Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-08-03
IN The SENATE.
Mr.. Chandler Wants Dominion Coal Co. and
Similar Companies Investigated.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2.-In the Senate
Gray, chairman of the Senate committee OF
sugar investigation presented "unanimou
report" with all the evidence taken, an,
asked that the committee be discharged
from further action under the resolution
appointing it. To this request Chandle,
objected, and it went over for the present.
The Vice President laid before the Sen
ate the resolution offered by Cbsndler, fol
an Investigation of the organization ant
history of the Dominion Coal Company OF
Nova Scotia, in come ction with the tariff
legislation.
Chandler addressed the Senate, giving q
statement of the circumstances which he
thought justified him in offering the resolu
ton. He quoted from the prospectus OF
the company to show that that was the
principal inducement to help out the sale
of its stocks and bonds, which consisted
he said, of Sl5, 900, 900 of common stock
(of which Sl3 100000 was water S3,-
900 900 of preferred stock and So 900, 200
of bonds, one half of which preferred stock,
and the bonds was to be retained in the
treasury of the company, as Chandler init
mated, for corruption purposes.
He gave the names of Henry Whitney
of Boston, Frank Jones of New
Hampshire, and John f. Russell
of Massachusetts, as the officers or
representatives of the company anG
spoke of the latter gentleman as one of the
Pr, sident's inn kitchen cabinet advisers who
had been consulted as to the famous Will
son letter, and who had been loud in his
declarations, about hotels and on railroad
cars, that the President would insist on free
coal. If, he said, Congress had before it .
revenue bill, and if a S2l 900 900 company
was organized, with its prosperity depend
ing upon the removal of the duty, through
the passage of a tariff bill, that compan,
was one which Congress could afford to
watch. The Senate could afford to look
and see what was being done by those com
panies which were ready TO hand out their
securities by millions in ordtr to influence
the action of Congress in removing the duty
on coal.
Chandler said he did not intend to name
any public official, because if the resolution
were adopted and the investigation carried
out, all the facts would be apparent; and if
no member held stocks in that company no
injustice would be done. Chandler said il
was time to investigate the Dominion Coal
Company and Broad Cove Coal Company
and National Lead Company and all of
those companies that were, with their mil
lions of watered stock, ready to be given
away, surrounding Congress and plotting
iniquitous places against the interests of the
people.
Hill moved TO lay Chambers resolution
on the table. Chandler modified his reso-
luton so as to have an investigation made,
not by Gray's special committee, but by an
other special committee of five senator's
The motion to lay the resolution on the
table was rejected; yeas, l6; nays, 80.
Under the rules the resolution has gone to
the calendar and can only come up again
by vote of the Senate.
The consideration of the sundry civil ap-
preparation bill was resumed and alter sew
eral amendments had been agreed to the
bill was passed. Gray renewed his request
that his committee be discharged. Chand-
ler Withdrew the objection which he had
made to like request, earlier in the day,
and the committee was discharged. Ad-
journed.