Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-02-05

The House committee on judiciary TODAY
egreed TO report favorably the bill to divide
the judicial district of California into two
districts
The House committee on commerce have
agreed to report favorably the bill for the ap-
pointment of a committee of three to visit
Mexico, Central American States and Brazil
for the purpose of investigating the methods
in those countries for the protection of the
people against yellow fever.
The House committee on expenditures In
department of justice today agreed upon \
resolution calling upon the secretaries of
the treasury and interior and attorney gem
eral for information as to the amount of
money, if any, which had been expended by
the government in the telephone cases re-
Gently before the interior department Chair
man Gibson said the Hanback, resolution lim-
tied the scope of the investigation to the ex-
penditures of the government and while the
committee didn't want TO shirk any respon-
sibility it had no authority TO open up the
telephone controversy. He said as one
member he didn't think it should be a court
of appeals to decide whether Secretary
Lamar's decision was correct or not.
The Senate committee on public lands to-
day gave hearing at their requests Il the
newspaper correspondents who last week tel
egrsphed to their papers an interview with
Surveyor General Dement, of Utah, which in
terview Dament at his recent examination bv
this committee, repudiated and the state
ments contained in which he d, clared to be
be without foundation. Messrs. j. Corwin
and q. &. Balm, correspondents respectively
of the Chicago Times and New York World,
testified that they respectively had long con-
"A t,al, ,nsny arl
ment in their dispatches was made upon De-
ments authority. Among them were state
ments to the effect that the senators and
members OF Congress had been pribed by the
Mormons, and high federal officials were
implicated in extensive land frauds
Balm took notes from Dement'S dctation
The portion which covering in general terms
allegations of large land frauds he was auth
orized to publish as coming from Dement,,
the remainder he was to publish but not to
attribute it to Dement,. f. p. Powers and
I. G. Crawford, chief Correspondents respect
lively of the Chicago Times and New York
World, corrOboratej the statements of Cor
win and Balm so far as the incidents before
and after the interviews coming within their
knowledge were concerned. MIR. Jules
Guthridge, correspondent of the Chicago
Daily News, testified to an interview with
Dement, subsequent to the publication of
others, during which Dement, had repudiated
the published interviews. The impression
left on Guthridge's mind was that Dement,
was chiefly anxious about the matter
because it imperilled his confirmation.
VIM. 4. Curtis, correspondent of the Chicago
Inter-Ocean, told the committee that he had
received the meterial for his article on the
subject from Corwin, who had told him, more
over, that the prominent western senator
whom Dem mt was reported to have said re-
ceived 1926, 900 from the Mormons was Mr..
Teller. Corwin, in answer to an inquiry
from the committee on this point, confirmed
Curtis statement and declared that Dement,
had referred to Teller by name. Dement,
was not present at the hearing, but it wa.
made matter of record that he had been
formally notified by the clerk of the COM
mittee that this hearing was to take place.
and had replied that he did not care to be
present Senator Teller, who is a member
of the committee was present. and inquiries
purposely drew out avowals with respect to
the use of his own name. Dement,, when be-
fore the committee day before yesterday de-
clared with emphasis that not only he had
not made the statement attributed to him, but
had no information leading to the belief or
suspicion that the things alleged were true,
either as regards the senators, members OF
the House or officials of the Territory and
the general land office. Dement'S nomina-
ton as surveyor general of Utah is still pend
ing before the Senate.
The cabinet meeting today was attended by
all the members except Secretary Lamar,
who is not in good health The principal
topic of discussion was the action of the
House of Representatives yesterday, in
adopting Mr.. Bland's resolution calling on
the secretary of the treasury for information
in regard to his past and future policy on the
silver question. The propriety and expediency
of disclosing the future policy of the admin
istration was discussed at length. 1t is un-
derstood that the conclusion reached was that
the secretary could best reply to that portion
of the resolution, by reference to the views
expressed by the President in his message to
Congress, and by the secretary of the treas
ury with an explanatory statement that their
sentiments in regard to silver remain un-
changed.