The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-03-12
DEATH TO RESCUE
Of HOUSE LEADERS
Caused Adjournment at OPP
perfume Moment.
BRANCH WAS IN AN UPRoAR
Tempers Cooled in Interval and Lash
of the Party Whip Did
the Rest.

There Is not TO be a general investiga-
tion of the Postohice Department by a
committee OF the House of Representa-
tives: the only investigation which will
be had will be into the matter of Mr.
Bristow's charges concerning mem
bers."
For the purpose OF clearing members
of Congress of the insinuations made
against them in the data which Mr.
Bristow sent to the House Committee
on Postohices and Post Roads, a com
mittee> OF seven has been appoint
ed by the Speaker to investi-
gate in accordance with the terms
and provisions Of the Mccall reso-
luton passed by the House just before
z o clock last night To this committee
viii be referred the BristOw report. and
all accompanying papers and matters
pertaining TO the same. and then any
member who Is entitled to one. and it
appears that practically all are. may re-
ceive a vindication.
Week of HysteIia.
A decision to this effect is the net re-
suit OF all the vituperation. hysteria,
and denunciation which members of the
House have INDUCED in for nearly
week since the BristoW report was sub
mitted to the House on Monday BY
Chairman Oversreet of the Postohice
Committee. Members on both sides of
the chamber have Wed with each other
not only in declaiming against the BTis-
tow data, but IN calling the Fourth AS
sistant Postmaster General hard names,
denouncing Postmaster General Payne,
and even in several instances casting
blame upon the President for response
bihty in sending such an Infamous doc
ument 10 Congress.
Two and three days ago Republicans
were joining with Democrats in shout
tigation. Had the vote been taken inn
mediately after members had read the
BristOW report there Is no doubt that
an investigation would have been order
ed, but the time which interviewed gave
the leaders an opportunity to exercise
party discipline, TO cool down hot
iican majority into line for "cOnserva-
tive action" The death Of Representa-
tive Croft Of South Carolina. which
caused an adjournment for one Gay,
gave the leaders an opportunity TO de-
wise a plan by which the maddened ones
could be whipped into line. 1t was SUBJ
nlitted TO the President ard received
his approval 1t found expression ia
the Mccall resolution to refer the entire
subject, so far as members only were
concerned, 10 a select committee Of
seven members Up TO the moment the
vote was taken. however. the Repubn-
cans INDUCED IN their rage, but when
the proper time came at the crack of
the whip they Gained down and fell
into line with an exhibition OF party
discipline which was nothing short OF
remarkable.
Original Plan Failed.
The original program OF the Post
office Committee to lay the Hay reso-
luton upon the table failed. as every
one knew it would as soon as members
had read the accompanying data. but
the majority, 10 a man, even after all
their shouts for investigation. lined Up
solidly at the appointed time against
the proposition OF the Democrats to
have an investigation OF the entire
Postofiice Department.
First. the minority proposition to
couple with the report on the Hay reso-
lutiOn a proposition for an investigation
OF the Postofice Department IN all its
branches was ruled out OF order as not
Rermane and not privileged. Then the
stralghtOut proposition to Investigate
thu Postoffice Department was denied
consideration. All that was done was
10 adopt the Mccall resolution to in
vesugate only the charges concerning
members
The scene in the House for six hours
preceding final action was one Of great
excitement, such has not occurred
before at this session. At Intervals the
House was IN uDrOar, and time and
again as FIRST a Democrat and then a
Republican would indulge in vftupera-
ton. the House awole the echoes with
applause. The denunciation which wds
general against Bristow two days ago
shifted in a large measure TO POstmas-
ter General Payne, and back Of him
the President was criticised.
The galleries were crowded through
our the entire day. even until the tina
or adjournment which was just before
o'clock Long lines stood in the cor
ridors at times waiting for an oppOr-
trinity to get inside and look down upon
the tumult below. Senator's came over
from the other end of the Capitol and
listened Altogether there was much
strenuosity. but little result.