National Republican., 1884-01-23
ON THE AVENUE.
Small Talk About pren and Mems,

the appointment of Mr. Wills De Haas, who
was appointed clerk to the committee on
naval expenditures, at a salary of $3.50 per
month, at the earnest suggestion Of the then
speaker, Mr.. Keller. The largor part of the
ex.speaker's troubles, 1t is alleged, have
grown out Of this unfortunate appointment
Mr.. De Hass was dropped by Mr.. Robson,
and in retaliation therefor Mr.. Keifer
promptly fred Mr.. Tyson, who was a protcge
of Mr.. Robson.
Chairman Cobb, of the house committee on
public lands, scored q decided victory over
the judiciary committee yesterday. Chair
man Tucker concluded that it would be a
good move to report back to the house the
bills over which the dispute as TO jurisdic-
tion arose, and ask for further instruc-
tions confidently expecting that they
would again be placed in the hands of tho
judiciary committee, and the presump-
tious public land men hattened out I'm
fortunately for the Virginia statesman
the plan leaked out through the indiscretion
Of some one, and when tho matter was
brought up yesterday the willy Indiauian had
his friends we'll to tho front, and motion
that the bills be referred to the committee on
public lands prevailed. End of the second
round. First knockdown scored for Indiana.
Time!
80
democratic senator Of conservative ideas
says that Mr.. Springer's committee on ex-
penditures in the department Of Justice has
now a chance TO inaugurate tho same drag
net methods that were famous for a series of
water hauls during the ascendonoy of tho
party in previous congresses. 1t was stated a
day or two ago that Mr.. Springer proposes to
give the Jail and other district institutions
vigorous overhauling, and hopes to catch
some republican official in position equivo-
| cal enough to enable US to utilize
his discovery for campaign thunder.
Meanwhile the clerks Of some of these So
called investigating committees are preparing
TO peddle out the testimony that may be
secured to the representatives of the press at
modest rate per diem, and appointees under
the democratic house farm out their places
to the lowest bidder. Let us learn a little
wisdom from the past and at least como
into court with clean hands when we
want to impugn the honesty of our oppo-
nents. We forked over republican muck
very persistently in some of our campaigns
in the past, but have yet to hear of any
very startling successes that VIC achieved by
this sort of Chinese stinkpot tactics Let's
put our own political mansion in decent
order before we begin to criticise the house.
keeping of our republican neighbors"
| s"s
Said Old Statistics: Senator Van Wyck
gave tho moldy traditions Of the upper house
a cruel shock when he moved 10 do away with
that relic of barbarian. tho secret or execu-
tive sessions of that august body.
"While there is no prospect that so sensible
a reform will ever be inaugurated, the propo-
sition Is ono chuck full Of hard horse sense.
What right has this body, who, after all, are
but the servants Of the people,to draw around
| themselves tho mantle Of secrecy in the dis
cussion Of which the people have the deepest
interest? After all IL may be doctrine Of
self-defense with them, as 1t enables them to
pull aud haul men and matters in a manner
\ that would. perhaps, be inconsistent with
senatorial dignity to have repeated for the
i edifcation Of their masters, the American
people, by the press of the country"
80
One of the oldest correspondents along the
ROW" said last night that he was struck
with the broad injustice that the courts and
congress we're always ready to mete out to
any newspaper man who declined to give the
sources of his information on any matter of
importance that might be under investigation
by legislative or judicial tribunal.
Said he: The principle has been estab-
lished, and is asserted every day, that a law
yer shall not be compelled to disclose any
matter that his client may impart to him un-
der the seal of confidence. This is tacit
admission that such secrecy is part OF the
lawyers stock in trade, 80 to speak. Now,
the sources from whence a newspa-
per reporter or correspondent OBJ
tains information for publication are
without doubt large and important part of
his stock in trade, and to force him, under
penalty of being adjudgcd in contempt, to
violate confidence that is reposed in him in
the prosecution of his business is q rank piece
Of injustice, and goes far to deprive him Of
the ability to earn livelihood, There
is no reason that can be brought for
ward to justify the exemption of law
yers from the contempt rule that
will not apply with even greater force
to newspaper representatives, and yet every
day we hear of such rank injustice. Congress
has used this sort of thumbscrew method fre-
quently in the past, and within my recollec-
ton number of gentlemen representing
leading dailies have been adjudged in con-
tempt of one or the other house and
deprived of their liberty for longer or
shorter intervals. Since Kilbourn brought this
matter into the courts, however, there has
been less disposition to indulge this arbitrary
use of power We have had our martyrs,
though, and / am proud to say that in nearly
every instance they held out to the end and
refused to betray confidence that had been
reposed in them even after weeks in the
rather comfortable dungeons of the capitol
crypt"
J The Committee on Banking and Currency.
The proposition of Representative Potter,
of New York. to substitute 2 per cent
twenty five year bonds for bonds now in ex-
istence, was discussed by the house committee
I on banking and currency yesterday. No vote,
however, was taken. The committee Is
awaiting tho action of the senate finance
committee before deciding upon bill to re-
D port to tho house. Representative Hunt, OF
!. Louisiana, offered resolution declaring
that the public welfare demands that the
benefits of the national banking system be
substantially preserved and continued for the
time being.I The resolution was informally
discussed, but no action was taken.
Considerable opposition has been mani
Q Tested to the bill recently introduced by Rep
H. N..a..N - Al.. anRNa