The daily critic., 1890-09-01
MIR. SMYSER HAS 10 LEAVE THE
RAUM COMMITTEE.
THAT CONGRESSMAN OWNS STOCK
In The Commissioners Universal
Refrigerating Company
HE TOOK PART IN THE INVESTIGATION
Until Mr. Cooper Brought the Attention OF
the House to the Matter
lowed to Resign.

In the House this morning, on motion
Of Mr.. Stockbridge Of Illinois, the bill
providing for Government inspection of
coal mines in the Territories was passed.
Mr. Cooper Of Indiana, rising to
question Of privilege, stated that one of
the charges made in the resolution
offered by him for the investigation Of
General Raum, Commissioner Of Pen
sions, was that the Commits
sioner was selling stock in
refrigerator company to EN-
employees Of the Pension Office. lie had
in vain attempted to obtain the names
Of the stockholders in the concern. To
day he had learned land this knowl.
edge was borne out by the testimony)that
one Of the members Of the investigating
committee (Mr. M. L. Smyser OF Ohio)
was one of the stockholders. He
Cooper therefore offered a resolution
discharging Mr.. Smyser from the com
mittee, and directing the Speaker to ap.
point his successor.
Mr.. Sawyer of New York said the
question which the committee was ap.
pointed to investigate was whether
Commissioner Raum had pro-
NOTED employees under him for
the reason that they became
stockholders in the refrigerator com.
paDy. There was no reason why the
fact that Mr.. Smyser was stockholder
affected his qualification TO decide
whether Mr.. Raum's official conduct
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
he was going to be appointed on the
committee until the announcement was
made by the Speaker As a member
of the committee he had entered
upon the discharge OF his duty
and be had done II faithfully and we'll
lie did own some Of the stock, but that
fact In no measure could effect the In
ttgrity OF honor Of an honest man.
Friends who knew him would never
impuie to him a want of honor or n
want of integrity.
While he did not understand why the
fact Of his ownership of stock should
affect his standing as a member Of the
committee, If his colleagues on the com.
mittee were of the opinion he was so
affected, he would yield willingly and
resign his position.
Mr.. Morrill,, chairman Of the com
mittee, said 1t was due TO the Speaker
and 10 the members Of the committee
10 say that the first intimatlon they
had that one of the members had stock
In the refrigerator company was
when the books were produced !
The conduct OF the gentleman
from Ohio had been perfectly |
honorable. He should be desirous Of |
arriving at the truth aud the whole |
truth He did not doubt the gentle |
mans motives In the least. But he |
hoped now, In order TO relieve other |
members, he would promptly withdraw |
from the committee.
Mr. Smyser felt there was nothing In /
the charges against General Raum that |
in any way affected him. But Ia or |
der to satisfy the other side of the /
House and country, IN duty TO himself, |
he most respectfully asked TO be re- |
lieyed from further service on the com
mittee.
In view Of Mr. Smyser's withdrawal /
from the committee, Mr. Cooper with
drew his resolution 10 expel him.
The Speaker explained that when he
SmyseT on the committee he
did not know he was stock
holder In the refrigerator company
lie had made up the special COMMITTEES
from the Committees on Pensions aud
Invalid Pensions because they were
familiar with the Pension Office and its
workings.
There was no objection 7 Smyser's
and he Is ~ off the
committee.