Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-20

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WAsHHGToN, December 19.-In th'
Senate to-day, Mr.. Chandler called up the
resolution offered by him some days since, II
regard to organizations among naval officers
to influence Congressional legislation, and
made a statement on the subject. He de
sired, if possible, to protect naval ofheerI
from being levied upon and induced or com
PEELED to pay money (Which they could
poorly spare) for the purpose of influencing
legislation. He said that year or two age
Thomas j. Cowie, passed assistant pay
master in the navy, prepared 8
bill for the increase Of the
rank and pay Of officers of the
navy. II was a very comprehensive bill
1t increased the rank and pay of all the
officers Of the navy. 1t contained no fea'
ture Of economy whatever. There was nc
reduction anywhere. 1t was an increase all
along the line. That bill had not been in
trodueed in either House, but it had been
fitting around privately in print. In con-
nection with that bill, there had been q
movement organized to secure money from
naval officers. That movement had taken
the shape of certain printed circulars.
A LOBBYISTS CIRCULAR.
One Of those circulars Mr.. Chandler sent
to the clerks desk and had read. 1t was
from Mr.. CowIe, and was dated December 2,
1889. 1t stated that Mr.. John II. Thomas, of
Illinois, had been engaged as attorney to take
charge of and advocate the passing of bill
framed by him for the reorganization and
equalization of the pay Of the personnel OF the
navy: and it expressed the hope that all the
officers would respond promptly to MI. Thomas
In connection with this circular one from Mr..
Thomas himself was sent TO the Clerks desk
and read. 1t is also dated December 2 1889,
and states that he has been requested TO act in
the matter; that expenses must necessarily be
incurred, and the time and labor must be de-
voted to the work; and that his INF. Thomas)
acceptance of the proposition depended upon
his sending retaining fee Of s. and signing a
contract (0f which form was sent) to pay a
contingent fee of 10 per cent on the increase of
MI Chandler added that there were 500
naval officers; and that this attempt to get
them into the movement had taken an ex-
tremely offensive shape. He submitted to the
Senate that it was an extremely Objectionable
and discreditable attempt co influence legisla-
rion. He did not believe that such contract
even if entered into, would be legally binding;
but at any rate, it was contract which would
absolutely paralvze the Committees of Con-
gress who would have the bill under considera-
ton
A MATTER OF REGRET.
Mr.. Hale supported the resolution. 1t was, he
said, matter of deep regret and of somemor-
tification to know that public legislation, and
outside efforts in the direction of accomplishing
1t, we're being hawled about BY attorneys in
Washington There were great many men
living in Washington land living pretty weln
whose scource of income was derived from
their supposed influence on legislation, and who
(as the Senator from Kansas, MIR. Ingalls,, sug-
gested. in an aside) toll not, neither do they
spin" because it was a fact that Senators and
Representatives had such men before them in
their committee rooms. The imposition was
not so much on the Senate and House as on the
persons interested in the matter. He hoped
that the resolution would be agreed to. and
promised that when the information was re-
ceived the Naval Committee would give the
matter a thorough investigation.
Mr.. Mcpherson defended the action OF Pay
master Cowie, and said that if that officer had
discovered method by which the pay Of Of
fcers of the navy could be eqHalized to the sat
isfaction of all the naval officers he should be
regarded as public benefactOr- he did not
know any particular reason why the matter
should have been brought before the Senate
and ventilated. Mr.. Cowie had done nothing
more nor less than what hundreds of naval and
army officers had been doing for the last 10 or
Is years.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.
Mr.. Butler said that while he had suggested
the other day that the resolution should be re-
fs-red 70 the Committee on Naval Affairs, he
had no objection TO its being adopted, nor to
the fullest investigation Of the whole subject
He was glad TO see the effort of the Senator
Of he
tors. to reform the lobby; and he only regretted
that such a course had not been selected 10 or
IL years ago. The country, he thought would
have been lutte better on if it had been.
The spirit Of reform was abroad in the
land-pOlitical eform. educational reform,
temperance reform; and now there was to be
lobby reform. He supposed that il was better
late than never, but it appeared to him to be a
tempest in a teapot. An officer of the navy,
because he chose Tin the exercise of his right
as a citizen of the United Srates) to employ
counsel to represent him before Congress, was
denounced as If he had done very improper
thing; and the attorney, because he chose to
make contract with naval officers, was held
mp to the country as violating some code of
propriety and rectitude. He thought that the
whole performance was unnecessary, and he
wished that the sffort to drive away lobbyists
would be applied in other directions, as weH as
20 officers of the army and navy, whose mouths
were closed.
CANNOT SEE WHY NOT.
Mr. Butler would be the last man to do or to
say anything that would. in the least degree,
impair the efficiency Of the navy or Of the
army or that would encourage combinations Of
officers; but he coulG see 10 reason why officers
should not employ counsel whenever they
pleased and pay counsel whatever they pleased.
Mr.. Cockren expressed his assonishment at
hearing the Senator from South Carolina say
that officers OF the army and navy had their
mouths closed and could not approach Con-
gress Congress was Just as open 70 them as 20
any citizen Of the United States. Any officer
might send to the Senate or House MS Petition
through the proper channel The question was
whether officers had a right to go into com
binafion, paying 3 fixed fee in advance, and
agreeing to paw contingent fee.
Mr. Butler-Why should not officers do it as
well as any other body of citizens?
Mr Cockrell-I am satisfied with the Sena-
tors Endorsement of this mode TO secure legis-
lGtion.
Mr. Bufler-I repeat my question; why should
not officers do it as well as other citizensf
Mr.. COckreli-fhe public VIII answer that
uuesron. l do not propose to 60 into an argu-
ment upon it before tins body; IL answers
issued short time ago, in reference to another
bill to increase the salary of officers. in which
ii is stated that the fee is $500 as a retainer,
with q contingent fee of 5000. and in which
tbe assessment is spoken of as $l42 for one class
and 500 for another class, to pay the retaining
Zee Such things, nc declared, were disgrace
70 the army and navy.
CAUTIONED TO KEEP COOL.
Mr.. Bufler-If the Senator from Missouri
were not so very much excited
Mr.. cockre1 [impetuously)-The Senator
from Missouri is never excited. daughter in
the press galleryl
Bfr. Butler-I would like to ask the Senator
why he talks of this as an assessment / sup
posed that there was some sort of compulsion
about assessments.