Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-06
Has Been Active Member of
Senate District Committee.
CAREER OF HIS OPPONENT
Bristow's Sensational Report on the
Practices of Congressman.
UNPOPULAR AT THE CAPITOL
Gains Victory in Kansas by Making
an Issue of Domination
by the Railroads.

The defeat of Senator Chester l. Long of
Kansas in the primaries Tuesday in the
contest to succeed himself as a member
of the upper branch of Congress means
that one of the most active of the men,
bers of the Senate committee on the Dis
trict of Columbia will not participate in
that committees deliberations after March
3 next Senator Long is chairman of the
subcommittee on public utilities, and is
member of the subcommittee on excise
and liquor legislation and the judiciary.
He was brought into the public eye
locally at the last session by the fact that
he was one of the Senate conferees on the
Union station trackage bill. which was
held UP through almost the entire session.
Mr. Long stood firmly with Senator Gal
linger of New Hampshire. chairman OF
the District committee and one of the
conferees, on the ground that universal
transfers and regulation OF local street
railways by the District Commissioners
should not be features of the bill. and
on these points they prevailed over the
House conferees. Notwithstanding the de-
termined stand of Representative Sims
of Tennessee.
Sensation Caused by Bristow.
The career of Mr.. Longs successful OPP
ponent, Joseph L. Bristow, has been one
of the most interesting in recent politics.
Three years ago he was practically de-
posed as fourth assistant postmaster gen
eral. He resigned from the department
because the Postmaster General deprived
him of the control of the post Office In
spectors. His action caused scores OF
members Of Congress to openly rejoice, Tor
Mr. Bristow was perhaps the most I'M
popular of all government officials with
the legislators on the hill.
Mr.. Bristow had published, as a sort
of appendix to his report on the famous
postal investigations of four or five years
ago. volume showing how senator's and
representatives had exerted influence in
the selection of post office sites. in the To-
cation of rural and city offices and sub
that the use of such influence was at
least improper If nothing worse. AL
though the House committee on post
offices and post roads had asked for such
of members of the House. who claimed
their honor had been impugned. Promi-
nent members said on the floor some pref
ty hard things about Mr.. Bristow.
To Mr.. Bristow has been given the chief
credit for the arrest and conviction of
Senator Ralph Burton of his state for
violating the law prohibiting members of
Congress from accepting fees for work
before the executive departments.
Bristow's Campaign in Kansas.
No sooner had Mr.. Bristow resigned as
fourth assistant postmaster general than
he went back to Kansas and began Wig
orous campaign in the columns of his
paper against Senator Long and ICY" Lee
land. republican national committeeman.
He was soon Joined by William Allen
White, Kansas most famous editor The
charge was that Senator Long was domi-
mated by the railroads. The efforts of
Bristow and White were strongly second
ed by Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin,
who went down into Kansas and made
speeches against the Long machine. Both
sides were strongly pro-Roosevelt and pro-
Taft. Mr.. Bristow.is a Kentuckian by
longs to the prominent Kentucky family
of that name.