Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-06-22
The Senatorial Gamblers.

A dispatch from Washington to the
Pittsburg Dispatch, printed last Sunday,
says the explanation yesterday of Senstor
Vest of the manner in which the sugar
schedule was constructed, the admission
of Senator Quay that he had speculated
in sugar and had only closed out his last
deal the day when the Senate was to vote
upon the schedule, he not expecting the
vote to be had so soon, and the denial oi
other Senators who are known to have
speculated that they have had even sin
gle dollar invested in Sugar Trust stocks
have led to an immense amount of gossip
in political and speculative circles.
Senator Quay is generally commended
for his frankness and would be as gener-
ally exonerated from blame, as most peo-
pie now adsys have come to accept stoch
gambling as inseparable from modern civ
ilization, had not the Senator held his
stock up to the day when the fate Of the
sugar schedule was finally decided, and
worse than that, had he not been the one
Republican to support the trusts schedule.
These actions appear to be marked up
against the Senator as weak spots In his
armor, aside from the question ofpropriety
involved in speculating at all, which Ii
held by many to be question for the Sen
ator's own conscience and not for the Sen
ate.
The denials of some of the other Sena-
tors excite much more gossip than the
confession of Quay, and some held the
opinion that those denials will not be the
end of the investigation 30 far as they are
concerned. An impression permeates the
atmosphere of the whole capital that GER
tain Senators have been guilty of gross
equivocation before the committee in re-
gard to their speculations.
There are persons resident in Washing
ton who declare they heard one Senator
give orders to his broker for deals in sugar
stocks. When asked why they do not 90
before the committee and testify to that
effect, they say it would simply be ques-
ton Of veracity and the committee would
accept the statement CT Senator under
oath rather than an opposing statement OF
one not Senator under oath.
When it is suggested to them that they
could have the brokers called who made
LILO ucoicy bucJ AOpiy thot shO UtonoA o
would all refuse to answer, as did Mr..
Chapman, of Moore d Schley, and there
the matter would end, and the perjured
Senator would be secure from attack.
The Sugar Trust has secured the opin-
ions of the best lawyers available, and the
opinion of judges Of high rank, as well,
who say that Senate committee has less
power than Justice of the Peace to COM
pei witness to answer questions when he
does not wish to do 80. Senators there
fore stand before the committee and stretch
their elastic consciences to the utmost
limit, under q solemn oath that they will
tell the whole truth and nothing but the
truth, knowing that the only persons who
are aware of the worthless character Of
tx cir sworn evidence will refuse to expose
them. This is the humilsting and repul-
sive complexion of the conduct of some Of
the members of the Senate, if certain per-
sons in this city can believe the evidence
Of their own ears.
Even these whispered stories Of Sens-
torial perjury excite less comment, per-
haps, than the frank statement of Senator
Vest in regard to scenes attending the con-
struction Of the sugar schedule.
A PASSENGER boat returning to westport
Quay, Ireland, from Achil island with 80