The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-03-25
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
The South American Commission savagely
Attacked by SIR. Van Wyck.

WASHINGTON, March 20-The resolution
for the appointment of an Alaskan Commit.
tee was laid bsfore the Senate, ana Mr.. Man
derson moved lis reference to the Committee
on Territories. A debate arose, during which
Mr.. Van Wyck attacked the South Amer
ican Commission in vigorous style. He said
tie first thirg they did was to go to Ssn
FraI citcs, then to New Mexico, then to see
the New Orleans Exposition. Each member
was provided with s., 500 for his expenses
Tic commission consisted of two men a1d a
boy, for its Chairman remsined in Albany.
The first thing these two men aud boy did
was takirg q palace car at S35 day, for
which the total payment was 81, ,447 before
they got 10 New Orleans. Then they fur
nished them selves with "snpplles." The
Utah Commissioners boldly charged for
lager beer and wine. This commission
charged only for ''supi lies.n which doubtless
included LIQUIDS and solids. He would ask
his friends on the Republican tide OF the
chamber if it was time to stop. This (t1e
eeDste) was all the party had left The
Democrats had possession at the other end
of the Capitol snd OF the administration.
About the lst Of January the Commission
got ready to start from New Orleans From
the LIST OF October to the lst of January their
expenses were $1,000 Men who robbed
safes were comparatively honorable.
This money was taken from the
hardly able 10 pay s. night
for lodging on Pulln,an cars when they
Travelled. In addition to this expense
they paid for their supplies and their cook,
and were allowed 81 500 year each besides.
The Chairman oftbe Commission, who never
Iaff ~, - To,
usIy, ard drew our OF the Treasury 81 go
Ii cost the Government about $lO0, 900 for
this Commission before the two men aud boy
got ready 10 leave New Orleans. This reck.
less waste of money was real wrong upon
the PEOPLE Who paid the taxes. What made
1T VI orse was the outrageous bills OF that
Commission had bte1 approved and psid
He denounced this as worse than Highway
robbery. He said man who enters house
at night and r0bs 1t Is honorable in compar-
icon with those who robbed the Treasury By
such expenditures as he has described. 1t is
woIse, be raid, than stealing the public
lan5s, ard here he referred to the Backbone
patents as robbery of 7.C000 600 acres at one
lick.
Nr. Mandeyson referred to the resolution
OF Mr.. Van Wyck providing for q commit
tee 10 prepare detailed statement of the
expenses and improvements of the Missis
s.ppi River, under which. Mr.. Manderson
NS%%Ccf
junketing excursion from the head Malers to
the mouth of the river.
Mr.. Harrison charged Mr.. Van Wyck with
having offered the resolution merely for the
purpose of obtaining pay for his clerk dur
ing the recess. and with the view of saving
TO the Government the 81. 800 10 81 800 sala-
~ of the clerk, he offered resolution that
Mr.. Van Wyck's resolution be rescinded and
asked that it be referred to the Committee
on the Improvement OF the Mississippi
River. Laid over.
Mr.. Vest said that it was not his purpose
to be ecome participant in the very interest
ing domestic discussion on the Republican
side OF the Chamber. Mr. Van Wyck was like
the boy who participated in tine murder of
his own father He said the old man wasaoout
to be besten to death, and as he c,uld not
he p it, thought he would give him lick to
help him out of his misery. For twenty-five
years he (Vesi) had been an intimate per-
sonal friend OF one of the members of the
Ss nth Au erican Commission, and his record,
public and private, vas as stainless and
without rsproach as that OF any man could
possibly be. The man who charged in his
Vests) presence that Thomas G. Reynolds
had ever by exuavagance or otherwise |
wrongfully taken one cent of the peoples |,
money. made statement which be Vest |
absolutely and unqualifsdly.