The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-05-30
Hill Tells Just How TO Get tho
Information tho Senate
Wants
Instead OF Harvesting Newspaper
Mon. Gall tho Men Who
Arc Accused.
confoundlnE Legal Question with q
Question OF Propristy Sugar Stock,
silver Mlaea

WlmmdroN. May 29-The qnOstion ioi
The right OF news. AIoT correspondents 70
refuse to give Senator Grhy's bribery and
GaRar Investigation COMMITTEES tho sources
Of their information. was brought bofors
the senate to-day In n report from the COM
mittee. concerning ths refusal OF Core
spondents Edwards and shriyer 10 answer
questions
In the morning hour Kyle, in order "a
ayoid further conflict oyof tho passage oi
tho resolution declaring She sense OF the
senate against interference with the affairs
Of the Hawaiian islands, aRresd TO waive a
vote on his resolution II vote could be
secured on the Turpie resolution. reported
from the committee on foreign relations.
Vest offered. as 4 substitute for Turpie's
resolution, one declaring that from the facts
the pagers before tho senate ID would be
unwlss and ine1psdisnt 10 consider the
project OF annexation; that the hiohest in
ternational interests require tho people Of
the Sandwich islands 10 choose their own
form OF government md line Of Iolicy;
that foreign interference with the affairs of
these islands be regarded as an act un-
friendly to tho United s,atos. A motion
by Hoar 10 lay the Vest amsndmen, on the
table was defeated, eiahtsen ayes 20 thirty
nayn.
m. ..,,s Iii, ,r.. ,.L.n p...,o,
,,-, o' ~. W 80 -,
addressed 'ho senate 10 opposhioo. feu-
grew followed In opposition 70 the bill-
Gray. AT the close Of the speech by Petit.
grew, presented the report OF the commit
tee delegated TO Investigate the charges OF
impropristy in framing the sugar sehedule.
Nil objected. Gray said II was priyil eRed.
The senate agreed, aud the report was
fsAd. The COMMITTEES, after recitnR the
testimony OF Edwards ana schriyer, and
the questions they refused TO ans yer, SAYS
these witnesses are in oonteInpt OF the sen-
ate rnd ought 20 be dealt with under the
law providing fnes Of Sl0O to 81, 600 and
imprisonment from a mouth TO a year.
Senator Gray submitted to the vice.
president a warrant directing tho diatriot
attorney TO proceed aQnins. the witnesses.
Discussion was renewed as TO whether the
report was privileged, Hill claiming 10 wAs
not. The vice president ruled that ID was.
Hill uppenled aud made a vigorous speech.
He afqued that the senate could not lose
lerisdiotion simply because ths COMMITTEES
made a report: that IL stiil had the right 10
recommit the report, aud IL Iecommitted II
was as II tho report had never bsen made
lie said he had no personal interest in the
investigation. He thought II proper enough
TO inyssti2ate the charges of attempted
bribery, but doubted the wisdom and ro-
priety OF this proceeding. Whether news
paper men always told the truth or never
told the truth, was q question which, IL the
senate entered upon, ID could be kept busy
A "a r..
The senate smiled audibly at this state
msnt OF the New York senate. but u led %
very interesting debate between Hin and
Allen, q member OF the ibery committee.
Allen interrupted Hill TO say that 1t wa.
not the truthfulnees of correspondents that
the COMMITTEES was charged to Investigate;
II was whether attempts had been made q
bribe senators; whether tine sugar trust had
made large political contributions for tbe
purpose OF influencing legislation. and
whether the senators had been speculstina
in sugar stocks.
He asked Hill IL he con,endsd that th,
senate had q right 10 investigate the charge
that senators had stsoulatsd in sugar
stocks.
mot exactly" replied Hill. but l have
grave Doubt that II u senator should come
before the COMMITTEES and refuse to answer
ausstioas rotating TO his private business
whether the committee could compel him
20 do go. Tbs decisions OF the courts are
against it.n
docs the senator believe n senator could
invest In sugar stocks without that invest
ment influencing his voter" inquired Allen
The senator coutounds q legal ques
tion," te1lisd Hill. with q question u
ptopriety; q senator who speoulates IL
sugar sioeks yiolates no law, He woulC
have az much ripht az q senator who
being the owner OF q silver mining prop
trty, would vote on the silver question. H.
pending action on the sugar schedule
senator should speculate in sugar il Nigh,
be An 40, OF imp, opriety, but u wouid moi
constitute a crime. IL the committee de-
aired 10 get At the facts vhy did they moi
cali the senators whose names had been
connected with these charges, instead ol
prosecuting newspaper Insn who had no