Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-03-10
From Washington.
CORRESPONDENCE of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, March 10.

CORRESPONDENCE Of the Alexandria Gazette.
Washington, March 10.
Congressman and their secretaries are
hunting the Postofice Department, as a
consequence of the sweeping report made
by the department on the dealings OF
congressman with the department in
reference to postoffce leases and clerk
hire. They are unable to see Post
master General Payne, or Mr.. Bristow,
the former being confined at his hotel
with grip while the latter has been at
his Office only one afternoon in several
weeks, being on vacation. Mr. Con-
reard, Mr.. Brist0w's chief clerk, refers
congressional visitors bent on action
with reference to the report, to the d.
vision on salary and allowance, formerly
superintendent by George w. Beavers,
where they can have access to and OBJ
tain copies of the letters and recommen-
dations on which the report of their ac-
tivity in the matter of leases and clerk
hire was based. The refusal of officials
of the department TO admit that they
had the direction OF the report compi-
aiion is explained by pOstOtfice inspec-
tors. who simply went through the files
and with the aid of stenographers gather
ed the material which constituted the
report which so Ofends the House.
"What could we do other than furnish
the papers and information demanded by
the resolution" asked an official this
morning. off We had refused to give
Congress the report, the cry would have
been raised, the 'P. o. d. is bigger than
Congress- We were up against it. "
Russia having formally granted per-
mission for four United States army of
| 6cers to accompany her land forces in
the war with Japan, Lieut.. Gen Chaffee
today assigned for this duty the follow
ing officers who are now in the Philip
pines: Mai. w. w. Gibson, ordnance
CORPS Capt w. V. Jackson, engineer
corps Capt. George G. Galley, artillery
corps; Capt Carl Reichmann, 18th
infantry.
Senator Tillman, of South Carolina,
was operated on at his home in this city
this morning for a small but intensely
painful abscess which has formed on his
left tonsil as result of grip and sore
throat. The abscess was lanced by Doc
tors Charles Richardson and Ford john
son, who say there is no immediate dan
ger in the Senator condition and careful
treatment will ensure acomplete recovery
in few weeks. AS soon as the doctors
will permit, the patient will be taken to
his home in Edgefeld, S. c., where the
climatic conditions will be beneficial. He
may not be able to travel for several
days.
The House leaders including Speaker
Cannon, recognizing the ugly temper OF
the House provoked by the latest Bris-
tow report, dealing with the relations of
members of Congress, and the Postoffice
Department, have determined not to
stand in the way of the investigation
desired by a majority of the men,
bers. A practical agreement has been
reached which looks to the adop-
ton of a substitute resolution for
the Hay resolution, and which will
provide or the reference of the subject to
a select committee, to be appointed by
the Speaker. 1t is the intention that
this committee shall investigate not the
charges against the Postofice Depart
ment, bat the charges under which men,
bers of the House rest, because of the
Bristow report 1t is believed that this
action will be generally satisfactory and
acceptable at least to the republican
members.
President Roosevelt, Speaker Cannon
aud Representative Overstreet, chairman
Of the House committee on pOstOfhces
and postroads, had conference at the
White House this morning over the Hay
resolution and its disastrous effect. Al
though nothing definite was given out
after the consultation was over, it is I'M
derstood that an investigating committee
of some sort will probably be appointed
to 90 into the matter more thoroughly
and give innocent members chance to
purge themselves of the suspicion of hav
ing used their influence to secure illegal
increase of rents and additional help in
their pet postoffices. Many of the rep
resentatives who have called at the
White House since the publication of
the Bristow report on the matter blame
the President for its issuance. 1t was a
piece of poor politics, they say, to place
a weapon of this sort in the hands of the
enemy at this time and in the shape it
appeared.
At the opening of the Smoot inquiry
this morning Attorney Tayler having an
nounced his purpose to make use OF ex-
tracts from the Olives of the Apostles"
of the Mormon church, a series of bio
graphical sketches, Andrew Jensen, as
sistant historian Of the church, who pre-
pared the book, was called to tell where
he had obtained hisinformation. esaid
he had obtained most of it from previous
publications of the church. In his para
graph regarding Mr.. Smoot he admitted |
a typographical error as TO the date of
his becoming an apostle and also that he
had not consulted Smoot or his family |
regarding his biography. Many questions
were propounded the witness concerning
certain prominent MOrmons, their domes- |
tic relations, Mormon customs, &c. |