The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-20

to the Senate that it was an extremely OBJ
liectionable and discreditable attempt to
| influence legislation. He did not believe
| that ich a contract, even II pr1ed into,
would be legally binding, but at any rate it
was a contract which would absolutely
paralyze the committees of Congress who
would have the bill under consideration.
To have supported the resolution was, he
said, matter of deep regret, and of some
modification to know that for public legls-
lation outside efforts in the direction of
accomplishing it were being hawked about
by attorneys in Washington. There were
la great many men living in Wash
ington, and living pretty well,
whose source of income was derived from
hoped the resolution would be agreed to
and promised that when information was
received the naval committee would give
the matter a thorough investigation.
| Mcpherson defended the action of taking
pay by Mr. Cowi, and said if that officer
mad discovered method by which the pay
of officers of the navy could De equalized tn
the satisfaction of all naval officers, he
should be regarded as public benefactor
Butler said that while he suggested that
the other resolution be referred to the COM
mittee on naval affairs he had no objections
| to its being adopted nor to the fullest in
vestigation of the subject. The spirit OF
reform was abroad in the land-political
reform, educational reform, temperance
reform - and now there was to be
lobby reform. He supposed that it was
better late than never, but it appeared to
him to be tempest in an affair of an
officer of the navy. Because he choose to
exercise his right as citizen of the United
States and to employ counsel to represent
him before Congress, he was denounced as
if he had been doing very improper
thing; and a reputable attorney, because
he choose to make contract with naval
officers, was held up to the country as
violating some code of propriety and recti-
tude. He thought the whole performance
was unnecessary and he wished that de-
sire to drive away lobbyists would be ap-
piled in other directions as well as to
officers of the army and navy whose
mouths were closed.
Cockrell expressed establishment at
hearing the Senator from South Carolina
say that officers of the army and navy had
their mouths closed and could not approach
Congress. Congress was just as open to
them as to any citizen of the United States.
The question was whether officers had
right to GO into a combination, paying a
fixed fee in advance and agreeing to pay a
contingent fee.
Butler-Why should not Officers do it as
well as other citizens!
C0ckrell-In6 PUBIC Will answer lnaG
question. hold in my hand similar circu-
lars issued a short time ago in
reference to another bill TO increase
the salary of officers in which it is
stated the fee is IS as retainer with con-
tingent fee of $500" Such things, he de-
clared, were disgrace to the army and
navy. After further discussion by Butler,
Cockrell and Call, the resolution was
agreed to.
The resolution offered yesterday calling
for information as to the disposition of the
lands of military reservations relinquished
by the war department, was agreed to.
The resolution offered yesterday by Coke
as to the attack on Justice Field in Califor-
MIA and the killing of Terry, was referred
! to the judiciary committee.
Mitchell offered an amendment to the
Pacific railway funding bill, which was re.
ferred to the select committee on that sub
ject. He explained that the bill itself was
confined to the Union Pacific and its
branches, and his amendment applied to
the Central Pacific and its branches. The
Senate then went into executive session.
After the doors were re-opened messages
were received from the House announcing
the deaths during recess of Representa-
tives Laird, Townsend and Cox. Resolu-
Etlons expressive of the regret of the Senate
were offered by Henderson, Cullom and
Evarts and agreed to- and as further
mark of respect to the deceased, the Sen
ate adjourned.