Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-12-20
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
What the Senator's Did Yes
terday.
CHANDELIERS NAVAL RESOLUTIONS
Should Army and Navy Officers Be
Deprived of the Privilege
Of Lobbying2
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD. /

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD
= WASHINGTON, December 19.-In the
Senate today the House concurrent
resolution for holidayrecess from Satur
day next till Monday, January 9Th, wal
concurred in.
Stewart, from the Committee OF
Military Affairs, reported a resolution
directing an examination by the Treasury
of the war claims of the State of Cali
fornia growing out Of Indian hostilitiel
and disturbances. Agreed to.
Chandler called up the resolution of
fered by him in regard to organization
among the naval officers, and made q
statement on the subject. He desired
if possible, to protect naval officers from
being levied upon and induced or com
PEELED to pay money (Which they could
poorly spare) for the purpose of infu
encing legislation. He said year or two
ago Thomas ]. Cowie, Past Assistant
Paymaster in the navy, prepared bill
for an increase of rank and pay of officers
of the navy. It was a very compre-
hensive bill; it contained no feature oil
economy whatever. That bill had not
been introduced in either House, but it
had been fitting around privately in
print. In connection with that bill there
had been movement organized to &C.
cure money from navy officers; that
movement had taken the shape of cer-
tain printed circulars.
One OF these circulars Chandler sent
to the Clerks desk and had read. It was
from Cowie, and dated December 2, 1889.
II stated that John FL. Thomas, of Illi-
nois, had been engaged as attorney to
take charge and advocate the passage of
ton and equalization of the pay of the
personnel Of the navy, and it expressed
the hope that all officers would respond
promptly to Thomas communications.
In connection with this circular one
from Thomas himself was sent to the
Clerks desk and read. It stated that he
had been requested to act in the matter;
that expenses must necessarily be in
Cured and time and labor must be de-
voted to the work, and his (Thomas')
acceptance of the proposition depended
upon its approval by the officer ad-
dressed, upon his sending retaining fee
Of IS, and signing contract of which
form was sent, to pay contingent fee
of ten per cent. on his increase of pay
for one year.
Chandler added that there we're ], 800
naval officers, and this attempt to get
them into the movement had taken an
extremely Offensive shape. He submit
ted to the Senate that it was extremely
Objectionable and discreditable to at
tempt to influence legislation. He did
not believe that the contract, even if en-.
tered into, would be legally binding; at
any rate it was contract which would
absolutely paralyze the committees of
Congress who would have the bill under
consideration.
Hale supported the resolution. 1t was,
he said, matter of deep regret and of
some modification to know that public
legislation and outside efforts in the
direction of accomplishing it were being
hawked about by attorneys in Washing
ton. There were great many men
living in Washington, and living pretty
we'll, whose source of income was do.
rived from their supposed influence on
legislation. He hoped the resolution
would be agreed to, and promised that
when information was received the Naval
Committee would give the matter
thorough investigation.
Mcpherson defended the action of
Paymaster Cowie, and said if that officer
had discovered method by which the
pay OF the officers of the navy could be
equalized to the satisfaction of all naval
officers, he should be regarded as pub
lie benefactor.
Butler said that while he suggested the
other day that the resolution be referred
to the Committee on Naval Affairs, he
had no objection to it's being adopted,
nor to the fullest investigation of the
whole subject. The spirit OF reform was
abroad in the land-political reform, ed
ucational 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 a
tempest in teapot. An officer of the
navy, because he chose to exercise his
right as citizen of the United States to
employ counsel to represent him before
Congress, was denounced as if he had
bsen doing very improper thing; and
q reputable attorney because he chose to
make contract with naval officers, was
held up to the country as violating some.
code of propriety and rectitude. He
buOuSut tuo WuOl0 peIIUIuhuCo WAS uu-
necessary, and he wished the effort to
drive away lobbyists would be applied in
other directions as we'll as to officers of
the army and navy, whose mouths were
closed.
Cockrell expressed establishment at
hearing the Senator from South Carolina
say the 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 uf the
United States. The question was
whether the officers had right to 90
into combination, paying fixed fee in
advance and agreeing to pay contingent
fee.
Butler-Why should not officers do so
as we'll as other citizens?
Cockrell-The public will answer that
question. I hold in my hand similar
circular issued short time ago in refer
once to another bill to increase the salary
of officers. in which it is stated that the
fee is $500 as a retainer, with contin-
gent fee of 5000. Such things are dis
grace to the army and navy.
After further discussion by Butler,
Cockrell and Call the resolution was
agreed to.
The resolution offered yesterday call
ing for information as to the disposition
of military reservations relinquished by
u D~~- -~-k~-- "a = f.