Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-10
THE HOUSE UP
Members Resent Publication
Of Bristow Report.
DECLARE INNOCENCE
DENoUNCE THE FOURTH ASSIST
ANT POSTMASTER GENERAL.
Gen. Grosvenor and Mr.. Hill of Con-
necticut Show Great Indignation
in Their Remarks.

The publication of the report involving
members of Congress in the use of their
influence with the Post Office Department
was the cause Oh whirlwind of protest in
the House of Representatives yesterday
afternoon. The report was taken up by
indignant members, the:- personal connec-
ton with it explained and epithets hurled
at Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
.Bristow.
When The Stars report of the House pro-
ceedings closed yesterday Mr.. w. w. Kitch-
in of North Carolina had the floor Mr..
Kitchin severely criticised Gen. Bristow
and charged him with having deliberately
suppressed important and material facts.
facts he said, (which could not be over
looked. and which were suppressed, in my
judgment, for the purpose of giving false
impression to the country and misleading
the public
Bristow'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 blackmail
Congress, to silence Congress and to silence
the country" he declared. adding: 1T is a
species of intimidation. He asked if those
on the republican side would sit still and
stop the investigation, and thus give the
backbiters an opportunity to attack the
character and integrity of those whom
Bristow had accused.
The Report Denounced as Libel.
Amid storm Oh applause lasting for sew
eral minutes, Gen. Grosvenor (Ohio), who
was named in the report, took the floor.
He said that this was a pretty good speci-
men of the readiness with which the news
papers of the country and the great body
of the people grasp publication or state
nd as w mi a G.
sumo good 1t was matter, he said, de-
serving of most serious consideration.
He conyulsed the House by reading an
editorial which referred to Speaker Cannon
and Representatives Payne and Hill as
having been taken red handed" but,
speaking seriously, he said it was in accord
with the views of % per cent of the news
papers of the country. The lbeler in this
case should be forced to the wall. The re-
port he continued, was a malicious libel
upon 1911 members of the House and Senate.
II submit" said he, that the investigation
which the gentleman from Indiana has
been apologizing for is an outrage and a
violation of every principle of justice.
Prolonged applause followed this state
ment.
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, Published he said, with
earnestness, Ito the world with a flourish
of trumpets which has been followed by
every attempt to peryert public opinion.
In order to show what he termed the inf
mite rascality' of the Bristow report, Mr..
Grosvenor explained the cases in which his
name was mentioned II will resign my
seat tomorrow he said pounding his desk.
"if there is anything irregular or i'm
proper in what l did" Then, showing the
effects of his indignation. Mr. Grosvenor
pounded his desk again and said: II con-
denim the man that sent that into this
House.
"Can any self-respecting congressman"
he asked, fever enter the Office OF the man