The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-09-02
HOUSE, rR0iEtDlSGS.
A Little Racket Involving tho IntessIty of
n RMember--Other Iiusiness,

a Little Racket Involving tho IntestIty OF
alIember-Other I,usiness.
WAsnISGroN, D. c., Sept. l.-Mr.
Stockbridge, OF Maryland, moved 10 sus
pend the rules and pass the bill provid.
ing for Government inspection OF coal
mines in the territories. Agreed to.
Mr.. Cooper, Of Indiana, rising to q
question OF privilege, stated that one OF
the charges made in the resolution OF.
fered by him Tor the investigation Of the
Commissioner OF Pensions was that the
Commissioner was selling stock in a re-
frigerator company to employees OF the
Pension Office. He had in vain at
tempted to obtain the names OF the
stockholders in the company. To-day
he had learned land this Knowledge was
borne out by the testimony that one of
the members OF the investigating COM
mittee Representative Smyser, of OHIO, J
was one Of the stockholders. lie (Mr.
Cooper therefore offered resolution
discharging Mr.. Smyser from the com.
mittee and directing the Speaker to ap.
point bis successor.
Mr.. Sawyer, Of New York. said that
the question which the committee was
appointed to investigate was whether
the Commissioner had promoted those
employed under him for the reason that
they became stockholders in the re-
frigerator company. There was no rea.
son why the fact that Mr.. Smyser was a
stockholder affected his qualification to
decide whether Mr. Raum's official con.
duct had been wrong.
Mr.. Outhwaite was surprised that any
gentleman OF honor and integrity should
raise any question as to the propriety of
the gentleman from Ohio Immediately
Withdrawing from the committee.
Mr.. Smyser said he had no intimation
that he was going to be appointed in the
committee until announcement was
made by the Speaker. 40 a member OF
the committee, he had entered upon the
discharge OF his duty and he had done
it faithfully and well. He did own some
OF the stock, but that TACT in no manner
could affect tho integrity or honor Of IN
honest man, and friends who knew him
would never impute to him want oil
honor or want Of integrity.
While he did not understand why the
fact OF his ownership Of stock should
affect his standing rs member ci the
committee, il his colleagues in committee
were Of the opinion that he was SC
affected he would yield willingly and re-
sign his position.
Mr.. Smyser felt that there was nothing
in the charges against Gen. Raum il
any way affecting him, but in order tc
satisfy the other side OF the House anG
country, in duty to himself, he most re
spectfully asked to be relieved from fur
ther service on the committee. The re-
quest was granted. ...
The Speaker stated that when he ap
pointed the committee he had nc
knowledge Of any relation between tht
gentleman from Ohio and the company
referred to. The chair hal made the
appointments from the Committee on
Pensions and on Invalid Pensions be
cause he thought it would facilitate thu
disposal of'the matter to have gentle
men serving on the committee who hat
some knowledge Of tho punsiou Office
On motion OF Mr.. Chapman, Of Michi
gan, the Senate bill was passed extend
ing the criminal jurisdiction OF circui
and district courts to the great laSes anC
their connecting waters. The Hous,
then adjourned.