The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-19
CRITICISM
OF BRYAN MADE BY
SENATOR BRISTOW
Following Defeat of ResoIu-
tion, Deplores His Taking
Lecture Platform
BRYAN'S ACTION IS
DEFENDED BY LEWIS
Senate Brought to High Pitch of Ex-
citement by Unusual Proceedings.
Charges and Counter Charges
Against Seantors Made


Washington. July 1s.-secretary Bryans
policy of leeturing in his vacation time
involved the Senate in q bitter eontro-
yersy today II began when senator Bris-
tow, ignoring the defeat OF his resolution
directed at Mr.. Bryan's action, Insisted
upon being heard in severe criticism of
the cabinet officer.
Before the debate enaed charges and
counter charges between senators on the
two eidas T the ttambsi' had brought the
Senate to a high pitch of excitement.
Senator Ashurst produced an old letter
of Senator Bristows, which he declared
indicated that Mr.. Rristcw in 1906 had been
perfectly willing to take federal posi-
ton and devote only part of his time to it.
Senator Bristow retorted with the charge
that Senator Ashurst had spent 500 Of
public funds sending private kilograms
that should have been paid for from his
own pocket, a charge denied by Senator
Ashurst, but which Senator Bristow
agreed to prove by producing original tel
egrams that had been paid for out of
Senate funds.
From these personal accusations, the
debate went into the general field of pub
lie lecturing and writing, and democratic
senators called attention to the chautau-
qua platform work of Senator BristoW
and many others, and to the newspaper
writing that Senator BristeW had done
during the last Baltimore convention. The
Kansas senator emphatically declared
that he had never neglected the duties Of
his office.
II am not on trial here he said. Il
simply want TO show that people who live
in glass houses should not throw stones,
said Senator James.
Senators Bristow, Townsend, Fall ana
others attacked in strong language the
action of Secretary Bryan in delivering
paid lectures during a time when they
claimed public questions required his close
attention to the affairs of the state de-
partment.
Bristow Resolution Tabled
The Bristow resolution introduced on
Tuesday calling upon The President 10
state what salalN would secure az Fl
Secretary Bfyan's time "a tabfed bE'~a
vote Of A TO %, as soon as It came UP to-
dsv all the democrats and Senator Borah
and Senator foiHdestaf 3Ei'a
A prepared attack upon Secretary
BRYAN action " OeHdtoi AoNAe'SiANf
and an extensive defense by Senator
Lewis, ilumined the oratory of the day
Senator Townsend insisted the example
of the Secretary in selling his time for
private gain when 1t had already been
sold to the government was unwhole-
some for the entire country
Senator Lewis asked when the sena-
tor from Kansas and the senator from
Michigan had become so "subtly inoeu-
lated with a comprehension of the dam
gers" of a public official spending his
vacation addressing the people on ques-
tions of vital interest TO them. He said
it could not have been when a republi-
can President was campaigning at the
expense of the tax payers.
Where was the voice of protest when
a postoffice official turned himself into
a great political machine TO elect an
other public official to the presidency
he inquired. where was the voice when
Major Ray abandoned his post in the
army to engage in political work in
Chicago for a presidential candidate?
Why We're the voices of the senators
silent then? Was it because those men
were not democrats? Where was the
istrations were specializing on the stock
market and on tariff bills?"
BY strict party vote the Senate demos
Gratis today succeeded without debate
in tabling Senator Bristow's resolution
aimed at Secretary Bryan's proposed
six weeks lecture tour
The resolution would have called on
President Wilson to advise the Senate
what salary would be sufficient to keep
Mr. Bryan continuously at his post and
was prompted by the Secretary's an
nouncement that he was Obliged to y
augment his pay of $4,000 a year by
lecturing to meet his living expenses.
Senators Poindexter and Borah voted
with the democrats to table the resolu-
ton. The vote was Al to 80.
As the vote was announced Senator
Bristow faced the democratic senators
and declared:
"You may shut off debate in the SEN
ate, but you cannot convince the Ameri-
can people that a Secretary of State may
neglect the duties of his office for three
months of a year.
Vice President Marshall ruled Senator
Eristow out of order.
'Tt would be just as reasonable for the
Attorney General TO take three months
ont of years calendar to practice law
Senator Bristow shouted who refused to
be shut out.
81 think there is "A condition before The
country that should demand the attention
of Congress and the administration In
power" he added with vehemence.
rupted Senator Vardaman, democrat
that the business of the state depart
ment will suffer because Mr.. Bryan in
some wise is occasionally away2"
Replies to Vardaman
'Tt has been said since the discussion
arose" retorted Bristow, that the state
department Is better off with the secre-
tary away than with him. here. But
believe II the secretary would give to the
problems before him the powers of his
great intellect he could perform great
service to the country. Whether subordi-
mates in his department are better fitted
to attend to the duties than he, I don't
know
Senator Fal suggested that il Secretary
Pryan had remained at his post the Sem
ate would have had an answer to its
resolution of April "A asking for the
amount of damages to victims of Mexi-
can troubles
Townsend Attacks Bryan
Washington, July 1S.-'sAside from the
technical and legal question of the right
of a public servant to sell his Sc, yie IS