, 1891-02-26
Charges Not sustained.

WAsmSdToN. Feb. 25.-The report Of
the silver pool investigating committee,
made to the house tonight, is unanimous.
1t reviews the testimony briefly. 0wenby
is alluded to as 4 ''romancer whose
imagination is 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 passed. Representative Taylor bought
after the bill became 3 law and when no
additional legislation was looked for. The
report says it il but just to say that the
statement made by Congressman Conger
in debate 10 the house on June IA last,
to the effect that he had been ap-
preached to Join silver pools" furnished
some excuse for the publication Of the
general allegation that a silver pool exist-
ed pending legislation; but one for the
charge that certain senators and repre-
sentAtives had accepted snch invitation.
MIR. tUuRer. who is now United States
minister to Brazil, was asked BY cable, to
give the committee names OF the persons
who approached him. but declined to do
so
The committee says the fact that exag
gerated expressions sometimes used In the
heat OF debat may furnish an excuse for
such stories affords an additional reason
for a careful avoidance in debate of init
mations that corrupt influences are being
brought 10 bear upon members to ibiu-
ence legislation, unless the member max
ing such i~nsinuations Is prepared to sub
afuRfNafa Hha rharra III .-.-- -
been unable to obtain any evidence to sup
port the numerous charges. There were
many spectators buying silver lndivIdu-
ally and probably, ir some cases. in com
pany. but there is no evidence that there
was any pool or combination OF such
spectators working together to this end,
or that any senator or representative was
connected with such pool
The only organized or combined effort
to 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 bad its Headquarters in Washing
ton the past year. This commission, &C
cordlDg to the testimony of Francis G..
Neulands, one Of its members. had
printed and distributed pamphlets and
circulars, published articles in newspapers,
and maintained Agent Singled to visit
ORGANIZATIONS. particularly Farmers ALI
auees, in various parts of the country Tor
the purpose of working up and securing
an expression of public sentiment in favor
OF the free coinage of silver at a ratio of
sixteen to one ofRold. This had been done at
an expense of not less than $1,000 nor
more than $4,000 during the past year,
which expens had been met by yolun-
tary contributions of the owners OF silver
mines, bullion and Others favoriug such
legislation. There was no evidence and
the committee had reason to believe that
this commission, which 0wenby describes
as the head silver poo" had any con
nection with silver speculat'ous or ex-
pended any money otherwise than for the
purposes above tsted7sprgauizations de-
signed 10 influence public opinion to Sc
cure legislation.
There is no evidence that any pool.
commission, syndicate or Individual
Spectator furnished money to enable
members OF congress to invest in silver, or
that any senator or representative was
interested in any silver pool or syndicate
AZ charged by Owenby, nor any evidence
that any senator, representative or
government official. individually invested
10 silver bullion or was directly or
indirectly interested in silver bullion or
silver speculations pending the silver
legislation, except that referring to SEN
ator Cameron.