The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-23
ATTEMPT To PUNISH MR..
BR|STOW FAILS IN HOUSE
Mr.. Moon Rebukes Members Who
Are Trying to Get Even
with the PrOber.
WORK OF THE CONGRESS

WASHINGTON. March 22-Outside of
few routine matters the House OF Repre-
sentatives devoted the entire day to further
discussion of the postofice appropriation
bill. but disposed of only one page of the
bill.
AT the opening of the session Mr. Bah
cock, of Wisconsin. rising to question of
privilege, called attention TO an article
which appeared in a New York paper of
yesterday in which he is alleged to have
improperly used the mails. He said the
statements he referred TO were copied from
a campaign book issued in his district dur
ing the late campaign, which, he said, was
book OF Misrepresentation and untruths.
After full investiga ton of the unwarrant-
ed ISLANDERS of the charges he said the peo-
pie OF his district rose in their might and
turned them down. He said the documents
referred TO in the campaign book charging
him with stuffing the mails in the interest
OF the railroads had been sent out in the
course OF ordinary business and that he
knew nothing about the official weighing.
He also emphatically declared that he never
In his life issued railroad pass to any
body. He denied he led the hight 10 give
$9,VO,Vo TO the Pennsylvania Railroad TO
build a union station in Washington and
also voted TO give away SlSOO,COO of gov
eminent money for the Pacific railroads.
he closed by saying the entire article was
an absolute and unqualified falsehood. He
was applauded as he took his seat.
Mr.. Butler, of Pennsylvania; endeavored
ment TO the pOstoffice bill designed TO
transfer back to the office of the first
sistant postmaster general jurisdiction OF
the free delivery and rural delivery serV-
ices, which caused Mr. Moon, of Tennes-
see, the ranking minority member of the
committee, TO administer a rebuke to those
members who are trying to take from the
fourth assistant certain duties given to him
under law. He said there was a motive
behind it all and that certain members.
chatting under the recent report of the de-
partment, are seeking TO punish Bristow
tor discovering frauds in another bureau
of the department.
An amendment by Mr. Tawney, of Mime
sofa. which was agreed TO, prohibits the
postmaster general from ordering out of
postoffices telephone companies other than
the Bell Company
There was much feeling when Mr. Butler
offered his amendment transferring TO the
first assistant postmaster general so much
of the free delivery service was covered
by the appropriation OF S2O,UU0,ocO for letter
carriers in offices already established, for
subcarriers, temporary carriers at summer
resorts. holiday, election and emergency
service
The chair overruled a point of order
against the amendment, whereupon
Mr. Overstreet urged that the amendment
be voted down.
In a vigorous speech Mr.: Butler declared
that he did not think ii was we'll 10 put the
whole Postoffice Department under the
fourth assistant postmaster general. 1T is
not right, he said, Ito put 10000 men un-
der the charge and direction of one officer
of the government, unless he is a major
general of high rank" If the amendment
did not prevail, he declared, the fourth as
sistant postmaster general would have
twice as many people under him as were in
the regular army.
Mr.. Moon then made the protest already
L. hat IQrf-
incompetent, then the motion might be en-
tertained. The House must look at the mo-
tive behind it. The suggestion, he declared,
would not have been thought of unless there
had been some feeling somewhere against
General Bristow. Il submit to the House"
he said. that the country will say, if you
take this step, you intended to visit pun
shment on the fourth assistant postmaster
general for the part he took in discovering
fraud and Furnishing fraud in the office of
the first assistant postmaster general 1t
was, he said. not the time 10 do this.
why" he asked should We place the
control of Hhese things back under dis
credited bureau of the government? Why
take it from the Bureau that has brought
about the prosecutions of these wrongs?'
In a sarcastic vein he inquired Have
you such feeling towards Bristow because
he has discharged his duty that you propose
TO violate all precedent and take from the
postmaster general the discretion gwen
him?'' He said certain members were chat
ing under the recent Postoffice Department
as far from him as you can. The House
ought to stay by Bristow, just a little while
longer His remarks were greeted with
applause.
Mr. Overstreet appealed TO the common
sense and Judgment of the House. You
are undertaking here" he said, by an in
direct movement to carry through some pet
measure which is out of order, and by doing
so cripple the service in thousands of offices
in this country by making nugatory the APP
preparation for the 5000 letter carriers
of the country
Mr.. Livernash offered an amendment to
the Butler amendment increasing the
amount for letter carriers to $23,OO0.000 and
increasing the salaries OF carriers The
LiVernaSh amendment was lost 81 to IS and
the Butler amendment also was lost 10 to o.
Mr. Charles b. Landis of Indiana, called
attention to what he said was the ridiculous
practice of the department in renting
for their purchase outright. During the last
for this purpose. He spoke of a machine
which he said could be bought outright by
the government for 1925 each. In four
years, he said, the rental of each machine
in the service amounted to $1,000.
Mr. Overstreet opposed the amendment,
saying that the cost for this same work
done by clerks would be enormously in
creased should the government be unable
to purchase the machines.
The Lands amendment was agreed to-
Ga to 3S. The resignation of Charles Dick
a representative from Ohio, to take effect
at noon tomorrow, was read.
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