Arizona republican., 1904-01-09
THEP.O.FRAUDS
Democratic Senators Want
 "a Party Issue
WANT OF THOROUGNSS
They Contend That While the Depart ment is Honest, It Has not Gone Far Enough Into the Rottenness of the Service.

Washington, Jan. S-The alleged post office frauds were under discussion in the senate today. the subject being opened in a set speech by MT. Simmons of North Carolina
 He predicted that when the resolu- tions came back from the senate con- mittee they would be defeated by prac- tically a unanimous vote. Mir. Sim mons made a point that the frauds ex- posed by MT. Bristow, in nearly every instance, form a civil liability and that the government funds which had been wasted should be recovered in a court of law. MT. Simmons referred to for mer Assistant Postmaster General Heath and said that therS was every reason why an inquiry should be direct ed to find out what his connections were with the pOstoffice scandals. He did not say Perry Heath was guilty but if he was not connected with the frauds he was surrounded by the most curious set of cfrcuns tances that had ever been known. MT. Simmons also criticised former Postmaster General Smith because he did not investigate the Tulloch charges.
 Mir Platt of Connecticut, replying. said it had been charged by the demo- cratic senators in direct terms that the investigation was not thorough because the republicans objected to the investi- gation.
 Such was not the case. What the re- publicans had demanded was that the postoffice committee should conduct an inquiry to determine whether a con gressional investigation was necessary. Mir. Platt criticised the democrats for their failure to express one genuine hearty word Of praise for the president, the postmaster general. and the fourth assistant postmaster general for the good work done.
 An exception te the republican po- sition was taken by Mir. Carmack. who said the democrats were not agreed to leave the matter directly to the com rittee on postoffices ard post roads
 We admit" he said, that MT. Bis tow's Investigation was thorough as far as it went, but we deny that 1t was elaborate or comprehensive" Mir. Platt contended that the committee should report to the senate whether an investi- gatlon is necessary.
 Mir. Carmack argued that such an ar engagement would leave the entire mat ter in the hands of the committee. The senate now. he said, should order an investigation. No course short of this would meet the demands of the situe.- tion. lie declared that the postmaster general had stood in the way of an honest investigation and in view of his obstinate opposition and the fact that the rottenness had been found in some divisions of the postoffice department. | the inference was that there was cor ruDticn in the other divisions Mir. Deliver said the disclosures of corruption In the pcstoffice department instead of convincing him that gen. eral investigation was necessary show ed that the business departments of the government had been well conducted The exceptions that have been un earthed, he said. were ir cases where private or secret contracts had hem made for the purchase of supplies. The fact that there had been no embezzle- ments or misapplication c.f government funds, where a. strict auditing system was employed. proved. he said. that the general business is we'll conducted.
 MT. Teller said that only the sugges- tion of a political purpose in the inves- tlgation had come from the republican side. It seemed to him that the public interest alone should be considered. So far as there had been an investigation It. had come only as a result of influence outside the postoffice departments and the public never would D esatisfied un- til there should be m inquiry by par sons not likely to be smirched by it. As for the qualifications of the senate fc make the investigation. the senators should not sit in their seats unless ca pablo of conducting such an inquiry, and people generally. said he. demand that it shall be undertaken.
 eff it is not made in accordance with this demand" he said, "you will hear such roar as will make you trenbIe in your seats.'
 By unanimous consent, further con sideration of the investigation resolu- tons was postponed until Monday. when it was agreed that they should be resumed Immediately after the concIu sion of routine business.
 A house bill permitting the issuance of bonds for the construction of q wa gon road to the government dam on the Salt River in Arizona. was passed.
 At 3:30 the senate went into execu- tive session and ot $40 adjourned until Monday.