Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-01-18
TWO MEN OF CHEEK
Oockery and PETER Make
Fools Of Themselves.
ONE ATTACKS THE TREASUR'
And Tries TO Crawfsh. While the Other
Submits an Insane Measure for the
Relief of Indianians.


OF the house appropriations committee.
IL Is assumed that when . member of
this committee makes a statement re-
spectng national finances or the condi-
ton of the treasury that the same is
5assd uron facts. Heretofore mem
bers OF this committee have generally
spoken "by the book" when they as
sumed 10 cnlighten their fellow MEM
bers upon questions of finance. Mr..
Dockery has departed from the old
fashioned ways OF his predecessors and
as result be is just now kicking him
self hard. He has made an ass of him.
self-attacked the credit OF his govern
meut and put his party In q bad pre-
dicament. all because OF desire to
show up the alleged reckless waste OF
money by the republicans. Mr.. Dock
erv wanted to begin early 20 draw the
contras: between the biilion-dollar con-
grees aud the present five-cent house,
so when the resolution was up IN the
house the other day to provide means
for the transportation OF the fionr
donated TO starving Russia, 10 that
country Mr.. Dockery opposed the
resolution upon the ground that the
national treasury was bankrupt; that
large sums of money appropriated by
the last congress remained unpaid; that
the United States government was in
solvent and committing acts OF lnsol-
vency every day. He went much into
detail. giving alleged facts and figures
to substantate his statements. Coming
from such source the speech natur
ally created q great sensation In gov
crnment and financial circles. The
opposition press took up the cry of
"looted" treasury and bankrupt gov
ernment. The news was cabled 10
England and the continent. where an
equally great sensation was the result.
Substituted = Speech.
1t was placarded with the announce
ment that Mr.. Dockery was an old
member of the house, leader and
chairman of the appropriations COM
mlttce. After Mr.. Dockery had made
his speech he began to feel cold chills,
the result of consciousness that 1t
challenged, his statements could not
be verified, so to prevent anything un-
pleasant happening he went to the OFF,
cial reporters and had his remarks held
for correction. When the speech did
finally appear in the record 1t was not
the speech he fret made at ali; this
one however was reckless enough IN
statement and calculated to create a
false impression at home and abroad,
but the papers got hold of the speech
actually delivered. What now worries
MI. Dockery is the fact that the treas
ury officials show by figures and the
actual condition of the treasury that
every allegation made by him is false,
without shadow OF truth for a foun
dation, and that no legal demand upon
tie government has been refused pa "
ment at any time or under any conoi-
ton. Mr.. Dockery is also worried be-
cause certain republican members have
secured from the house reporters a
true report of his speech as actually
made upon the floor and are awaiting
an opportunity to call him to account.
He attempted TO escape from the di-
lena by innocently asking the house to
permit him to correct an error In the
record, but this at once called out
Dlngley of Maine and Henderson of
Iowa. who objected and in the "bout"
which followed they made Dockery ad
nit that the record contained i'll exact
form his remarks as revised
by hlm and handed TO the Public
Printer and that what he really was at
tempting to do was to correct bis own
deliberate language and reckless state
mcnts. 1t Is needless to say that the
alteration was not permitted. In due
time Mr.. Dockery will have to admit
that he either deliberately assailed the
credit OF his country for political effect
knowing his statements To hC false or
that he msde the attack without any
knowledge whatever as to the truth or
falsity of his statements. To put 1t
mildly Mr.. Dockery is IN = tight place
and will appear IN = ridiculous light he
fore he is done with it. Democratic
papers throughout the country relying
upon the correctness of Mr.. Dockery's
statements have devoted columns TO
the matter and fairly snrieked with
delight over the terrible arrangement
of the wicked and prohigate repub-
licans at the hands of this eminent
statesman. Their Joy vii! be OF short
duration. Mr.. Dockery must retract
for the treasury has ample funds TO
meet and pay promptly every demand
msde upon 1t.
EeUere Absuru me0ture.
In late letter made mention of the
fact that Senator PETER nad introduced
= measure in the senate most ohlmerical
m Its character and directly in line
with the wild and senseless theories of
the Alliance cranks. The other day
this new fiedged statesman made the
stoutest held his breath 10y the in
PRODUCTION of bill To- secure To the
debt-ridden people of Indiana loan
of the trIting sum OF sl0o, 100000.
The bill authorizes the secretary of
the treasury 10 issue notes IN the
amount of 500. 900. The notes are
10 he loaned to the people of Indiana
on mortgages on their land. Every one
who accepts a loan of this description
Is 10 give a promIsoTy note for the
amount, aud he IL limited IN his bor-
rowing to one-hsIf of the cash vslua-
ton OF his land. To secure fair rate
Of the interest on the money loaned
the governor of the state " tO collect
ssnt annually a tar Of per cent and
turn IL into The nstonsl treasury when
the principal of the notes falls due. IL
the pfomisory notes are unpaid the
mortgages are 20 be torecloaei aud the
Isnds sald. II there 10 no bidder for =
| tract the lsnd is TO ~ bid ia for she
United ~tsies, and The occupant = g.
be permitted 10 femaiH n,~1B ]. IN cor
sidrfatlon of tho payment of fsntsl
sqaai 90 = tan 81 pr srat. sac.
guard upon The issus ui the treasury
| notes uadef the terms ~ she bsil =
provided ia clause h@ifInx Their
sasonnt ,o a total Bot 10 eseeedihs fiee
pes capita fef the ~hsio eouutfTa sad
| hst lets thsn $50 pei esdsta faf titr
~sele pspalstisa Of ths state - indi'
sna