The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-10
ROAST BRISTOW.
Congressman Hurl All Sorts of
Epithets at Him.
Great Indignation Over the
Committee Report.
MADE TO FEEL CHEAP.
TRADE Is Stopped by Cooper of
Wisconsin,.
BristOW Is Innocent.
MADE TO FEEL CHEAP.

by the house of representatives will re- |
suit from the publication of the report
involving members of congress in that
connection was indicated by every ex-
preston possible short of vote in that
body. With a whirlwind of protest, the
report was taken up by indignant
members, their personal connection
with it explained. and epithets hurled
at Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gener-
al Bristow.
1.-THE Bristow report was conceived
in iniquity. born in sin and has travel
ed it's course until it has struck the
public of the United States as a great
attack on a body of men as free from
wrongdoing, corruption, crime and ir-
regularity as any equal number of men
on the face of the earth.''
This was the parting shot of Repre-
sentative Grosvenor, of Ohio in paying
his tribute to the report.
THAT document is the production of
a liar and a scoundrel," shouted Rep
resentative Hill, of Connecticut in
making an explanation of his connec-
ton with certain leases. He added that
he should vote to investigate himself
and also the fourth assistant postmas-
ter general
There is nothing in any of it to inn
pute any improper motive or conduct
upon the part of any member of the
house, said Chairman Overstreet. of
the committee. whO combated the idea
of an investigation.
Mr.. Williams, the Democratic leader.
urged a complete investigation of the
whole postoffice department and receiV-
ed the hearty applause of both sides of
the house and the galleries.
AS to the Bristow report, Mr.. Will
liams demanded:
What was the motive of it2 Wasn't
it to give the congress notice that the
department held something over con-
gress. and that congress had better let
the department alone?" he inquired,
his words being drowned by applause
from both sides.
Are you going to meet it?" he de-
manded. or are YOU not to meet it 2
Mr. Kitchin, of North Carolina,
charged General Bristow with having
deliberately suppressed important and
material facts, facts he said. pound
ing his desk. which could not be
overlooked and which were suppressed.
in my judgment, for the purpose of
giving a false impression to the coun-
try and misleading the public" Bris-
toW's action. he said, was neither
courageous nor honest, but for partisan
purposes"
He knew the country demanded an
investigation" Mr.. Kitchin said. He
undertook, in my judgment, to black
mail congress, to silence congress. and
to silence the country 1t IS a species
of intimidation"
Amid a storm of applause lasting for
several minutes. General Grosvenor. of
Ohio, who was named in the report.
said that this was pretty good speci-
men of the readiness with which
the great body of the people
grasp a publication or a statement and
assume evil where they might assume
good. He convulsed the house by read
.faI hfah rofa fn
Speaker Cannon and Representatives
Payne and Hill as having been taken
"redhanded" but, sepaking seriously, he
said it was in accord with the views of
% per cent of the newspapers of the
country. The report was a malicious
libel on 191 members of the house and
senate. Il submit he said that the
investigation which the gentleman from
outrage and a violation of every prin-
ciple off justice" Prolonged applause
followed this statement. He wanted to
know by what right the Bristow report
had been published before the action of
any tribunal had established the truth
of it, In order to show what he termed
"the infinite rascality' of the Bristow
report, Mr.. Grosvenor explained the
cases in which his name was mention
ed II will resign my seat tomorrow
he said pounding his desk, ''if there is
anything irregular or improper in what
l did" Then showing the effects of his
INDIGNATION, Mr.. GroSvenor pounded his
desk again and said: Il condemn the
1any self-respeccting congressman ever
enter the office of the man who will
produce such a document as that?"
This report, he added, would be
printed abroad and it would be said
that in the American congress there
wer 191 rasoalS. If the poStoffice de-
partment had some official whose judg-
ment was SO dwarfed the official had
better be turned out, he declared. The
BristoW report, he said in conclusion
was born in iniquity and conceived in
sin and had Travelled its course until it
had struck the public of the United
States as a great attack on a body of
men "as free from wrongdoing, corrup-
tion. crime and irregularity as any
equal number of men on the face of the
EARTH
There was prolonged applause on both
sides of the house as General Grosvenor
who spoke with great fervor and earn
estness,s took his seat.
Mr. Thompson of Alabama, also
named in the report, characterized the
report as infamous and having for its
object the intimidation of members in
order to keep them from insisting on
their rights. He declared that no in
sinuation of the kind would keep him
from exercising his duty as a congress-
man.
Mr.. Robinson, of Arkansas. demand
ed an investigation of the entire post
office department, '.it having confessed
with fair degree of seeming proprie-
ty'' The Bristow report, he said, was
an attempt to muddy the waters,
and prevent the house from making
thorough investigation of that depart
ment.
Mr. Cooper, of Wisconsin, interrupt
ed Mr.. Robinson and said he had been
informed by an old member of the