Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-01-07
DEBATE N TIE SENATE
Mr.. spooner Comes to the De-
tense of Postmaster GEN
eral Payne
CORRUPTION NO PARTY MATTER
Senator German Proposes to Make
Protective Laws to Eliminate the
Chance of Such Corruption in the
Future in Postoffice Department
Investigations Worthless.

Washington, Jan alleged ir-
Irregularities in the postotfice depart
ment constituted the only theme in tbs
senate yesterday The question came VI
on motion first made by Mr. Lodge
and afterwards by Mr.. Penrose TO re-
fer the Carmack resolution looking to a
senatorial investigation OF the postof-
flee department 10 the committee on
postofiices and postroads. The demo-
cratic senators resisted the motion and
be satisfied with an investigation of q
department made by the department
itself. The debate continued for al
most two and half hours and was ex-
tremely spirited from start to finish
Mr.. Carmack charged that Postmaster
General Payne had been lukewarm In
the beginning of the department in
QUESTION and Mr.. Spooner replied IN
defense OF Payne, saying that he had
asked for money for an Investigation
before the department began its work
and when 1t was undertaken had given
1t every assistance. Mr.. Clay sail
that the tenor OF the Bristow report
had convinced him that Mr.. BristoN
considered former First Assistant
Postmaster General Heath more guilty
than any one else connected With the
pos1ofiice Irregularities. Before the de-
bate closed MIR. German said that he
had had conference with Mr.. PERI
rose. chairman OF the postoffice COM
mittee, and was willing to have the
resolution referred. Further consider
alton of the subject was deferred until
Friday.
Mr.. Teller. in speaking on the sub
ject. said that. IL for no other reason
than that criminal charges had been
made against senators and members OF
the house of representatives. an in
vestigation should be made.
Mr. Carmack quoted newspaper re-
port to the effect that Mr.. Payne had
referred to the Tulloch charges as hot
air" and Mr.. Spooner said that this
statement had covered the Bristow liz
quiry only. As for the Tulloch charges:
he would give attention to them later.
He said that Mr.. Payne had remained
at his desk in Washington, day after
day all last summer. while the inquiry
was In progress, Notwithstanding he
was in poor health. devoting every en- :,
ergy TO seeing that the truth should
be brought out and the department:
rurged of every element of graft" -
Mr.. Carmack disclaimed any inten-
ton to charge Mr.. Payne with COM
plicity in or sympathy with the irreg-
ularities in his department. His sug-
gestion was that OF Indifference to the
wrong, and the natural inference was
that II the inquiry had been left to
him there would have been none.
Mr.. S2ooner said that he would be
able to show that Mr.. Payne had So
lici,ed an appropriation for the pur-
pose of making an investigation long
before the investigation had been UNI
dertaken.
Mr.. Lodge said that the congression-
abinNes legations We're worthless. Both
the senate and the house investigated
Machen," he said. "a; the very time
In which he was engaged in the orac-
tees for Vhich he was indicted as
result OF the, department inquiry. and
both cleared him OF the charges upon
which the inquiry was predicated."
Mr.. Carmack declared the Irregular
tiles in the postoffice department had
shown an efficiency in the admin
istration.
Mr.. Spooner said there could be no
disputins the fact that inefficiency had
been shown, and that it was begun iii
the Cleveland administration. But be-
cause there had been Irregularities
a great host OF clerks, II had
been practically charged that there had
been cause for the impeachment of the
officials at the head of such depart
ments.
Mr.. Carmack replied that he could
not agree to that expression and added
that il Investigations had been more
seaching there would have been no
cause for scandals In municipal state
lack OF such investigation the officials
should be held responsible.
Mr.. German said that he was willing
to have all the resolutions calling for
of the postoffiee Depart
inent referred 10 the committee on
and postroads, as he had
received assurances from the chairman
that prompt action would be taken.
Corruption had reached point. he
said, where men who were corrupt
had disclosed the corrup-
ton of others. My purpose" he add
ed, lis not SO much to expose this cor
ruption. as by the action of congress
in making protective laws to eliminate
the chance of such corruption in the
future in the pos;office department"
Mr. Spocner asked If MIR. German
would not be willing to supplement
that suggestion by calling on congress
for a thorough investigation of all de-
partments at stated periods. Mr.. Cor
man answered that he would be Will
ing for the present he WAS content to
ieai with the question in hand. Con-
.inuing, he declared that the corrup-
lion was not a party matter; that the
present postmaster general could not
nave been responsible for the state of
Affairs in his department, as 1t started
before he entered ON his duties at the
head of the department. He declared
/ had been the policy of the president
o ignore his cabinet ministers in this
natter and give the credit for the ex-
sosures in the postoffice department, to
II. G. Secuendorf and William Allan
White, reporters.