Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-24
Senator Hill Opposes Any Drag Net
Investigation.
MRS. GRESHAM'S PENSION BILL
The Cuban Resolutions Further
Discussed Today.
MATTERS IN THE HOUSE

MI GdlHnger IN. III, chairman OF the
committee on pensions. rose on a question
of personal privilege VIXEN the Senate as
sembled today, and In vigorous language
denounced publication In the New York
Sun purporting to report the action of the
Senate III passing a number Of private PEN
sion bills last Tuesday. 1t had been assert
ed that all records had been broken by the
Senate MILL" 120 bills being passed in an
hour. with little or no attention or consid-
Grafton, few Senators being present, etc.
Mr.. Gallinger declared that this was a It's
sue of Misrepresentation, sixty-seyen bills
were passed in two and three-quarterS
hours, and the total increase was Sl2,O72
per year. The Senator was very caustic
concerning the violation of journalistic
privilege.
Mr.. Hoar (Massl added his opinion as to
the care with which pension legislation was
guarded. each bill passing the inspection Of
Senate and House committees greater in
number than the membership Of the Su-
preme Court Or courts of appeals.
Mr.. Hawley Comm said it was impossible
for a newspaper to avoid being led into
occasional error. He fully upheld the facts
stated by the chairman of the pension COM
mittee. but Mr.. Hawley added that there
was quite prevalent feeling against large
pension expenditures.
Mrs. Grcsham's Pension.
Mr.. Gallinger called up the bill granting
pension to the widow of Walter Q.
Gresham AS brigadier general at 500 per
month, with an amendment reducing the
allowance to 500. Mr.. Turrie und) spoke
III support of the amended bill. He said
the choice of Mr.. Gresham as Secretary of
State took the country by surprise. Mr..
Gresham had never been known as a meEl-
bcr Of the democratic party. and his choice
was regarded as a marked departure from
established usage.
Ia 6otn 4 fro, nf fhn n.
can party and he now entered into demo-
cratic associations in which he had no
close person al friendships. At the outset
he was threatened with isolation, but his
bon hommie won him personal friends.
while his substantial ability and tact CON-
lnanded respect. Mr.. Turrie spoke of the
difficulties in the Hawaiian and Boring sea
complications, ard of the tremendous la
Dor involved therein. labor greater than
that falling on the shoulders of any Secre
tary Of State since the war A love of JUS
tice was the absorbing motive of his life,
political and social distinctions disappear
Ing before his controlling trait of his
character. He was a natural leader of
| meE. on the field, in the judiciary. in the
cabin.ts Of the two parties. though ma
ture had endowed him with some strange
right Of prirlogeniture. The Senator re-
viewed the Secretary's career as soldier,
sta teSman and juriSt.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Turnie's re-
marks the bill as amended. at $780, was
passed without division.
The Bond Issues Investigation.
The resolution of Mr.. Lodge directing the
finance committee to inquire into the cir
cumstaaccs Of bond issues during 1894, 10,
and '96 was taken up. Mr.. PETER offered
an amer dment broadening the resolution
and directing that it be made by a special
committee of five Senators. Mr.. Lodge
moved to lay the PETER amendment on the
table
ject, but Mr.. Lodges motion to table cut
OF debate. the Massachusetts Senator re-
marking that the express purpose was to
prevent lengthy discussion.
Il snail find an opportunity to express
Hill
The motion to table was defeated Yeas,
10; nays. II.
Mr.. Hill Against Investigation.
Mr.. Hill said he voted against tablng
the resolution. as he thought it desirable
to discuss it. He regarded the Lodge res
olution as proper in form, and giving due
courtesy to the Secretary of the Treasury
But he did not consider 1t the province of
the Senate to investigate everything
brought before the Senate. 1t was desir-
able to look into the methods inspiring
these various resolutions. Requests for in
| formation were one thing. but formal .in-
vssugations were another and more
RED to the public an Implication of
irreguiarity. Before such an investigation
was il:augurated there should be something
definite and tangible.
1T is not because there is a democra tic
Secretary OF the Treasury that I oppose
this investigation" said Mr.. Hill, with
great vigor. II would oppose it If my
worst political enemy occupied the chair
of the Secretary of the Treasury"
He opposed 1t, he said because this in
Vestigatio3 was based on idle rumor and
sensational newspaper gossip 1t verified
the walls and complaints of disappointed
| bond bidders
II this investigation is begun, then there
VIII be no means of stopping an investiga-
anything in the recent bond sale requiring
investigation, said Mr.. Hill. there should
be formal resolution stating Just what
was charged. in order that the results
might be compared with the expectations.
As the resolution stood now. it was 'stab
in the dark" it was an attempt to in
sinaate what the author tPefferl Of the
resolution was afraid to state boldly.
MT Hill referred to a recent speech by
Mr. Allen (Neb). In which the latter spoke
of himself as farmer.
Yes, farmer and a democrat" inter-
jected Mr.. Allen. jocularly.
If the Senator is no better farmer than
ne IS democrat" responded Mr. Hill,
then pity the crops raised in Nebraska. .
The Cuban Question.
AT this point 2 o'clock interviewed. setting
Il
aside the bond resolutions and bringing IN
the Cuban question, which is the regular or.
Ger. Mr.. Morgan (Ala.) resumed his speech
| In support of the resolution to recognize the
Cubans as belligerents
Inc Senator revie we'd the policy of the
United States regarding Cuba since the
| time of President Adams. The latter
rrophesied that within fifty years Cuba
would be state of the United States. and
thereafter Webster, Clay, jefferson and
! other statesmen uniformly urged the ac-
| QUESTION of Cuba by the United States.
THE HOUSE.
The House without any preliminaries to-
day resumed the consideration of the In
dian appropriation bill.
An amendment offered by Mr., FIynn.
delegate from Oklahoma, to pay $4,000
dhe annuity due to the Seminoles) to the
| Indians themselves through an officer
designated by the Interior Department was
adopted. Mr.. Flynn alleged that under the
present plan this money went to Gov.
Brown and that the Indians instead of
receiving money received due bills eood
at the Brown stores.
Appropriation for Seed Increased.
The appropriation for the purchase of
seed for the Sioux of DoviIs T.ako xyos ~