The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-01
A SLUR ON THE HOUSE.
THE NATIONAL ECONOMISTS EDI-
TORIAG UNDER FIRE.

Representative Oates Opposed to
Passing 1t Over Without Notice
Representative Cannon Asserts That
the Resolution is Not a Privileged
One-Reed Rules It Out.
WASHINGTON, July S1.-In the House
this morning Mr.. Oates of Alabama, rising
TO a question of privilege, offered a resolu-
ton for an investigation Of the charges of
corruption against members of the House
contained in the editorial in the National
Economist. Mr.. Oates said that when a
charge of this character was made by
journal of responsibility and wide circula-
ton it should not be passed over in silence.
If the charge was true the country ought to
know it, if it was not true it was due to the
good name of the members of the House
that this fact should be established.
CANNON OPPOSES IT.
Mr.. Cannon contended that the resolution
did not present a question of privilege. The
charge made in the editorial was indefinite.
Nothing definite was charged. For one,
until somebody made a reasonably specific
charge and showed an ability to procure
evidence that would tend to establish it, he
thought that the House owed to its dignity
and the business of the country to pay no
attention to it.
Mr. Grosevenor thought that If the House
were to take coguizance Of this charge (al-
though practically it was no CHARGE a
resolution should first be sent to the COM
mlttee. The article charged that in these
corrupt days man did not change his con-
victions without a consideration, and that
was the judgment. Whether he obtained it
by personal experience and obser vation did
not appear.
ONE MAN POWER.
Mr.. Rogers of Arkansas said that IL was
generally understood that the speaker passed
all bills in this House. Therefore the charge
was an inferential charge against the
speaker, and as an dnlicus curig he
thought the resolution should be adopted.
Mr.. Peters of Kansas was opposed to dig
nifving the editorial by paying any atten-
ton TO it. The man who could pen such an
article must be either corrupt or a man OF
the densest ignorance. There was not a
man in the House who did not know that
the charge was absolutely false He denied
that the writer had any right to make the
charge in the name of the farmers alliance
There were some members of the alliances
who were demagogues, and who were
attempting to lead the alliance into politics
and outside Of its sphere of action, and
these men were feeding upon Just such
utterances as this They were trying to
create the impression that all public men
were corrupt, and that they were the only
virtuous men in their midst, and therefore
should be put in office.
Mr.. Richardson of Tennessee character
lied the editorial charge as an assault upon
the integrity of the House and argued that
the House owed it to its fair name to have
the matter investigated.
REED RULES 1T OUT.
After further discussion the speaker ruled
that the resolution was not privileged
one. In doing so, he said that the news
paper editorial was Of the vaguest character.
1t made no assertion except by inference.
1t made no statement upon which
anybody could be expected to predicate a
belief or conviction. 1t was within the
knowledge of every member that para
graphs of this character were floating
around in the newspapers of the country.
The House could see the Inconvenience
which would result to the business of the
House if any member had right on the
on the production of a paragraph like this
TO demand an investigation.
The House sustained the decision of the
chair, an appeal having been taken by Mr.
Oates, by vote of 95 yeas to II nays.
THE sUNDRY CIVIL BILL.
The House then went into committee of
the whole on the Senate amendments to the
sundry civil bill
The entire afternoon was consumed in
discussion of the Senate irrigation amend
ment. Many amendments were proposed to
this amendment, but the ultimate result
was that the Senate amendment was nom
concurred in.
The committee then rose and reported the
bill to the House.
Without disposing of the bill the House
nf .s)S nlolcnlr nd Il