The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-05
ARE MADE. TO
SHOW DOWN !;
Republicans Resist Attempt to
Have Postoffice5 Department
|. Investigated BY Congress, s
THE RESOLUTION. OF. Mr.. HA'YIt.
Virginia Representative Leads 8.
Fight and Wins at Least
Partial Victory. u

(From Aur Regular correspondent.)

t$S (From Aur Regular CorreSpondenr.) 45SS
n WASHINGTON Jan. Representative
Hay, OF Virginia, was the central figure
In n warm debate in the House today
ono in which the Republicans were made
Il. show more plainly than ever before 4
that they are absolutely determined. Il
possible, to prevent anything like a fair
Investigation OF corruption and Irregular
tiles In the Postoffice Department s& by \
Congress- IA The fight was precipitated by +
q resolution offered by Mr.. Hay, a lew Il
minutes after the session opened TO- day.
q nc resolution provided for the appoint
ment OF a committee by the Speaker to \
investigate and report upon the charges I
made by Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Bristow in his report that there
we're members of Congress who had been
ruilty of complcityain postal frauds, "a IN
that they had secured the annulment or \
leases by the government OF buildln gs IN
Which postoffices were located, and lea seq
them again to the government at q higher
rental. S74 81 .
Mr., Hay claimed that the resolution
was privileged, and the point was made 4
~ Representative Gillett, of Massac h,t;-S
sets. that the resolution was not privi-ss
Legged under the rules of the House FOR
the reason that 1t provided that lhere
should be q general investigation OF All
charges Of corruption and lrresuiat'tiess
er, OF New Jersey, opposed the resoiutioi
on the ground that the report referred
tn. charges against members OF FORMER
Congresses, and not members OF my
Fifty-eightn Congress.
representative Payne and Representa-
tive. Williams, the floor leaders for the y
Republicans and the Democrats. respec-a
lively, took part in the debate, ana MY
Inv had to speak several times IN q dY V!o'S
cacy of the resolution and against th iasN5
POINT Of order made against II.
SLOW DECIDING,
sneaker Cannon was very slow In Z de-
Gliding the point. 1t was plainly eVluens
That he was embarrassed. Everypn'oodu;T
could see that the resolution, u re1eceesl'
would put the Republicans III the at.l MS
Of refusing to investigate charges OF cor
,,,ntion made by an executive officer %
ma government against members or the
House OF Representatives, and It ls very!
likely that Uncle Joe saw that MS party
had made a mistake In opposing ". fia
consumed some time in summing up Ior4
eoch side, and there was DOUBT as to. Ms, nia
decision until the very last moment Whens
Il. snid: "In view OF all this, the CHAIR.
Is forced to decide that the po'tt y - =
IA lsed is not we'll takcrl, ~
Thora was considerable Democratic ap-
r1nIse and then Mr.. Hay, after lnqulrlnG
whether there was any turther oes!Te - =
sneak on the resolution, moved inc pelllle...S3
ing question. There was a roll car " ~
| this motion, and 1t was lost, thougn NY
by u strict party vote, seVeral ~
,,o,inr mat tho impending question De
oruered, evidently renlzlns the empat-'3j
| rnasnent IL would cause the party 70 nay
~ resoi,1tion shelved by referring " 70
,mn Committee on postoItices ana Post-
roads, MS Mi. Payne had SAID he deslred'
MATTER n AtR' I,
[. ~. >il',f,ll m i
| AS soon as the result OIL tno 'pA1 eu.s
| on the motion was annouhc''u, . 1 llo..o.
~, =" ' ., was made by Mr.. Payne, and
was adopted by a party vote ll9c AD 1sii y
| cats voting in the negative
| ,rhis leaves the entire matter o. lnVes-
| trction OF charges against menirefs Rori
| Congress in tho air. " VIII coihe w
to.morrow and be disposed OF tihallS.
| Tho question will probably 20 sett1e ,
| finally in literal sense, tor tll ousH
| tho Democrats VIII endeavor 70 n'.'S ~, LII
r,s tier investigated, it Is pretty "etl
! assured that the resolution VIII Do re,
Tnrred 10 the postoltice Committee and
that nothing more VIII DO heard or u,
REPRESENTATIVE Hay made u fine ilghs
| far the resolution. and was consratuailsu5
| nv his colleagues Oh his snrsWu my NY,
| to have the postotice scandals maze NY
| subject OF congressman lEiu.ls, s,,S
subject has come IN invarious ways. al'u
| t,,r Republicans have been very success
| ful In avoiding anything like tair M
vestigatIon or tho scandals In the Departs
ment, ana while the Democrats did Hpt5
win much as result OF the fight w.
day, it was made plain TO the country
| ,hnt Ina Republican, party Is dead SET
arainst even an investigation lnto
Charges affecting the integrity OF mems '''t
| beers OF the House.
Speaking after tho meeting oe5.'na
| lJouse to-day of tho Hay resolution ~
,n,,sst,pate the charges OF Fourth .Assis-l
liant stmaster-General BristoW that
members OF Congress had violated the
law in obtaining contracts Through benyvs
erc. former chief of the salaries ana atf
| lowance division, Representative WAf
| liama. Of Mississippi. said.
,If as has been suggested. any Demor1
| crat should be liable fer violation q the
| Ian in this matter I VIII unhestaAngiyi
move for his expulsion iFaa the Aausss IS