The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-03-11
INDIGNANT MEMBERS
Whirlwind Of Protest In Con-
gross at Bristow's Report.
CALLED "a LIAR and SCOUBDRTL
The Report, Said GrOsvenOr of Ohio
"Was Conceived In Iniquity, Bora
In Sin and It's Charges Are
False"-WRnt Investigation.

ment by the house of representatives
will result from the publication of the
report involving members of congress
in that connection was indicated by
every expression possible short of a
vote in that body. With a whlrlwlnd
Of protest the report was taken up by
indignant members, their personal con.
nection with it explained and epithets
hurled at Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Brlstow.
"The Bristow report was conceived
in inlquity, born in sin and has trav-
eled its course until it has struck the
public of the United States as Il great
attack on a body of men as free from
wrongdoing, corruption, crime and ir-
regularity as any equal number of men
on the face of the earth"
This was the parting shot of Repre-
sentative Grosvenor of Ohio i'm paying
his tribute to the report.
THAT document is the producer of
liar and a scOundrelr shouted Repre-
sentative Hill of Connecticut in max
ing an explanation Of his connection
with certain leases He added that he
should vote both to investigate him
self and also the fourth assistant post.
master general.
There Is nothing in any of it to i'm
pugn any improper motive or conduct
upon any member of the house." said
Chairman Overstreet of the committee,
who combated the idea of an investi-
CATION.
Mr. Williams, the Democratic leader,
urged complete investigation of the
whole postoftice department and re-
ceived the hearty applause of both
sides of the house and the galleries 1t
soon was found that the two hours
which had been allotted TO the subject
was not going to be near enough time
for the personal explanations which
members We're demanding the right to
make, and a motion to extend the de-
bate was carried.
Mr.. Moon (Tenn.) insisted that there
should be an investigation covering
the postotfice department and every
body connected with it, adding:
And whoever is guilty, whether in
this house or in the department, should
be exposed" The membership of the
house, being accused, was entitled to
vlndlcation, as We're also the depart
ment officials If guilty Of no wrong.
But" said he, II take It that no SEN
sible man will deny that there is any
thing else but crime running all over
that department"
He closed by asking If the criminals
in the department were to he shielded
and declared the house should waive
aside all technicalitics and meet the
matter.
Mr.. w. w. Kitchin q. c. charged
General Bristow with having deliber-.
ately suppressed important and mate
rial facts, facts" he said. pounding
his desk. (which could not be over
looked and which We're suppressed, in
my judgment, for the purpose of Civ.
ing false impression to the country
and misleading the public"
Bristow's action, he SAID was mel.
Their courageous nor honest but for
partisan purposes.
''IIe knew the country demanded an
investigation" Mr.. Kitchin said. He
undertook, in my Judgment, TO black
mail congress, TO silence congress and
to silence the country. 1t is species
Of intimidation"
He asked II the Republicans would
sit still and stop the investigation and
thus give the backbiters an opportu-
nifty to attack the character and integ-
rity of those whom Bristow had ac-
cused.
Amid storm OF applause lasting for
several minutes General Grosvenor
co.. who was named in the report.
said that this was a pretty good speci-
men Of the readiness with which the
newspapers of the country and the
great body of the people grasp a publ
cation or statement and assume evil
where they might assume good. He
convulsed the house by reading an edi-
torial which referred to Speaker Can
non and Representatives Payne and
HUI MS having been taken "redhand-
cd hut. speaking seriously. he said IL
was in accord with the views of o. per
cent OF the newspapers OF the country.
The report was a malicious libel on 1871
members Of the house and senate
81 submit" said he that the inves-
tigation which the gentleman from In
diana has been apologizing for is an
outrage and violation of every prin-
ciple of Justice
81 will resign my seat tomorrow. he
said. pounding his desk. III there is
anything irregular or improper in what
i did"
MIR. Hill Comm. likewise mentioned
in the Rristow report, denied that he
had done anything improper. He read
from the original papers and called at
tention to the omission from the Bris-
tow report of certain Endorsements
therein