Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-06
THE ERA OF INVESTIGATION.
Not Much Campaign Capital Expected From
Inquiries Now Going On.


Inquiries Now Going On.
The various investigations in progress in THU
House are of very doubtful result, taken a. q
whole. At the opening OF this Congress it va,
expected that great deal Of political capital
would be made out Of investigation of the
Keystone Bank matter, the census office, the
pension Office, the civil service. the Yellowstone
Park matter, the condition OF the finance Of the
country, trusts and combinations, and the
immigration matters Several Of these
investigations have been in progress for
some time and considerable intercs,
has been developed, but it is eviden,
from the little attention they have
attracted that the public have become indif-
ferent to congressional invs stig ations and have
ceased to attach much importance to them.
Aware of this fact, the managers of this House
have not counted much on these investiga CATIONS,
and the committee on rules have been reluctant
toauthorize them unless very good reasons were
furnished. The pigeon holes in the Speaker
room are full OF resolutions. making inquiry
and authorizing Investigations, which have
been offered in the House and referred to the
committee on rules. Most Of these will be
there when this Congress adjourns.
THE KEYSTONE BANK AFFAIR.
The outcome Of the keystone Bank investi-
cation is very doubtful, for the reason that
there is such mass Of testimony collected at
the investigations made before Con-
gress took hold OF the matter, which
must be gone over to keep the
record straight, and yet the whole matter Is SO
confused and involved in SO much mystery
that the committee does not know where to look
for light on the subject There is no doubt felt
that there is much In the case that ought to be
disclosed in the interest Of Justice, but il is
believed to be out of the reach Of the commit
tee. Moreover, the Investigation WAS begun
late, and the COMMITTEES has much to learn yet
before they will be as we'll Informed as the
public generally have been by following the
Investigation that was had in Philadelphia last
summer. Most OF the members of the commit
tee had not followed the case at all before they
began their Investigation, and they are, to a
great extent, cropping in the dark. The fact
known place OF retirement and sources of in
formation generally sealed up will make II
difficult for them to discover the much-de-
sired truth Of this mysterious transaction.
THE PENSION OFFICE INQUIRY.
The Raum investigation has not been con-
Quoted with any particular skill BY those prose-
cutting it. A great deal that is unimportant
has been lugged in to expand tho record and
to obscure the material points, and the investi-
CATION has been allowed to drag out into a
tiresome length.
Iue ueuuucTats Will prODaOly mold that there
has been sufficient brought out to justify O
censure of the administration Of the pension
office.
The proposed investigation OF the census
Office seems to be fzzling out. large num-
Der OF Congressman are said to have proteRcs
in that office, and they are therefore not 30 apt
to press an investigation there without some
good reasons for it.
THE BALTIMORE CIVIL SERVICE CASE.
There has never been much doubt about the
result OF the investigation of the Baltimore
post office affair, as the facts in the case have
been pretty we'll known since the controversy
between Mr.. Roosevelt and the Postmaster
General began. OF course il is fully expected
that the civil service committee will sustain
the civil service commission and criticise the
administration generally, and Mr.. Wanamaker
IN particular, for their failure to act upon the
report of the commission. The report will
probably be good campaign document to cir
culate by the democrats in civil service reform
communities.
The investigation Of the Yellowstone Park
matter was not expected to amount to much at
first. Testimony to the effect that blocks OF
stock in the park company had been set aside
for Mr.. Russell Harrison, though it does not
appear that aIr. Harrison had any knowledge
OF the fact, has excited the taste for the senss-
tlonal and awakened interest in the matter