of Virginia, insisted
that every member of the house, wheth-
er he was mentioned in the report or
not, owed it to himself to insist the
fullest investigation of the postoffice
department. The whole amount in
volved, he said, represented by the in
creases, was only S14,270.
William Alden Smith, of Michigan,
said:
II denounce this report as y volun-
tary and gratuitous insult by great
executive department of this govern
ment." That department had under
taken voluntarily to cast a stigma on
''this great chamber of the people,
1t had gone out of its way to keep
facts back which should have been
excitement. Men of the highest char
acter he declared. had been assailed
by the report among them the speak
er of the house. Il hope.' he said, his
words being almost drowned by the
cheering ard hand-clapping with which
his remarks were received on both
sides of the house and in the galleries,
that the day is not far distant when,
with the general consent of the Amer
lean people, the speaker will be lifted
into the executive Officer
The entire membership of the house
wildly cheered. The echoes had not died
out when there was another outburst
of yelling, screaming and cries of
hear" hear" Speaker Cannon. mean
time was vigorously rapping for order.
When quiet was restored Mr.. Smith
said there was not a bureau of the
government that showed proper re-
spect for the direct representatives of
the people. Members Of congress. he
said, constantly were shunted off" for
senators, ard made to wait by bureau
officers Mr.. Smiths time had expired.
asked. amid shouts of approval that
Mr.. Smith be given thirty minutes 10
conclude.
Il object" shouted Mr.. overstreet. in