The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-26
rHERE WAS NO SILVER POOL.

Report OF tho Committee Calls Owenby
homancer With q FREQ Fancy.
WASHINGTON CRY, Feb. 25.-Thc report OF the
silver pool investigating committee, made to the
Honse tonight, 10 unanimous. 1t reviews the
testimony briefly. Owenby is alluded to as a
fomancer, whose imagination is not restrained
oy the limitations of truth" Senator Cameron Z
silver purchase is referred to as having been
made, and the silver sold, before the bin passed.
representative Taylor bought after the bill be-
came law, and when no additional legislation
was looked for.
The report says il is but just to say that the
statement made by Congressman Conger in a
debate in the House June "a last to the effect
tnat he had "been approached to join the silver
pool" furnished some excuse for the pnbIica.
ton OF general allegation that silver pool ex-
isted, pending legislation, but none for the
cnarge that certain senators and representatives
accepted such invitation. Mr. Conger, who in
now United States minister to Brazil, was asked
by cable to give the committee the names of the
persons who approached him, but he declined to
do SO. The committee says that the fact tint
exaggerated expressions sometimes used in the
neat OF debate may furnish an excuse for such
s.ollss. anoros addIfional reason for careful
aSooance In. debate of any intimation that
corrupt influence is being brought to bear upon
members to influence legislation, unless the
msMoe, MAKING suM intimation is prepared to
Inc committee has been unable to obtain any
evidence to support Owenby's charges. There
were many speculators buying silver indliyidu-
ally, and probably, IN some cases, in company.
put there is no evidence that there was any pooi
or combination of such spectators working to-
eetner 10 this end, or that any senator or repre-
sentative was connected with such pool
Ihe only organized or combined effort tn In.
ouce silver legislation disclosed by the evidence
was public organization known as the silver
commission. appointed by the st. Louis silver
convention, g, and which has had headquarters in
washington City tor the past year. This oom-.
mission, according to the testimony of Francis
e. Newland, one ofits members, had printed and
distributed pamphlets and circulars puhlished
aftlcleS IN newspapers and maintained Agent
Slnnlfield TO visit organizations, particularly
farmers alliances in various parts of the coun-
try, for the purpose OF working up and seeming
the expression of public sentiment in favor ~
the free coinage of silver at ratio of is to OF
gold. 1t has been done At an expense of not
less than 10000 or more than $4,000 during the
past year, which expense has been met by vol
untary contributions of owners of silver mines
and bullion, and others favoring such legisla-
tee has reason to believe that this commission.
which Owenby describes AZ the "head silver
pool, had any connection with silver specula.
tions, or expended any money otherwise than
Tor the purposes above stated, the organizations
DESIGNATED being rather to influence public
opinion than to secure legislation.
incre Is no evidence that any pool. combine
nation, syndicate. or individual speculator fur
nished money to enable the members of con-
gress to invest In silver, or that any senator or
representative was interested In any silver pooI
or syndicate, as charged by Owenby, nor any
evidence that any senator, representative or
interested In silver bullion. or silver specula-
tion pending silver legislation, EXCEPT that re-
terring to Senator Cameron