The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-05-31

"But," interjected Mr. Allen, "if
the questions asked the newspaper
men were relavent they should not be
exempt from testifying."
| why call the newspaper men in
stead of the men themselves?n re-
torCed Mr.. Hill.
Mr.. Gray, chairman, here in
terrupted to compare the investi-
CATION to a coroner's inquest and
wanted to know of Mr.. Hill if q wit
ness having made a statement that he
had heard that one man had been
killed by another could refuse to give
his authority.
Mr.. Hill parried this interrogatory.
A trial in court, legal investigation,
he said, was very different thing
from a Congressional inquiry. There
eye witnesses are wanted.
THAT is just about what we want"
said Mr.. Gray,
"Well, you are going long way
around the horn to look for them," re-
torted Mr.. Hill, with some irony in
his tone.
"HOw are we to get them,?" asked
Mr.. Gray.
"CaIl the senator's" replied Mr..
Hill impulsively, "that is the best
way.'
"How are we to tell who the sena-
! tors afe?' asked Mr.. Allen.
"lf you don't KNOW" said Mr.. Hill,
with great emphasis, 'call them all.
So long as you have foolishly, as l
think, entered upon this investiga.
tiOn, it is your duty to exhaust it,"
Senator Hill declared that if news
paper man had made statement re-
flecting on his honor or integrity and
should go before committee and les
tify that he had no personal knowl-
edge of the truth of the charge he
(HilD should insist on being the next
witness. GAS long as you have on.
tered upon this field of inquiry" said
he, "the whole of it should be eXplOr-
ed. First, the newspaper men are
from my state and they represent
newspapers in my state; second,
desire TO present my views; third, l
believe that the senate was entering
upon ground that it ought not to
tread upon, and that no good could
come of the newspaper men; fourth,
l deny the right of the vice president
to certify those facts to the district
attorney, under the statutes, without
affirmative action by the senate, and
fifth, l believe that che senate has no
right to go further than it has gone.
Then after some Wrangle between
Mr.. Harris and Mr.. Hill, during
which the interchange of courtesies
was quite acrimonious, and after an
Intellectual effort on Mr.. HIPS part to
introduce resolution declaring that
the question asked the newspaper
men for which they were held to be
in contempt, were not all the facts
certified to the district attorney, Mr..
Harris moved to table the resolution,
and ii was carried without division.
Mr.. 4Iill then Offered another reso.
luton to the effect that notifications
of the recalcitrantcy should not be
made to the district attorney until the
senate had taken further action.
Mr.. Harris objsctedswhen Mr.. Hill
said he had no objection TO the resolu-
tion going over.
The vice president said, "It will go
over"
Mr.. Harris said It could not go over
because it had not yet been intro
duced.
The senate then resumed consideTa-
tioD of the lumber paragraph of the
tariff bill and Mr.. Squire Republican Of
Washington, addressed the senate in
opposition to free lumber,
mr. Hale then offered an amend
mont to place Uniform duty of 81 on
all lumber. Defeated
Mr.. Allen of Nebraska moved to
place all lumber, shingles, boards,
etc, upon the free list. Without ac-
tion on Mr.. Aliens amendment at
6:20 the senate went into executive
session and a few minutes later ad-
journed until Thursday at 10 O'Clock.
THE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, May 29,-The house
today voted to hold no session tomor'
row, Decoration Day.
The senate bill was passed granting
right of way to the Albany and Asto-
ria railroad company through the
Graude Ronde Indian reservation,
Oregon After some routine morning
business, the bill to repeal the state
bank tax was taken up and Mr.. Cox of
Tennessee. opened the debate for the
Vi IcpCdls
A message from the president was
read transmitting a dispatch from
Minister Willis at Hawaii. 1t contains
nothing specially new or important
Mr.. Johnson, Indiana, followed with
an argument in favor of substantial
stable currency,
Shortly after o'clock Mr.. johnson
concluded his speech and was followed
by Mr.. Black of Georgia, in favor Of
the bill,
Before Mr. Black finished his speech
the committee rose and the house ad-
journed.
BUREAU CROP REPORT.
WASHINGTON, May 90 The weather
bereaU, in its weather crop bulletin for
the week ending May 2S, says: The
rainfall for the past week was greater
than usual on the Atlantic coast from
North Carolina northward, also over
Northern Florida. Michigan, Colorado,
Montana, Northern Washington, and
from Central California northward to
Oregon. Throughout the central val
leys ard on the South Atlantic coast
there has been but little rain aud
along the southwestern border from
rhe gulf to Southern California.
Drouth conditions are reported from
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