The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-03-17
REPUBLICANS
TO INVESTIGATE
CONGRESSMEN DETERMINED TO
CLEAR THEIR SKIRTS.
BRISTOW'S BOLD CHARGES
Cause Spirit of Resentment and
Demand for Full Investigation to
Be Made by Those Whom the Init
nation Involves.


Washington. The Republican lead
ers in the House have hastily arrang-
ed plan for an investigation of the
connection of members of that body
with the Postoffice Department. This
investigation, if the plan succeeds, is
to be conducted by a special commit
tee, to be appointed by the speaker.
1t Will have authority to inquire into
the full details of every representa-
ton which has been made to the Post
Office Department by members of the
House Of Representatives Each
member whose case IS taken up by
the committee will be given an oppor-
tunity to be heard. In this way it
is believed that injustice which mem
bers feel has been done them by pub
hcation Of the report from the De-
partment my be remedied. The indig-
nation at the publication Of the re-
port has by no means subsidized and
the general belief is that had vote
been taken the democratic PROPOSE
ton for a full investigation of the
whole postoffice department would
have prevailed. This plan has not
been abandoned by the minority, and
when the republican proposition is
presented an effort will be made to
amend it by adding provision for the
sweeping investigation which the dem
ocrats believe should be made.
Washington-M McLaurin, of
Mississippi, took the floor in the Sen
ate few days ago to make a person
al explanation regarding a newspaper
paragraph saying that the authorities
of Indianola, Miss, are engaged in
arresting people for selling photo
graphs of President Roosevelt and
Booker T. Washington. Ordinarily,
said McLaurin, a story Of this charac-
ter may not be worth attention, but
under the circumstances he felt he
should refer to it for the purpose Of
refuting it, as it is entirely without
foundation. Mr.. McLaurin said the
paragraph had grown out of state
ment made in newspaper letter writ
ten by an attorney of Leland, Miss,
who told of the arrest at that point Of
three men who, he said, were engaged
IN selling pictures Of the President
and Washington seated at a table to-
gether, and also pictures of an OBJ
scene character. These pictures, he
said, appealed strongly to race pre-
JUDGE. Similar arrests also, Mr. Nc
Laurin said, had been made in India
nola, and it was found upon hearing
Of the case that a concern engaged In
publishing the pictures in question
had many agents in the interest Of
these works. The men were tried and
some of them sent out Of the country,
and Mr.. McLaurin expressed surprise
that any community should have per-
mitted them to be tried He said the
penalty imposed by law was entirely
too small and expressed the opinion
that the death penalty would not be
too severe. He added that the ar
rests were not made because the men
were selling photographs of the Pres
idcnt or Washington, but because
they were selling lewd pictures Mr.
Foraker said he had never heard OF
the firm mentioned as responsible for
the publication Of the pictures.
Dy appointment Speaker Cannon
and Representative Overstreet, chair
man Of the house committee on post
Offices and postroads, had an extend
ed conference with the president. Ex-
cept that the interview related to the
situation in congress created by the
report of the postoffice department on
the inquiry Of the affairs of the de-
partment, no statement regarding it
was made. Speaker Cannon intimat-
ed by some stories he related that I'M
due Importance was being attached to
the report of the department, but
neither he nor Mr.. Overstreet would
make specific statement. Other
members of congress, including Sen
ators Penrose and Elkins and Repre-
sentative Lands Of Indiana, had talks
with the president, in which they dis
cussed the postofice affairs. The pres
ident sent for Assistant Postmaster
General Bristow and had conference
with him. No information was obtain
able at the White House concerning
the situation in congress.