Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-05-22

The fact that Joseph l.. Bristow. of
Salina, Kan, became United States SEN
ator by defeating for reelection Sena-
tor Chester /. Long, of Medicine Lodge.
pet of the System and budding
protege of the Aldrich machine, is one
of the reasons why the odd guard in
the senate received him with no es-
pecial enthusiasm that you could no.
tice.
Another reason goes back a half
dozen years to the time when Joe"
Bristow was fourth assistant postmas-
ter general and, under the orders of the
president, dug up and exposed the
grating in the postoffice department
and got together the evidence that sent
some of the grafters to the penitent-
larry. Some of these grafters were very
pleasant gentlemen" They had made
themselves solid" with the majority
in both houses of congress. Twice,
when rumors of wrong-doing grew
persistent, they had been "investigat-
ed" by congress, and congress liked
them so we'll that shortly before they
were exposed by Bristow it had APP
propriated money to increase their SAL
aries.
incidentally it came out In the course
of the investigation that senators and
representatives were obligated to these
pleasant gentlemen" for fayors to
postmaster friends back fome-favors
which under the postal laws and reg
ulations the postoffice gentlemen were
fnrhi11an ~
termined just how bad congress was in
with the grafters, but the disclosures
amounted to substantial reproach to
the membership of both houses. OF
course the charges were much exag-
gerated in the newspapers and, altho
it was shown that Bristow was in no
way responsible for the publication of
the facts or for their exaggeration by
the newspapers, congress laid of for
two days to "vindicate" itself and to
everlastingly stamp that man" Bris-
tow into the earth. But this didn't kill
Joe" Bristow. On the contrary he
came right on up.
The third and principal reason, and
one which includes all the other rea-
sons, why Bristow's advent in the SEN
ate was not an occasion for Joyous
demonstration by the regular" ma
chine is that Bristow is q progressive
republican-honest and I'M afraid. Add
to this Sherlock Holmes investigative
turn Of mind and high order of abil-
ity and an inordinate appetite for hard
work, and you have a combination that
couldn't possibly augur any additional
comfort or peace of mind for the
smooth running Aldrich machine.
Probably it did not matter much to
Bristow: his reception in the senate
Anyway, he came-long, lank, and
shaggy, like an old bear-dog, with a
nose that never leaves the trail of a
crooked thing until the game is 'baeged
He has only been in the senate the
few weeks of the tarin session, but he
has "hot scent"-a hot trail In the
tariff Jungle He has followed thru the
schedules to the duties on pig and
white lead. lie has the smeitec trus.
at bay.
The item was read by the clerk of
the senate. Then followed brief and
not too illuminating colloquy during
which the senator from Kansas got up
onto his long legs and waited for the
recognition Of the presiding officer.
While he was waiting thus to be rec
ognized, Senator Aldrich, without
waiting to be recognized, demanded
vote. The senator from Kansas also
without waiting to be recognized, said:
II understand that we are going to
have deltberation upon these para
graphs. The senator from Rhode Is
land is in a great hurry"
But the senator from Rhode Island
did not deign to notice the remark of
the senator from Kansas Other sena-
tors broke in and the senator from
Kansas was still not recognized by the
presiding officer.
Several senators (the litte -