The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-26
THEY ARE REAL ANGRY.
Phil Campbell Says House Menu
bers Will Harass BristOw.

ST. LOUIS, Mdfcn ZO.-OOASTeSoihioAA
Phil Campbell, who was brought here
this week by subpoena to testify for
Senator Burton in the federal court,
says that the congressman who were
incensed at Fourth Assistant Postmast-
er General Bristow a short time ago,
are continuing their opposition to the
appropria ton for Bristow's work in the
postofiice appropriation bill. Mr.. Camp
bell also says the anger of the mem
bers of congress who attacked Bristow
was entirely uncalled for.
THE members are themselves to blame
for the publicity given to this matter
and for the fact that reflections have
been cast on cerHin members" said
Mr.. Campbell. The house received
that postoffice report with clenched
fists and an outburst of fury. and the
press gallery naturally got the idea
that there was something very damag-
ing to the members in that report. This
was not the case. The BriStOW report
exonerated the members of congress.
Mr.. Bristow stated that the members
of congress had done nothing but what
was customary and expected of them.
Machen and Beavers were the ones he
was after. 1t is the natural thing when
postmaster wants additional help or
anything of the kind for him to write
TO his congressman about it., and the
member refers it to the department
with the request that if it be found
upon investigation that the postmaster
Is entitled to his request that it be
granted. That's one thing a congress-
man is for. Then it would be up to the
department officials to act, and it was
their duty to make the investigation.
This is where Machen and Beavers
were blamed.
Mr.. Calderhead had no call for his
attack on Mr.. Bristow or his reference
to the president. ] pointed out to him
a paragraph in Bristow's report which
eXonerated him. but he could only see
the clause which he thought censured
him. l think he would have been glad
to recall that speech if he could have
done so.
The members have subsidized some
what, but they will keep up their fight
on Bristow until after the postoffice
appropriation bill is passed. They pro-
pose to scale down the appropriation
for the bureaus under Bristow's direc-
ton There are five chief officers in
the postcftice department, the post
master general and his four assistants,
but Bristow has more work in his de-
partment than all the others combined.
He has the rural delivery service. the
city carrier systems, the inspection
bun eau and all the thousands of fourth
class poStofFices.'
Concerning his impressions of congress-
1onal life, Mr.. Campbell said:
1.-The first thing new congressman
learns Is to keep still and let the older
members run things. The new congress-
man doesn't cut a very big figure until
he learns few things. There is clever
cartoon1st on the Washington Post who
made cartoon out of a little speech 1
made some time ago along this line.
There was d little dinner given to
John Sharp Williams, the minority leader
in the house, to which I had the honor
to be invited, and was called ON to talk.
I had nothing special to say and simply
described how big the new congressman
feels when he is waiting for the train
which Will take him to Washington with
the rural delivery carriers and the local
politicians with him to see him off, and
then how small he feels when he gets to
Washington and finds out that nobody
pays any attention to him, and he even
has to ask a policeman where to go.
This Post cartoonist took my story
and made it into two pictures, one of
ington, swelled up with Importance and
bigger than the depot and everything else
in sight, with crowd of local people
staring at him open-mouthed and awe
struck The other picture showed the
new congressman in Washington, asking
a policeman much larger than he where
to go. And that's about the way it is
with a new congressman
Mr.. Campbell said he came to st. Louis
with no idea what he was summoned to
testify to-
L have no knowledge of the CASE he
said, except what Senator Burton has
told me since his Indictment, and he has
talked to all the other Kansas members
the same as he has to me, but of course
as long as / was subpoenaed, there was
nothing to do but to come"
Mr.. Campbell was not placed on the
witness stand after being brought clear
from Washington for that purpose.