St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-03
HAS REED ON THE HIP.
Clever Flank Movement of Con-
gresham Cummings.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. 2.-Repre-
sentative Cummings, of New York, dealt
Speaker Reed the hardest blow yester-
day that gentleman has thus far re-
ceived from a long suffering and indig-
nant minority. The blow came III the
form of a resolution of inquiry. 1t was
aimed directly at the speaker. and with
cruel irony was so framed as to require
its reference to the committee on rules,
of which Mr.. Reed is chairman. The
resolution, to be understood, must be
read in the light of the following facts:
Away back in 1876 congress passed an
act preventing the employment of addi
tional laborerS at any of the navy yards
of the country during a period of sixty
days preceding an election in the
district wherein the yard was
situated. The purpose OF the
law was to prevent the use OF the yards
for political purposes, and IL admitted
of no exceptions except i'll cases where
the secretary OF the navy certified the
necessity for the extra force. When the
naval bill passed the house a few
months ago it contained an appropria-
ton for $50, 900 for the reconstruction of
two buildings destroyed by fire at the
Kittery (Me.) navy yard in last January,
besides the amount necessary for the
completion of the gunnery ship LancaS-
ter; for repairs upon the training ship
MonongaheIa, and for other purposes at
the same yards. Saturday last the Daily
Chronicle of Portsmouth, n. H., con-
tanned an advertisement signed by the
secretary of the navy, calling for the
immediate employment of large force
of men at the Kittery yard for the fore
going purpose. The Kittery yard, it
should be explained, is situated in
Speaker Reeds congressional district,
and the manifest purpose Of suddenly
increasing the force by 500 or 600 able
bodied voters receives a new interpreta-
ton when it is remembered that the
autumn elections, so fraught with in
terest to Mr.. Reed, occur in Maine about
six weeks hence. Mr.. Cummings reSolu-
ton, after reciting in its preamble the
facts above stated, concludes as follows:
Resolved. That the committee on naval at
fairs be instructed to inquire into the neces-
sity OF increasing the force employed at the
Kittery navy yard at this time; whether the
best interests of the public service require
that the buildings destroyed by fire in Janu-
airy last shall be constructed; whether the
gunnery ship Lancaster should be completed.
and whether the contemplated employment
of large force at this time is not intended
ton in the state of Maine, rather than to
subserve the public interests: that the said
committee shall have the power to send for
persons and papers, and send Il subcommittee
to the yard, and that all the expenses shall
be paid out of the contingent fund of the
house.
1t should be stated that when the APP
preparation for reconstructing the build
ing was under consideration in the SEN
ate, it was strongly opposed by so prom
inent Republican as Mr.. Allison, of
Iowa, his argument being that the yard
was useful only for the purpose of
repairing wooden ships, class of YES
| sells now rapidly falling into disuse.
An interesting feature of Mr.. Cum
mings' resolution is found i'll its refer
ence to the committee on rules. of which
Mr.. Reed is chairman. Ii he suppresses
the resolution, thereby preventing the
committee on naval affairs from purSu-
ing the investigation, he makes vir-
tual confession of the allegations coll
tanned by inference in the resolution.
On the other hand, if the committee on
rules report favOrably upon the reSolu-
ton, it will go to the committee onnaval
affairs, of which Mr. Boutelle, of Maine,
a personal friend of the speaker, is
| chairman. 1t would not he an extra
ordinary thing for Mr.. Boutelle to carry
! the resolution around in his pocket sew
eral weeks, until the effect of the inves-
tigation, if it were to be made, would be
practically neutraliZed. The outcome
of this clever Democratic flank move
ment on Speaker Reeds forces will be
awaited with no little interest.