The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-18
HOT POLITICAL DEBATE
OVER THE POSTOFF|CE
APPROPRIATION BILL
Hornets Nest Is Stirred Up in the
House by Messrs. Southwick
and Tawney.
WILLIAMS IN A FURY
Minority Leader Declares the Post
office Is Rotten from Turret
to Foundation.
WILLIAMS IN A FURY


adjournment to-day Mr. Southwick. of New
York, precipitated brief lively debate by
/ having read an editorial from the New
| York World, giving Republicans credit for
antitrust legislation and the merger prose-
| cution 1t was offered by way of reply 10
Mr.. Williams who asked yesterday if the
merger decision was to be used by the Re-
! publicans as a theatrical political brick.
Mr.. Williams, after the editorial had been
| read, declared that the securities prosecu-
/ ton was instigated by Governor Van SAINT.
whom he styled "a blanket Indian Repub-
lican' who refused to consult 'headquar-
ters." and that for very shame, after he
| had the case docketed, the administration
prior to an election could not hold itself
still MD Tawney, of Minnesota, asserted
| that the Democrats in the Fifty-hrst Con-
| gress voted against antitrust legislation.
| but a vigorous protest came from Mr..
! Gaines, of Tennessee, and Mr.. Williams,
each of whom asserted that the Demo-
Gratis had unanimously voted for such legis-
lation.
Throughout the day the postoffice appro
/ priation bill was under discussion and lit
tie progress was made. The minority leader
| declared the postofice rotten from
turret to foundation stone, and the Repub-
| ncans trying to reorganize it on an
appropriate bill.
Mr.. Payne, of New York. the Republican
leader, asked: Where does the gentleman
get his Information
Il get it from their own Office" said Mr..
| Williams.
Then you don't get IL at ALL" holly re-
torted Mr.. Payne.
Il do" warmly replied Mr.. Williams.
| land l get it from their charges against
| themselves and 1 get ii from the charge
| contained in the Presidents message, and
l get from the knowledge that prevails in
this House" He said that only one division
| in the Postoffce Department had been in
| vestigated. II believe, and l believe the
! gentleman from New York believes. that
there are other divisions in it equally cor
| rupt
RESENTED BY PAYNE.
Mr.. Payne said he did not believe any
thing of the kind and he had not seen
| single who knew anything about it.
And STILL he said, 1.-The gentleman in
dulges in the extravagant language that
the whole department is rotten
Mr.. Overstreet spoke of the difficulties
encountered by the committee in prepar
ing the bill. They had sought to accom-
plish two things, he said. The first was TO
| segregate the several appropriations in or
der that the expenditures may be made in
| accordance with the purposes of Congress;
| and, second, to segregate the employments
| der that the duties may be performed more
| accurately.
Mr.. Grosvenor. speaking in sarcastic ven
| said that great bureaus of the Postoffice
Department had been transferred to the
fourth assistant postmaster general and
he thought it would be good idea to let
Bristow run the whole machine and
thereby save the salaries of the other three
assistants.
committee 10 increase salaries in certain
grades was solely because it desired
to give the rural carriers the money.
The charge that the Postoffice Depart
ment had diverted appropria tons for rent,
was vigorously made by Mr.. Williams,
and he demanded to know who was respon-
sible for that abuse and for changing the
law to suit his own sweet Will Some
body, he said, has been deprivihg the
legislative branch of the government oil
where the public money shall go. Some
underling in the department had been MAX
ing laws by construction" he added
Mr.. Overstreet said there was a belief
in the department that the construction
of the appropriation would permit the
WILLIAMS REPLIES.
Mr.. Williams warmly replied that there
never was a man born great fool as
to contend that an appropriation for rent
spoke of the independence of the Civil-serv-
ice Commission and the absolute contempt
of the law They don't hesitate any min
ute," he declared. Ito violate the law as
they please and tell you with suavity that
it was because of construction put upon
the law by somebody. God only knows
who" He said the most discouraging thing
in American citizenship as represented in
the House was for an honest man to come
to Congress and find himself hedged all
around with wilderness of misinformation.
overinformation and noninforpa ton
whichever happens to suit the fellows
| who write their DEGREES and send them
here to be registered in appropriation bills. :"
toriai from the New York World. already
alluded to. saying that the antitrust law
was framed by Republican, passed by a
| Republican Senate and signed by Repub-
! lican President, and that il had remained a
dead letter on the statute books during the
second term of President Cleveland, the
| Republicans vigorously applauded
| Mr.. Williams said he was more than de-
lighted to the Republican majority on
the floor cheer the hounds to hunt
down the combines and trusts of this coun-
try" He would he said be even more de-
lighted If he did not know that you are
very much like the month of March-you
come in like lions and go out like lambs, "
which created laughter on the Democratic
side. He added: Il want the country 10
i ma'I 70 a end in fruition A,readu he IS ce e
tinued, Mr. Knox had been careful TO be
interviewed to permit the country to know
that you are not running amuck' against
|. trusts generally that the Northern Securi-
| ties case just settles the Northern Securities
case and that ii does not mean anything
particular anyhow and seemed TO be fully
anxious that the country should under
stand he does not mean anything particular
, / anyhow. One statement in the article re-
ferred. he said. credited the administra ton
, | as being the author of the prosecution II
| happened to be, he declared "one Van
SAINT, out in the West somewhere who
. started the and for very shame after
. he had got the case upon the docket, the
administration. prior TO an election could
| not hold itself STILL 1t was the only
thing the Republican party did not stand
, pat on until after the election. he said
amid Democratic applause, "and you would
stand pat on that if you had dared. Gov
ernor Van SAINT was Blanket Indian Re-
publican. and he did not consult headquar-
, tiers but precipitated the litigation"
BLANKET INDIAN REPUBLICAN
Answering Mr.. Southwick as TO whether
he knew Governor Van SAINTS politics. Mr.
Williams said he already had stated him tC
be blanket Indian Republican, mar
who actually meant what you fellows were
, pretending TO mean when you were ap
plauding a moment ago." Loud applause OF
Democratic sidel
Continuing Mr. Williams said he had
seen blanket Indian Republicans before
and he had seen them 'quell' when the tins
: came. And he declared, IF YOU dare