The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-10

sible short of a vote in that body to-day.
With a whirlwind of protest the report
taken up by indignant members, their
personal connection with II explained anu
epiuhets hurled at Fourth Assistant POST
master General Bristow-
THE BriStow report was conceived IN
inquiry, born in sin and has travelled Its
course until it has struck the public o.
the United States as a great attack on
body of men as free from wrong-dolng,
corruption crime and irregularity as any
equal number of men on the face OF the
earth" This was the parting shot OF Rep
resentative Grosvenor, of Ohio, IN paying
his tribute to the report.
THAT document is the production or a
liar and a scoundrel. shouted representa-
PLANTATION of his connection with certain
leases. He added that he should vote both
to investigate himself and also the fourth
assistant postmaster general
There is nothing in any OF II TO I'M
pugn any improper motive or conduct upon
any member of the House, said Chairman
Overstreet, of the committee, VINO com
bated the idea of an investigation: What
ever may be the truth of the allegations
in the several indictments against postal
officials, he said, the mere TACT that the
various recommendations of representa-
tives in Congress passed through the hands
of men whose conduct has been severely
criticised and whose liberties nave pe zen
threatened imputes neither censurable
conduct nor improper acts on their part
He said that the recommendations OF mem
bers referred to in the Bristow report 1ol-
lowed the usual line of Recommendations
relative to increased allowance for clerk
hire al third and fourth-class postomces
and the matter of rent of postoffice puiId-
ings. The test which governed the al
lowance of clerk hire at such offices was
the test known only to the postal officials
NO VIOLATION OF LAW.
ct can be said with absolute assurance
of accuracy" he continued, that there
was in no instance any violation OF any
law whatever by any member of Congress
in making any recommendation either for
increase of clerk hire allowance or increase
of rent of postoffice buildings"
The resolution proposed investie alton
by five members of this body, he said,
whereas a committee of seventeen men,
bers representing an equal number OF
States, of both parties in politics. which
already has had before it in a proper way
this information, has unanimously report
ed TO the House that there is no need for
further investigation. nor would any Iur-
Their investigation elicit additional facts suf-
fcent to change its conclusions. III com
mittee of five should be appointed, he said'
il would be compelled to reach the same
conclusion, which would be that there is
nothing on which TO impugn any improper
motive or conduct upon any member OF the
House. Mr.. Overstreet moved that debate
continue until o'clock tomorrow, which
was agreed to unanimously.
Mr. Cooper, of Wisconsin, followed and
said he was lone of the members under IN
dictment No member of the House, he
said, whose name was In the hst coupled
with that of A. w. Machen, whom the coun-
try knows and the world knows is con-
victed felon on his way 10 the penltentlary,
has the right to stand up in the House and
ask for a moments delay upon the resolu-
This remark ELECTED loud applause from
both sides of the House and In the CALLER
les which by this time had filled up 10 the
limit Speaking with much feeling and
earnestness Mr.. Cooper said Who knows
better than do whether | am guilty IL
| Again he was applauded. There was no
| question of politics in the matter he said
one EN-. man md The other whom we expect to
| 90 ON the same road" is a Republican. He
| said that President Roosevelt had directed
| the prosecution or members Oh MS own
party.
BRISTOW ACCUSED.
Mr. w. w. Kitchin North Carolina)
! charged General Bristow with having de-
liberately suppressed important and ma
terial facts. facts" he said, pounding his
desk (which could not be overlooked and
which were suppressed, in my judgment,
for the purpose of giving a false impress
sion to the country and misleading the
nublic." Bristow's action, he said, was
neither courageous nor honest, but for
nartisan purposes. He knew the country
demanded an investigation" Mr.. Kitchin
/ said. He undertook, in my judgment, TO
| hlackmail Congress, to silence Congress,
and to silence the country. II Is species
of intimidation He asked u the hepuo-
| ton and thus give the back-biters op-
| portunity TO attack the character and in
| tegrity of those whom Bristow had &C
Amid storm of applause lasting for sew
eral minutes General Grosvenor. who was
/ named in the report, said that this was
! Of he limo -xrrffh
/ which the newspapers of the country and
| the great body of the neople grasp a pub
/ lcation or a statement and assume evil
i where they might assume good. he con-
| vulsed the House by reading editorial
| which referred 10 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 newspapers
/ of the country. The report was a malicious
libel on 191 members of the Housf and Sem
! ate Il submit" said he, that the in
! vestigation which the gentleman from In
! diana has been apologizing for is an out
rage and violation of every principle Of
Prolonged applause followed this state
| ment He wanted TO know by what right
! the Bristow report had been published be-
| fore the action of any tribunal had es-
! tablished the truth of II. In order to show
what he termed the infinite rescality" Of
! the BristoW report, Mr.. GrOsvenor explained
the cases in which his name was mentioned.
| Il will resign my seat Tomorrow" he
said pounding his desk, If there is any
/ thing irregular or improper in what did. ."
Then showing the effects Of his indigna-
ton Mr.. Grosvenor pounded his desk again
| and said: Il condemn the man that sent
| that into this house. Can any self-respect-
ing 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 il would be said that i'm the
| American Congress there were l9l rascals.
| If the Postoffice Department had some Off
| cial whose judgment was so dwarfed by
/ the opinion of congressman the official
had better be turned out. he declared The
Bristow report. he said In conclusion. was
conceived in iniquity and born in sin and
/ had travelled its course until II had struck
the public Of the United States as a great
attack on a body of men las free from
wrongdoing. corruption, crime and irregu-
larity 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 grat
fervor and earnestness, took his seat
! Mr.. Williams. the Democratic leader
urged a complete investigation Of the who's