The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-12
HE WANTS TO
INVESTIGATE.
Mr.. German Supports Culberson
Amendment to Postoffice
Appropriation Bill.
------------------
.ALDRlcH OPPOSED e: MEASURE.
Several Interesting selni-Politi-.
cal Spcccllcs-Mr. Simmons
Talks at Length.
OPPOSED MEASURE.
INV Associated Press.)

& sWAsHINGTON,i D. ca April l.-Ihe
Culberson amendment to the postoli1ce APP
propraton BILL providing for q com
mission to Investigate the Postotfice DE.
partmcnt, was before the SeEato all Q {
to-day, and after being ruled out OF
order was pending IN modified form when
tho Senate adjourned Mr.. German made
an earnest plea for an Investigation, say
Ing tho Postofilce Department had cast
reflections upon members OF Congress-,
and that thorough examination should
DO had. Mr.. Aldrlch answered that the
amendment. as finally modified, meant
nothing; that II an Investigation was to
be had 1t should be "a live one lie
said that II any specific charges were
brought In they should be looked INTO
BY Congress, but that the demand should
not be made a part Of a general appro-3
priatfon bill. Semi political spe eches we're
made by Messrs. Teller and Simmons
Mr.. Teller said Fourth Assistant Post;
masetr-Ceneral Brstow had stated that
Beavers got only $4,000 and Machen5
500. 900, and yet the government had been
tefra1dcd out Of a total Of s",O0.C0O.
1t was this amount In which there was
interest There was high authority for.
saying the Postoflce Department ought
to be investigated further. Tho Presi7i
don't and his two attorneys had said this.
Yet the Republicans OF the Senate had
begged the question and declared there
was nothing further to be Investigated rs
Referring to the charge made a few
days ago that the Democrats did not
know who their candidate for the presi-
dency would be, Mr.. Teller said:
NO Mr.. President, we do not know
whether dt Will DO Cleveland, Parker
Hearst or Bryan. ii The Democratic party
never krows VII It Is going to nominate
until after its convention meets.
Mr. Simmons answered the recent
speech Of Mr. spooner, who defended 1, "a
Postmaster-General3 Payne from whnt he
treated as an attack by Mr.. Simmons IN
previous remarks. .3&a. MI
Mr.. Simmons declared to-day that his
remarks In relation to the reluctance OF
the Postoffice Department to undertake
an Investigation referred to hesitancy on
tho part of former Postmas ter-General
Smith, ard not to the present Postmas-
5ter-General. Mr.. Payne. FIe, however
has belief that the investigation had
been delayed, and also that the present
Postmaster-Ge General had not treaty. fairly.
the offer OF S.. w. Tulloch to give testl-5
mony in regard to conditions iE the de-
frartment. This act OF discourag cement,
said Mr.. Simmons was calculated 70
deter the work Of unearthing the scam
tdals in the department. Returning to his
speech OF fortnight ago, when ne re-
ferred to the selection by the Democrats
OF candidate, for tho presidency ne
said tho country had witnessed the spccta-
Gle OF a President. held upon the one hard
as a trust buster, ard On the other as q
safe man for business Interests. we
have had the spectacle OF the only ori-
ginal trustabuster, the attorney general
who has acted as lord high eXec,.tioner
and n score or moro assistants, said
Mr.. Simmons, land they have managed
to fird two trusts to prosecute
Mr.. Simmons reviewed the Investigation
in the Postomce Department. particularly
In reference to tho career Of Mr.. Machen.
He spoke of Mr.. NIachen's alleged pecu-
lations and referred to the Bristow re-
mort to show that his intriguing was
rot hold until Mr.. Heath became First
Assistant Postmaster-General Mr. Sim
mons said that only three Of the per
sons found to have been mixed up In the
postofflce frauds We're appointed under
Democratic administrations.
Mr.. German made o plea foss favorable
action on the Culberson amendment, say
ing that the conditions In the department
we're such as to make an inquiry impera-
tive. He said that the report of the
fourth assistant Postmaster General prac-
tically charged members Of Congress with
being confed crates of Machen and Beavers,
ana that on this account Congress could
not in Justice to itself. refuse to make
an inquiry. Ee quoted the Presidents
memorandum In the Machen case, saying
that 1t also raised question rs to the
conduct of tho members, and added under
these charges Congress could not afford
to let the matter rest. The departments
reflection upon Congress. he denounced
as an 'outrage." and said that instead OF
there being a question Of politics M
5volved, the honor and integrity OF Con-
gress We're in question.
Mr.. Aldrlch replied:
''Give us an explicit charge and NO
Will take 1t UP.
Mr.. Culberson said that. II explicit
charges were necessary they could be
found In the case OF the Montague indl.
Gator and in the case Of John w, Petit.
In the former case there Is. he said. accord
ing to the Bristow report, a mystery as to
whether former first assistant Post
master General Heath had received two
thousand OF the shares Of the stock OF
that concern. In the case Of Petit. that
individual 1t has been disclosed. had been
on the pay roll OF the Baltimore postof11ce
for four years without doing any work.
and that 1t had never been shown
whether he had been appointed to this
work by Mr.. Heath or by Beavers.
Mr.. Lodge said that both Heath and
Beavers are out OF the department. and
Beavers is under course of prosecution:
hence, no did not consider the charge Of
a character to affect the present con
duct Of tho department He considered
the character of the charges as conclusive
In showing the demand for an investiga-
tlon to be a sham. After some further
discussion the Senate adjourned
THE FEDERAL COURT.