The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-04-29
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, April %, 1885.

WASHINGTON, April 25, 1855.
Such distinguished witnesses on the
stand as the Attorney General, Jay
Gould and Grand Master Workman
Powderly, the first in connection with
the Pan Electric, and the two latter
with the strike investigation, have
made these proceedings particularly
interesting.
The announcement that Mr.. Gar
land would testify before the Tele.
phonic committee of inquiry, drew an
unusually large crowd to the crypt-like
room away down under the Capitol.
He made his appearance looking pale
and feeble from his recent sickness,
and after a courteous salute to the COM
mittee, dropped into the witness chair
in his languid way, and proceeded to
give a clear, simple and unreserved
statement of the Telephone affair. He
had nothing to conceal and was anx-
ious to tell all he knew. He said the
Pan Electric scheme was simply an
organization of impecunious gentle
men who wanted to better their con-
dition. He was willing to go into it if
it offered any Inducements.
Attorney General Garland in the
course of his statement, told the COM
mittee that he had never, in any way,
used his official position to advance
the interests of the Pan Electric Tele-
phone company, that he would as soon
thought of jumping into the Potomac
with a mill stone about his neck as to
have done so. He had never made a
penny out of Pan Electricity, but on
the contrary was $400 out on that ac-
count, and he declared positively that
he had no connection whatever with
the bringing of the Government suit,
and that his stock was not a gift.
During the examination of Mr..
Humphreys, who is counsel for the
Globe Telephone Company, and in
politics an Ohio Republican. this gen.
tleman stated that Mr.. Garland posi-
lively refused to talk to him on the
subjest of instituting Government
suit. He convinced me-" said the
witness, " that he was incorruptible." !"
Ibid ysu try to corrupt him ?" in.
quired Congressman Ranney of Mass
achusetts. "I did not, )" responded the
witness, but may have had a sus-
picion regarding the reform preten-
sions of the Democratic Administra
tion." You think better oft now?"
asked Chairman Boyle. "I found
that some Democrats were honest" I"
replied Mr.. Humphrey, and [ think
if two honest men live, they are Mr..
Garland and Secretary Lamar"
The room in which the strike inves.
tigation is being conducted was so
overerowded during the examination
of Mr.. Powderly and others, that only
members of Congress and newspaper
correspondents were admitted during
tke examination of the great railroad
magnate, Jay Gould. Mr.. Powderly
was very much gazed at, and does not
look in the least like son of toll. He
is refined and delicate looking, and
wears a long moustache and specta-
cles. When asked to tell the whole
story of the strike, he replied that he
preferred to answer specific questions.
During the course of his examination
he said that the labor organization was
perfectly peaceful. Sometimes its own
members misunderstood the organi-
zation. 1t was sometimes impossible
to control man by any law when he
had been wronged. One point Mr..
said he wanted perfectly un-
derstood. 1t was that if any knights
had violat I'd the law, the organization
would help to punish them. The law
of the land was supreme above the
laws of organizations. He became
on this subject and de-
clared that all violators, whether
Knights of Labor or Capitalists, should
be punished. The millionaire violator
should suffer the same as the poor
man. "I have made this statement
BEFORE" said Mr.. Powderly, and peo-
pie have seen fit to see IN it an invita-.
ion to anarchy. If this is anarchy, in
,he name of God, what is law ?"
1t is an open question whether the
Senate or the House has been more
employed this week.
The latter has not done much at any
hing, and the Senate has done little
,ut vote away the peoples money.
)n one day it passed between four and
I've hundred private pension bills. |
This is the largest number of bills ever |
'assed in one day by either house of
congress since the establishment of |
he Government. The first thing the |
,enate did this week was to vote,$2O0.-
90 for the erection of fire proof hall
f records in this city, and Senator
Ioar provoked Senatorial laugh by
skiing if the proposed building was
Or the keeping of the Presidents pri-
ate papers ?I