New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-02
THE SILVER POOL INQUIRY.
CRITICISM OF THE INVESTIGATING COM
MITTEE FROM MANY SOURCES
ALLEGED TO DE CROPPING IN THE DARK AFTER
SOMETHING WHICH IT HOPES NOT TO FIND
-UNFORTUNATE ATTITUDE OF TIE
COMMITTEE IN REGARD TO SENA
TORS AND REPRESENTATIVES,.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUYEI


Washington Feb. lit is idle to deny or try TO
conceal the fact that the of the silver POOL
Committee has not been such 10 inspire general or
strong confidence among many people who nave
paid some attention to ii, and who had expected
from 50 strong committee thorough probing of the
subject of inquiry. On every side criticisms Of the
committee are heard, not only from men outside Of
Congress and official life, but from senators and Rep
resentaiv and men in official station who are
anxious that all the facts shall be brought out and
the good Of Congress and the integrity OF past as
"a of pending legislation fIy vindica cd That
many of the criticisms honest even members OF
tho committee cannot deny, however strongly they
may resent them. The gist Of he criticisms is con
tanned in a remark made yesterday by distinguished
ex-senator Of the United States, who is an eminent
lawyer. and who has been reading the daily news
paper repors of the investigation. lie said:
THE committee impresses all strongly as one which
cropping in the dark after something which hcpeS
not 20 find. II my impression IS correct. the com
mtee will probably succeed in MOI discovering any
thing II would be a good deal better if the COM
mee would turn all the light possible instead OF
cropping in darkness. Why, for example, does not
summon every member of the Finance Committee
Of the Senate and the Coinage Committee and BANK
ing and Currency Committee of the House. and e.
pecally the members of the Conference Comm tee on
last years silver legislation. and question each one
closely There many other things which 1t seems
ought to suggest themselves 30 the Investigating
Committee as proper things to be done if they arc
really anxious to get at the truth
The answer of the committee to the specific sus-
geston Of the ex-senator probably would be that IL
las no authority TO summon or compel the auehu'
ance and testimony of Senator, and that TO DO so
in the case of a Representative would be CONSTRUCT d.
an mputatOn upon his reputation or Character Ne'ei
OF these considerations seems to be entitled 10 Hluci
weight The House has taken the responsibility Vi
ordering the committee 10 perform certain duties and
cprfai
armed the committee with all the authority necessary
in the prcmise Five senators have already acknowl
edged the authority of the committee BY appearing anu
tcstifying and OF them has frankly admitted ana
tried Justify his act of speculation IN SILVER u"ucr
The cover OF another mans At least five Repre-
senatvcs have also appeared and eSthed anu seNerai
others who have been invited to appear are expected
IN do So There has been denial of the plenary
authority of the COMMITTEES by any senator, Repre-
sentative other person; and the appearance before
the committee Of any other senator or Representative
cannot be regarded reflection upon him. any more
than upon any of The Senators or Representatives VINO
have already done 80. The plain truth is that tie
committee handicapped itself at the outset by the posi-
lion which it took in regard TO Senators and Repre-
sontativcs when il undertook to create distinction 80
far ~ they were concerned The disclosures already
made show that this attitude is unfortunate in several
respects two of which may be briefly mentioned
IN the first place it has been shown by the teSti-
Ucdcnberc and Others that speculations in silver
luIlion NAV easily be. and usually 50 conducted
that tie name Of tie actual buyer or seller Is ho'
lnovn cNcort to his broker ed friend agent
who conducts the transaction. The evidences Vi
ttle are certificates or receipts, which pass from hand
10 hand without written Endorsement or hou'e o
t,aus,cY Is in The case of senator Cameron the en-
fir, T. saDt,or NAY hc conducted by and in the name
OF another person. There is to-day no puDhc feoolu
evidence to show the actual ownership OF single
ounce of all the millions of ounces OF silver puo
denosj,ed in the wants of the trust and SAFE deposit
,,rie. in New York City, certificates for which
haze been scattered broadcast throughout the specu'
latve regions of the United states, through the agency
of fine western National Bank. There is absolutely
no way to tcace the ownership OF these cer'oa'es o
the certificates themselves. Hlliioh ounces VI
900 900 ounces may be held by senators and Repre-
,or,.tives oday and they may have been concerned
in ooc,la,ons which aggregated tens Of millions OF
Ounces since April 1890. without any persons except
Them elves. being the wiser
,ou,e Of these quiet spectators may nave resarueu
,no speculative investments and sales as perecuy
I,i,im,tc as Mr. Cameron testified that lie regarded
ri .iIver observation-disclosures ii seems that he CON
crcted Il threuch Mr. Litter, whose name alone al
peaIcd 1t must be evident therefore TO every man
" ordinary intelligence that the only way 10 ascertain
whether or not senators or Representatives. nave Deeh
Or are now engaged ia silver specuations or speculative
Investments is 70 examine each senator ana KEEP
Iesc9tstive under OATH and The position taken 1y tnc
committee at the outs: Of he nc MI ~ 'f ne
thorough and the report is to be one which VIII
ti. second place the attitude Of the committee
las been unfortunate because IL haS created an IN
r. ecr.arin% members OF Congress who may be con
cerned Or implicated. That the committee desires or
absence Of direct conclusive proof but inc commune
j, under equally strong obligation to give no excuse
lear that il may already nave done So rms criticism
ought not 10 be made without showing III part at
began the question was raised whether or not not, any
member of either branch OF CONGRESS hdd mae o "a
suggestion or application in any quarter WIN rev
10 having the same dropped or suppressed: ii sucn
n suggestion or application had been made, IL Of course
implied a motive on the part OF the person or persons
who made it. 1t seemed TO be important' ueleo,e
an attempt suggestion or application had been made
in the direction manner Indicated ,.a
in the main by the sworn testimony of Representative
Dockery, II was that two members OF ,he nun Goron
in regard to the natter that this gentleman tor
understood 10 be senator CamerOn-hHi seen oela,o
of the boys had become nervous account OF the
proposed investigation. although he, the gentleman
aforesaid, cared nothing about on his own %GIu
and that they would be glad If ne, neSt ~ 6ned
cause he wanted the investigation made that the two
of Nebraska and Judge Perkins, Of Kansas 1t Is
now asserted thai the examination of the persons
manifestations Vest and Cameron ana Rcpftsehld
tves Dorsey and Perhinshas not been as careful ahd
thorough 1t ought to have BEEN in view OF all the
In the examination Of Colonel Dorsey, for example
he had approached him and expressed desire 70 nave
the investigation stopped prevented, and he re-
piled in the negative. The allegatiOn-and ii was
based on the authority Of senator Nest-was not that
the matter. but that he had approached somebody
else ON the subject, and with a view 10 having the
Investigation dr0pped-which, it may be observed,
an entirely different thing. Senator CamerOns test
mony on the point hay, TO say the least;
and his examination was by thorough or
searching, compared with that OF other witnesses
who do happen 10 be senators Representatives.
The examination Of Judge Perkins Yesterday seemed
TO be pcrunctOry and sipshod than that OF
Senator Cameron Colonel Dorsey. II may be added
that senator Vest has not been recalled and asked
to deny or corrOborate the testimony Of Mr. DoChcrv
on the point herein discussed which cannot be said
to be UnimpOrtant one.
The committee may plead that the names Of Colonel
Dorsey and Judge Perkins have not been given by
Mr.. Dockery; but they viii hardly do So inasmnch