Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-04-06
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS
German Uses Plain Language About
The Administration,
Senate.

The Senate Wednesday began cohsid.
Grafton Of the postotflce appropriation
bill and It was the signal for revival
of the Democratic demand for an IL
yestigation into the charges OF corrup.
ton ID the Postoffice Department.;
The debate was initiated by Mr. Cor:
man. who spoke for almost two hours
in criticism 6f the course OF the Re-
publican party in the Senate In refus-
Ing an inquiry. Mr.. Gorman referred to
the hasty consideration and report OF
the bill and asserted that there had
teen persistent denial of the investi-
CATION of the affairs OF the Postoffice
Department He urged that it was not
yet too late to take steps to prevent
further robbery" and thievery in the
Department.
"It Is said," he went on, that Con-
gless must adjourn speedily; that from
one source a request amounting to or
ders has gone out; that 1t is inconven-
lent for. cne branch OF the government
10 have Congress on its hands; that
If there Is delay there are likely to be
disagreeable differences from what has
already been developed.
eve have reached a time when there
is much preaching Of honesty and high
mindedness, but corruption bubbles
out. 1t came like fog, and has not yet
lifted and we cannot tell whether all
the information is yet out.
Mr.. German referred to the charges
made by the Postoffice Department.
saying he believed they had been made
for the purpose of diverting attention
from the guilty ones who had flched
money from the Treasury and abused
their trusts AS for himself he was of
the opinion tnat the members had not
gone more in the matter than their
public. duties required. Mr. German
called attention to the habit Of criti-
cising men engaged in executive work
and he concluded that this criticism
grew out Of Well-directed effort to
buildSnp one-man, Czar-like govern
ment.
$50 far, indeed, had this plan pro-
gressed that legislation has come to
be practically farce. all important
measures being dictated by the cxecu-
tive. It was coming to be that only an
executive order was necessary to get
an appropriation. The result is that
Congress becomes mere recording
body.
1--WE are told" he continued. that
having approved the plans OF the ex-
eoutive we must adjourn and go home
because Of the fear OF damaging dis
closures. The fear is so great that we
are 10! he sent away and not to be al
!owed5to do anything"
He then referred to some OF the
pending legislation and included in the
list Mr.. Foraker's bill for the amend
ment to the antitrust law regard
ing transportation. Ee referred to At
torney General Knox's statement re-
garding this bill, saying that 1t was not
department measure. Think Of 1t"
said Mr.. German. Notice Is given to
Congress that nothing should be done
il the way of legislation without con-
sultlng the administration"
The. American people do not want
one-man control, Mr.. German contend
ed. He hoped that such action would
be taken as would prevent one-man
control in the next four years, whose
ever might fill the White House.
= Mr.. 3Gorman closed with the declara-
tion 3cf the conviction that the Post
office Department was "honey-combed
with corruption and inefficiency."
Mr.. Penrose, chairman of the COM
mitt2e on postoffices, said that while
Ee EssJrtginally favored an investlga-
ton Pie has now reached the conclu-
sion that none was necessary.
Mir. Penrose challenged the accuracy
of Mr.. Germans statement that extra
ordinary haste had been exercised by
the committee on postoffices in the pre-
parat!on of the BILL The subject mat
ter OF The measure had been receiving
attention, he said. since last Decem-
ber.i
MIR. Lodge sustained Mr.. Penrose's
statement that there had been no un-
due haste In bringing the postoffice
bill into the Senate. 1t was true that
the committee had done all In its pow
er to promote an early adjournment.
"The party in power" he proceed.
ed, "has deemed 1t best to bring about
an early adjournment II 1t could be
done. SO far as I am aware there have
been no Instructions received from any
body In any quarter. was not on this
side Of the chamber that the express
sion Cuckoo" originated. That word
is cha.geable to the Senator from Ala
bama and applied to his side OF the
chamber" 1t also should be bronze in
mind. he said. that the charge that
President has said that he wanted 10
get Congress off his hands was to DE
traced to a Democratic President. anu
Mr.. German had gotten his Presidents
mixed.