The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-13
THE PRESIDENT HELD REsPON-
SIBIE

SI8LE.
The President isn't as popular with
the members of his party in Congress
from the Postoffice Department which
connects members of that body with
the pOstoffice scandal was sent to the
House. That the Republican congress-
men think he is responsible for that
report is evident from the shouts of
approval from the Republican side of
the House with which Representative
William Alden Smiths nomination of
Speaker Cannon for President was re-
ceived. OF course no one believes that
Speaker Cannon will become a formid-
able rival of the President for the
nomination, but if the Republican
members of Congress could have their
way there is no doubt that he would
stand pretty good chance for getting
it.
The House had not been stirred up
in years as it was by the report from
the Postoffice Department in which
more than a hundred congressman are
Lamed as having used their influence
in getting the salaries of postmasters,
postoffice clerks and rents of postof-
fee buildings raised. The report seem
ed to indicate that these congressman
were charged with doing something
wrong, and it is probable that some of
them were benefited in an indirect
way by what they did in postottice
matters in their respective districts.
OF course none of them profited pecu-
niaISy by what was done by the
Postofice Department on their recon-
mendations, but the officials who were
assisted made it a point to assist the
congressman in their campaigns for
reelection.
1t seems that the President took oc-
casion to make it known that he was
not responsible for the report which
caused such a disturbance in the
House. The Republican members of
the House are not disposed to accept
his denial of responsibility. If they
thought he was innocent in the matter
they wouldn't have applauded so en-
Enthusiastically when Speaker Cannon's
name was mentioned in connection
with the nomination for President. Be
sides, they remembered that not so
very long ago, when an antitrust bill
was pending in the Senate, he an
nounced that nine senators had re-
ceived kilograms from representatives
of the Standard Oil Company opposing
the bill in question. At that time it
was thought by some that he took that
course to show that he stood upon a
higher moral plane than the Republic
can senators, and it is thought now
that he is trying to make political
capital for himself at the expense of
his party. 1t may be that Republican
congressman do him an injustice, but
it is quite plain, from the resolution
adopted by the House in regard to the
connection of Congressman with the
postoffice scandal, that they are con-
fident that it was through his infiu-
ence that the objectional report was
sent to the House. The resolution
provides for an investigation of the
postoffice scandal by a committee of
seven members to be appointed by the
Speaker. in so far as it relates to MEM
bers of the House, and also for an in
vestigation of the origin of the re-
port. The House is determined to
find out the party or parties response
BILE for the report, and if it should turn
out that the President is responsible
it is quite evident that the opposition
to him in his own party will be great
ly strengthened.
But how will the Republican mem
bers of Congress explain to their con-
stituents their refusal of the request
of the Democratic minority for
sweeping investigation of the affairs
of the Postoffice Department. 1t is
clear that they were afraid of such an
investigation. Is it fact, as charged,
that not half of the rottenness of that
department was exposed in the Bris-
tow report7 1t would seem so from
the action Of the Republicans in re-
fusing to accede to the demand of the
Democrats for a sweeping investiga-
ton.