Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-09


self" Laughter.
The Other Fellows Time to Talk.
'Well, then, perhaps you had better let
the other fellow talk who is going to vote
for it. [Great laughter Now, Mr..
Speaker, this Committee on Appropriations
is the only committee having jurisdiction
over the proceedings of the Worlds Fair
Commission. This is my theory, and we do
not seek through this investigation to reach
the operations of the local corporation at
all" [Applause.
Mr.. Durburow, of Illinois, earnestly sup
ported substitute placing investigation
in the hands of the committee. 'I want to
say, Mr.. Speaker" said he, 'that most
heartily and fully agree with what the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sayers) and
the gentleman from Iowa (Mr Henderson,
have said in regard to the necessity of an
investigation. believe that 1 am perhaps
better posted on the affairs of the Column
bian Exposition than any other member of
this House; and 1 want to say that 1 am
not prepared to-day to vote for
any appropriation of money or
any assistance whatever until more
information is given to this House than we
at present have before U.S. am heartily in
favor of an investigation, and / want to see
the investigation started as soon as possible.
But this is not question of an investiga-
ton; it is question of the jurisdiction of the
Committee on the Columbian Exposition.
The subject of the Columbian Exposition
was first brought before the Fiftieth Con-
gress in the matter of having number of
petitions presented to Congress favoring the
holding of this fair.
4 Conflict of jurisdiction.
'tNo action was taken, if understand it
Al Il. "a L ~
a very large number of petitions were pre-
sented and referred to certain committees;
and o conflict of jurisdiction came up. But
to settle this conflict of jurisdiction the
House authorized the appointment of a
special Committee on the Quadro-Centen-
nial. The name of this committee was
atterward changed to the Committee on the
Columbian Exposition for the reason that
the corporate authorities in charge of the
Exposition had changed the name of their
corporation, and it is now known as the
Worlds Columbian Exposition Corpora
ton. In the present session the Commit
tee on Rules reported a rule prescribing the
jurisdiction of the regular committees and
proposing that the regular committees
should be governed by rule II of the rules
of the Fiftieth Congress
''Now, Mr.. Speaker, we maintain that
legislation, or appropriations relating to
the Worlds Columbian Exposition, do not
come under any power which, under that
rule, is delegated to the Committee on APP
propriations On the other hand, on the
9th of January last, the Committee on
Rules reported rule governing the !iuris-
diction of the Select Committees of this
House, in which it is provided that all pro-
posed legislation concerning the Columbian
Exposition should be referred to that COM
rule. Under it all legislation. of whatever
character, relating to the Worlds Fair,
whether it includes appropriations or no, is
to be referred to the Committee on the
Columbian Exposition.
An Investigation Courted.
''Now, Mr.. Speaker, the Committee on the
Columbian Exposition has not brought up
this question because of anv objection to
the proposed investigation, because we are
a unit as to the necessity of having an in
vestigatfon. The entire subject should be
investigated, and l am authorized by the
officials of the Worlds Fair at Chicago to
state that they desire an investigation of
the most complete character, and will offer
every facility in their power to the commit
tee that shall be appointed by this House
to make that investigation. But the Com
mittee on the Columbian Exposition be-
IeVeS anu Hldl0IalHS bndI Inc JuTlSulcIlou
conferred upon it in relation to this sub
ject gives it the right and the power to
attend to all legislation in relation to the
Exposition, and as a consequence of that
belief they have presented this substitute
to the House for adoption" Applause.
Mr.. McCreary, of Kentucky, proclaimed
himself friend of the Worlds Fair and
said that the managers thereof did not
shrink from an investigation. But he did
not believe that the inquiry should be made
by the Committee on Appropriations. He
did not wish to load down that great COM
mittee and he contended that the special
Columbian Exposition Committee was the
proper medium through which the House
should receive information.
Appropriate rs Argument.
Mr. Outhwaite, of Ohio, speaking as an
impartial person, belonging to neither of
the contending committees, gave it as his |
opinion that the Worlds Fair Committee |
should not have jurisdiction over the in
vestigation. When the original bill was [
passed it was understood by the House that |
those who favored the location at Chicago
and he was one of them-should ask no |
further appropriations from the Govern |
ment. He believed that the Committee on |
was the better committee to |
make the investigation.
Mr.. Hopkins, OF Illinois, said that he neither |
sought nor attempted to avoid an investiga- !
tion into the affairs of the Worlds Fair. |
H did not believe there was any occasion |
for it, but as the question had been raised it |
was in the interest of the commission that it |
should be held. He deprecated the remarks |
of the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Hender- |
son) as to the Director General. The gen. |
tleman had alluded to that officer as a gen. |
tleman who, when he was a member of the |
House, had been conspicuous by his silence. |
His (Mr. HopkinsO experience had been
that the lightest-headed and weakest men,
bers on the floor were those who made the
most noise. He favored the appointment |
of special committee of nine members to
conduct the investigation.
Mr. Fellow. of New York, thought that a |
vote against the Durburow substitute would I
be a vote of lack of confidence in the Com
lnittee on the Worlds Fair. The Commit
tee on Appropriations at present yielded a
vast power, and he was not disposed to en-
large it.
Cummings on Members Integrity.
Mr.. Cummings, of New York, said he
would vote against the proposition of the
Committee on Appropriations because it
seemed to be a proposition based on the
that the members of the |
Worlds Fair Committee were a set of |
and not worthy of being en-
trusted with the investigation. He could
not afford to, and he would not cast any
such insinuation or imputation upon any
of the House.
The time allowed for debate having ex-
pired, the Speaker stated the question to be
on an amendment offered by Mr. Reilly, of
Pennsylvania, to the resolution of the Com
,Le4,t IL,