The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-04-01

washington. March 3O.-The Senate
today began considera ton of the post
Office appropriation bill and it was the
signal for revival of the Democratic
demand for an investigation into the
charges Of corruption in the postoffice
department.
The debate was initiated by Mr.. Cor
man. who spoke for almost two hours
in criticism of the course OF the Repub-
lican party in the Senate in refusing an
inquiry. Mr.. German referred to the
hasty consideration and report of the
bill and asserted that there had been
persistent deniaIs of the privilege OF
investigation of the affairs of the post
office department. He urged that 1t
was not yet too late to take steps TO
prevent further robbery and theory In
the department. 1T is said he went
on that Congress must adjourn speed
lily; that from one source a request
amounting to orders have gone out.
| that it is inconvenient for one branch
| Of the government to have Congress
| on its hands; that if there is delay
| there are likely to be disagreeable in
| ference from what has already been
| developed"
| I'VE have reached time when there
is much preaching of honesty and high
mindedness. but corruption bubbles
| 1t came like a fog, and has not yet
[ lifted and we cannot tell whether ell
| the information is yet out
Mr.. German referred to the charges
! made by the postoffice department.
| saying he believed they had been made
| for the purpose OF diverting attention
| from the guilty ones who had filched
! money from the treasury and abused
their trusts. AS for himself, he was of
the opinion that members had not done
| more in the matter than their public
| duties required
Mr.. German called attention to the
! habit of criticising men engaged in leg
islative work and he concluded that the
criticism grew out of a we'll directed
effort to build up a one-man, cZar-like
government So far, indeed. had this
plan progressed that legislation has
come. to be mere farce and all meas
ures being dictated by the executive.
It was coming to be that only an ex-
ecutive order was necessary to get an
| appropriation. The result is that Con-
| gress becomes a mere recording body
I'VE are now told,' he continued
that having approved the plans Of the
! executive, we must adjourn and 60
home because Of the fear of damaging
disclosures. The fear is SO great that
| we are to be sent away and not allow
ed to do anything"
He then referred to some pending leg
islation and included in the list MI
| Foraker's bill for the amendment Of the
antitrust law. He referred to Attor-
ney General Knox's statement regard
| ing this bill. saying that il was not a
| departmental measure. Think OF I'll!
, | said Mr. German. Notice is given tc
, Congress that nothing should be done
in the way of legislation, without con
,s,,.z %s1raf ~
| American people do not want one mar
| control Mr.. German contended- HI
! hoped that such action would be taker
! as would prevent one man control the
next four years. whoever might I'LL tn'
, White House.
Mr.. German closed with the declara
: ton of: that the postoffice depart
ment was honeycombed with corrup
ton and inefficiency."
: Mr.. Penrose, chairman OF the com
I | mittee on postoffices said that while h.
2 had originally favored an investigation
| he had now reached the conclusion tina
| none was necessary. Mr.. Penrose chal
2 | lenged the accuracy OF Mr.. GOrman'
g | statement that extraordinary haste ha'
: been exercised by the committee ol
4 | postoffices in the preparation OF tn
s bill. The subject matter OF the meas
e ure had been receiving attention. n
: said. since last December.
II. bOQSc SustdlHe1 III ooC
a | statement that there had been no IN
s due haste IN bringing the postofic
e bill into the Senate. II was true tina
the committee had done all IN its powe
to promote an early ADJOURNMENT
The party in power" he proceeded
i has deemed IL best TO bring about a
f | early adjournment If IL could be don'
So far as I am aware, there have bee
| no instructions received from anybod
l. In any quarter. Il was not on this sid
of the chamber that the expression
Cuckoo originated. That word
c. chargable 10 the Senator from Alabam
OIL and applied to his side of the chamber
o. 1t also should be borne In mind.
ntt said. that the charge that a Presidel
1t had said he wanted TO get Congress O
n his hands was TO be traced TO a DEM
or cratic President and Mr.. German h.
y, gotten his Presidents mixed
as Mr.. Lodge declared that the Dem
D. Gratis had criticised the early meetil
n OF Congress and were now criticism
he the prospect OF early adjournment.
rsi Mr. Clay took issue with Mr.. Lodgs
statement that the Democratic par