The Washington times., 1911-05-03
HITCHCOCK MUST
RUN GANTLET IN
|NQUIS|T|ON BEE"
Postmaster Generals Foes
Are Ready to Go
After Him.
BOURNE IN SENATE
HEADS OPPOSITION
New Chairman of Postoffice Com
mittee Anxious to Work
Postal Probe.
By JUDSoN c. wELLIvER.

Lively times are just ahead for the
Hon. Frank II. Hitchcock. The Post
master General is in prospect of being
about as busy as il he should issue a
general order that his postmasters
needn't hereafter read all the postal
cards, and take over that stunt him.
self.
With a deficit and a Presidential cam
paign already on his hands, the Post
master General is about to be made
host to a group of fnquiring statesmen
with q long list of searching questions
It seems as If the stars must have pre-
ssnted unprepitious aspects when the
Congressional committees were named
If any friend of the Postmaster General
got into a position Of authority and
power. with reference to the head
postman, the fact has been overlooked
Bourne's Crusade.
Take the Senate Postoffce Committee
Jonathan Bourne is its new chairman.
Mr.. Bourne would feel injured at even
the suggestion that he was second to
anybody in his distaste for Mr.. Hitch
cock. His speech of February q last,
in which he denounced as bribery the
use of the patronage power for the pur-
tics, stands as the classic of paria-
mentary skinning for a long time past.
He charged that such use of the pat
ronage power was bribery. and quoted
the bribery statute: ne charged that
It constituted a violation of the Consti-
tuition, and quoted the Constitution, and
he charged that il violated the Presi-
dents oath of office. with its pledge
.ha
Quoted Taft Letter.
He read the famous Norton patronage
letter. in which the Presidents secre-
tary said:
In the preliminary skirmishes in
certain States, like Wisconsin and Iowa,
he Che PresdenD was willing, in the
interests Of what the leaders believed
would lead to party success, to make
certain determinations, but the Presi-
dent has concluded that it is his duty
now to treat all Republican Congress
men and Senator's alike ="
Commenting on this letter, Mr..
Bourne amiably observed that bribery
consists in the delivery of anything Of
value and with intent to influence his
vote The natural inference from
the Norton letter is that the Presi-
dent used Federal patronage to influ
enCe the action of Congress The un-
denied statement indicates a deplorable
and despicable subservience upon the
part of the legislative branch, and a
dangerous and demoralizing usurpation
upon the part of the Executive
And later. by way of making his OBJ
servations personal to Mr.. Hitchcock.
q, the Senator observed that while the
president is the actual head of the Fed
ieral machine, the chairman of the ma
'tional committee, or Cabinet officer. or
both in one. is usually his chief agent
for it's operation. Backed by the Presi-
Dental power to distribute patronage,
he starts his organization. ."
Much more OF the same sort followed;
and after delivering himself of this
VitrioliC speech, Mr.. Bourne COM
pounded the offense by giving 1t huge
circulation.
And now he is head of the Postoffce
Committee, Small wonder that the rest
Of Congress is standing first On one
foot and then on the other, in the eX-
Citement Of anticipating what he'll do
10 the Postmaster General.
Bristow Another Thorn.
Farther down in the committee, ap-
parently as another tribute of Senatorial
regard for the Postmaster General, ap-
pears the name of Senator BristoW.
Bristow knows all about postal matters.
and likes nothing so well as to use that
knowledge to furnish arguments TO the
general effect that the present postoffiCe
management doesn't know its business
It is freely assumed that the particular
business of Bourne and Bristow on this
committee will be to keep Mr.. Hitchcock
occupied and out of political mischief
Turning to the House. one finds a con-
dition that is not dissimilar. Represen-
SAtive Moon of Tennessee is chairman
Of the Postoffice Committeeman any,
thing but an admirer of the Postmas-
ter General. On the Committee Of Ex-
penditures in the Postoffice Depart
ment, the Republican members seem to
have been selected with the particular
purpose of making trouble for the Post
master General. 1t goes without say
ing that the Democratic side was named
for that purpose. The coincidence OF
getting two anti Hitchcock Republt-
cans on. however, is at least interest
Austin's Opposition.
First of these Republicans is the Hon.
Richard W. Austin of Tennessee. Aus
tin belongs 20 the old Brownlow fac
ton, which Hitchcock has always op-
posed. He never got postoffice ap-
pointment without scrapping for it;
wherefore he loves the Postmaster Cen
eral with about the same affection that
Senator Bourne has displayed.
The other Republican on this COM
mIttee is c. Bascon Slemp Of Nir-
ginia, who has been in an inter-
mittent feud over patronage with the
Postmaster General for a long time. He
also will be a doubtful reliance when 1t
comes to defending the department. man
aeement against Democratic attacks.
Whether there was design, or whether
II lust happened that these COM
mittees fell so extensively into hands
unfriendly TO the postoffice man
apement, is one of the interesting
themes of current political gossip.