The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-01
Formed for the Purpose of Character Smirch-
ing and Giving Opportunity for BULLDOG
ing Rather than for the Public Benefit.
How that Economy" Record Is Being
Worked Up by the Holman Crowd.
Severe Rebuke That Hurt Mr.. Blount Admin
istered By Mr.. Cummings TO the Psrsimo-
niOus DemagOgues of the Lower House
DEMOCRATIC DEFAMERs.

ioai OBJECT OF the Investigation Committees
Appointed by the Lower House.
SPECIAL 10 the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, April 50. Attention has
been called to the abuses of witnesses be-
fore con gressional committees by the Enloe-
Raum incident before tho Pension C1ee
investi eating committee of the House on
Tuesday of this week.
There is this difference between the sur
roundings OF witness before a congree'
sional committee and q court of Justice
There is no accountability for a CONS
mittee: none of its members arc
ever punished for insolenoe to-
ward witness, except possibly
by the witness himself. in a physical way.
A member Of q congressional committee
can make any assertion he wishes respect
ing witness without any fear. except
physical. on the part of the witness. There
is no redress for the witness except per-
sonal attack. in fistic manner. A court
protects a witness. When an improper
question is propounded the counsel upon
the side for which a witness tostIiies may
object and the court sustain the objection;
when the question is not pressed. Should
a witness be harassed against the caution
and objection of the court. the latter de-
clares the attorney offenCing IN contempt:
and may impose a fine. or go further and
disbar the offender. 1t is different before
q congressional committee,
When an improper question Is propound-
ed TO q witness before congressional COM
mittee and lac is insulted. his only redress
is to appeal TO the chairman or any mem
Der of the committee for decent treptment.
Should the question come from majority
member of the committee or the chairman
be prejudiced against the witness or the
side for which he testifies, as Is nearly al
ways true. the chairman declines TO rule
the question out, and the wItness must suf-
fer. He may, it is true. appeal to the com
mittee. and, If he has a friend upon it. a
vote upon the proceeding may be demand
ed, but IL will require o majority OF the
committee TO relieve him of the pressure
1t is true that one who ls supposed 10
know something of common court proceed
ure is placed at the head of committees
which are likely TO hayeipvestigations, but
it often occurs that men who know abso-
lutely nothing about court ethics or COM
mon practice are in control of committees
having important investigations. Then 10
Is that the witness may well have care.
The chairman not infrequently likes, ar
vestigation, and they usually consist
of q formal demand that every body
shall take off his hat during the
sessions and each member shall ask all
the questions he wishes, so he gets all the
information he can. by means at has own
command. The questions are invariably OF
a drag-net order, intended to satisfy the
Questioners. without respect to the ger
name features of the affair under inyesti-
ton. The latitude Is so broad at times as
to almost appal country iustica Often a
member of the committee wall pursue u
line of questioning for an honr or 30 with
out developing a single thought upon the
subject under investigation, but he does
,% Aar lisa
common veal. when IL transplres that
he has been attempting 10 extract
from the witness information OF no earth
ly interest to any one but the questioner
and having not even the most indirect or
remote bearing upon the subject under tho
committees investig alton. Then it almost
makes a real lawyer weep 10 see some Or
the members of the committee start In 10
slugger would attempt to "do" IN antago-
mist in ten-foot ring There Is. as has
been shown, no help for the witness. ex-
cept the committee be an unusually fair
one and the audience so respectable that
the com mIttee fear the consequences OF un-
fair play.
When the Pension Office investigation
was begun it was under the guise OF as
certaining whether the oihco was con-
Quoted with the best interests OF the claim
ants in view. 1t soon developed that 10
was instigated by q Democrat who was
turned out by General Raum for insubor-
duation and lack OF fitness for the work ho
was assigned as special examiner lhs
investigation at the first jump became u
Singing match. an assault on the head OF
the bureau. Dir. Cooper, OF Indiana. in
stead of working In the interest ot tne
pension claimants. began the most mali
cIoUs attack upon the personality OF the
Commissioners, going into his private ac-
counts outside of the Office. looking into the
financial interests of the Commissioner and
attempting 10 throw mud upon his personal
integrity and executive capacity In private
transactions. The inquiry soon left the
subject of pensions; soon had 10 relation TO
the subject for which II was begun. The
attacks upon the Commissioners early took
the form of persecution. and sympathy took
the main seat in the pubic mind. Not
question was asked during the inyestiga-
tion in tbs last OF the second one. now pro-
crossing IN this Congress. which was in
cIined To bring out information which
could throw light upon the real manage
ment OF tho office, or result In improve
ments of the methods employed. lt was
personal abuse. insults, individual at
lacks. until those who watched the pro-
ceedings, month in aud month out
wondered how long it could last without
resulting in q redress personal 10 the two
parties involved. General Raum bad no
recourse He was federal officer. and as
such was amenable 20 the wishes of the
Democr attic House under shIch the perse-
cutiOn was being directed. lf he were
called a horse-t thief he would be compelled
TO sit still and accept the term. unless he
chose TO resent 1t by personal force. and
should he do that the country would de-
mand his election from office in disgrace,
as being "a person who could not control
his temper upon the witness-stand."
A federal Office holder. above all others,
is placed at disadvantage before con.
gressiopal investigating committee. The
appropriations for his office are controlled
by Congress; he does not want 10 offend 1T
There Is IN impeachment power vested in
Congress: TO invite its wrath in to ask for
an executioner. whether the officer 10 right
or wrong in his premises. Congress. like
all legislative and political bodies. stands
together when struck a common blow. It
seems, after the experiences of General
Raum before the House committee and As
sistant Secretary Nettleton before a Senats
committee, that public investigations are
but executions.
~ W.