St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-03
PRoFITLEss INVESTIGATIONS.

In nine cases out of ten investigations
Instituted by congress as to the conduct
OF its own members are expensive, profit
less and farcical, and are undertaken
and pursued with no other purpose in
view than to obscure rather than reveal
the truth. 1t is seldom that good comes
OF them, and there is but one instance
on record in which members OF that
body, guilty of corrupt and dishonest
practices, have been brought for judy
ment before the bar of public opinion
The dishonesty developed during the
Credit MObilier investigation was so
fragrant. and the demand for the punish
ment OF the criminals was so imperative,
that the members were compelled to
make thorough inquiry as to the facts,
and having ascertained them were forced
to condemn the guilty parties.
One of the chief reasons why such in
vestigations result in so little goud is
the latitude which is allowed to wit
nesseS of testifylng or refusing to testify
as they may deem fit. Either house of
congress has the right to punish witness
for contempt of its authority. The
notoriety which such punishment gives
is courted by majority of men. And
added to this is generally another in
ducement: The persons who may be
under fire are usually willing to paw
we'll for the suppression of certain facts,
and will reward witness literally for
his recalcitrancy.. The ordinary. man
about the Hobbies Of congress can afford
10 spend few days in Jail if he receives
several thousand dollars for his time.
If he chooses to resist imprisonment, he
can do SO successfully. for the right of
congress to imprison obstinate wit.
nesses was decided in the negative
years ago, when Hallett Kilbourne re-
ceived his liberty by means of a writ of
habeas corpus.
vestigating committees have to contend
with comes from the members of the
two houses themselves. These are
privileged to refuse to testify whenever
in their opinion their own interests or
the interests of the public may be jeop-
ardized. and they themselves are left to
judge as to what questions they shall or
shall not answer. This gives them a
wide latitude, and under cover of this
privilege they may decline to make re-
ply TO all questions of every nature.
The extent of the privilege was shown
before tine sugar bribery investigation
Friday, when Congressman Warner, of
New York. absolutely refused to testify,
basing his refusal upon the ground that
the law gave him immunity from the
obligation to do so. The information he
possessed, he claimed, was his own,
and could not be eXtorted from him by
his associates, either for their benefit or
injury.
In view of this incident. 1t will be
| seen how demagogic was Senator Hills
demand, the other day, that the senators
themselves be examined as to their
knowledge of bribery by the sugar trust.
Senator Hill knew very we'll that no
| senator or member of congress would
| testify against either himself OF his asso-
ciates, and that any attempt to compel
him to do So would be abortive The adop-
| ton of his plan would have defeated the
ends Of the investigation most effectuaI-
ly, and this. probably, was what the
| senator wanted.
That corrupt motives very often gov.
ern our representatives in both houses
of congress is beyond question. The
facts In the possession of the public are
! convincing proof of this much. And
the evidence is strong enough to insure
the conviction of any ordinary criminal.
1t cannot, however. convict in a court
convened to try its own members, where
the witnesses are gagged. and priyi-
legged to substantially commit per-
jury in order to secure acquittal for