The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-26
STAND CLOSE TOGETHER,
The Silver Pool Committee Prompt
" Whitewash All Of Their
Fellows.
Cameron Sold Before, and Taylor
Bought After, the Bill
Was Passed.
Owenby Dubbed q Roinancer and COnger
Il Said ia. Have Been Heated
by Debate.

WARRINGTON, Feb 25.-The report OF the
silver pool investigating committee, made
to the house tonight, il unanimous. 1t re-
views the testimony briefly. Owenby il al
Iuded to as q ''romancer whose Imagination
10 not restrained by the limitations of
truth Senator Cameron's silver purchase
is referred to as having been made, and the
silver sold, before the bill was passed. Rep
resentative Taylor bought after the bill
became law and when no
additional legislation was looked for. The
report saws it is but just to say that the
statement made by Congressman Conger in
debate in the house June "a, last, to the
effect that be had been approached to join
silver POOLS" furnished some excuse for the
publication Of the general allegation that a
silver pool existed pending legislation. but
p, none for the charge that certain senators
and representatives accepted such invita-
ton. Mr.. Coneer, who is now
United States minister to Brazil.
was asked by cable to give
the committee the names of the persons
who approached him. but declined to do so.
The committee says the fact that exagge-
rated expressions are sometimes used in
tho heat of debate may furnish excuse for
such stories, affords additional reason for
careful avoidance in debate of limitations
that corrupt influence is being brought
to bear upon certain members to influence
legislation, unless the member making such
i%nsinuation ID prepared to substantiate the
charge.
The committee has been unable to obtain
any evidence to support the Owenoy
~h~.~Aa nhnr ~orA n0nU afANuIAfnfA
buying silver individually and probably. in
some cases, in company. but there 10 no evil
dence that there was any pool Or combine
tion of such spectators working together
to this end, or that any senator or repre-
sentative was connected with such pool.
induce silver legislation disclosed by the
evidence Was the public organization known
as the silver commission, appointed by the
ST. Louis silver convention, and which has
had headquarters in Washington the past
year. This commission, according to the
testimony Of Francis e.. Newland, one of
its members, had printed and
distributed pamphlets and circu-
lars, published articles in news
papers and maintained Agent Sinnfeld to
visit organizations, particularly Farmers
alliances, in various parts of the country
for the purpose OF working up and securing
expression OF public sentiment in favor of
the free coinage of silver at the ratio of six
teen to one of gold. This had been done at
an expense of mot less than ten nor more than
fifteen thousand dollars during the past
year, which expense had been met by the
voluntary contributions of the
owners of silver mines and bull
ion and by others fayoring such
legislation. There was no evidence. and
the committee has reason to believe that
this commission. which Owenby describes
MS the head silver pool had any connec-
ton with silver speculations or expended
any none otherwise than for the purposes
above stated. The organization was de-
signed to influence public opinion to secure
legislation. There is no evidence
that any pool, combination, syn
dictate or individual speculator fur
nished money to enable member of
congress to invest in silver, or that any
senator or representative was interested in
any silver pool CT syndicate, rs charged by
Owenby, nor any evidence that any senator.
representative or government official was
individually interested in silver bullion, or
was directly or indirectly interested in silver
bullion or silver speculations, pending sill
yer legislation, except that referring to
Senator Cameron.