The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-07-29
THE INVEsTIATING COMMITTEES
PRESENTS IT'S REPORT TO
THE SENATE.
NO FOUNDATION FOR THE CHARGES
-rh. destinations of Sensational
Newspapers Could ne Traced No
Further Than the Newspapers
Who Published Them.

contingent expenses. today submitted the
reuort of the committee on resolutions III
troduced by Senator Tillman for inyesti-
cation of the charges of speculation III
sugar stocks. etc. The report takes II
strong position against ordering the IN
-vestigatiOn and is n very exhaustive re-
view of the procedure of the senate III
the past in such matters. me report
takes the position that aside from the
names of the newspaper men themselves
only the name of Senator Smith OF New
Jersey. IL mentioned in the newspapers
making the charges on which the resolu-
ZION was based The position taken that
the newspaper men do not count mas
much as these gentlemen do not profess
TO write for knowledge. and usually, II
not always. decline to discuss the
sources of their information
With reference to Senator Smith. the
report says:
Here is newspaper charge made
against senator of the United States
without an avermeni of personal knoWl-
edge on the part of the writer, and with
out the slightest article of evidence to
sustain it-not even as much as would
warrant n justice of the peace III sum
mOning witnesses to determine the truth
of a complaint by one citizen against
triHing incident of every day life. IL is
the bold naked assertion Of man who
does not profess or pretend to have any
knowledge whatever of the alleged fact
of which he writes. On the other hand
we have definite, explicit and absolute
denial of the charge from the senator
affccted-a denial publicly made from
his place in the senate upon the RESPONSE
bility Of his position rs senator of the
United States
As TO the clause of the resolution which
charges "brOkcrs in New York knew in
advance as to what the finance committee
would report as to the sugar schedule
the committee say they can find in the
newspaper clippings presented nothing in
support of the proposed inquiry, moth
ing Int indefinite illusions. insinuations,
guesses and differences. drawn by cor
respondents from hcarsay statements,
and the hcarsay sometimes several de-
grees removed. Many of these express
sions indicate the iiimsincsS of the
foundation upon which they erected this
structure of scandal"
The attack of one of the correspondents
is characterized MS II deliberate unfair
and cnvenOmcd determination to. if pos
sible. bring on the substitute committee
'of the finance committee the contempt of
Whenever" the report continues. eve
approach a statement that. Judging from
the sensational heading of the article
seems able to give MS definite and respOn-
sSiblo information. which could be reached
iU an investigation, We are disappOint-
pd 10 find that instead of affOrding cvi-
1cnce of the alleged fact the statements
consist of insinuations, mysterious hints
and indefinite illusions made on the au-
thority of some person whose name the
correspondent does not disclose. All
these differences and innucndocS are met
in the most direct and emphatic manner
hy the statement of the Senator from
Rhode Island. Mr.. Aldrch. the chairman
.Of the substitute committee of the finance
committee having in charge the arrange
mcnts of the details of the tariff bill.
Senator Aldrich'S reply to Senator
rillman, in which he refers to Senator
Jones of Nevada is the only senator out
side of the substitute committee who had
knowledge of its proceedings. is quoted
at length. Replying to this statement
Senator Jones makes an individual state
mcnt in which he says he is II member
Of the finance committee of the senate
Z; and that such information rs he obtained
from the substitute committee on the oc
vasion referred To by the senator from
official consultation with the member,
NJ the subcommittee, and that such IN
formation was conveyed by Mr.. Jones Il
no human being in any form or manner
before the presentation of the particulars
80 the senate and in its due course.
The report takes the position that til,
distinct assertions of senators ought no
10 be- outweighcd by newspaper attacks
1nstigated by men willing to max,
statements to newspaper correspondent
with n view to publication. and then. lik
assassinS who use the stillcto in the darl;
skulk behind those correspondents an,
refuse TO permit their names TO be- mad
known even for the purpose of cvi
dencc"
II would, they continue. he monstrOu
10 set in motion the Investigating machin
cry of the senate every time that such al
attack is made upon n senator and tina
il every "unfathomcd rumor and unsur
ported charge were to he held sutiicien
ground on which TO base an investigation
into official conduct of the peoples repre-
SentativeS there is no legislative body i
The world that for Il single day could ear
ry ON the work for which it was designed
Its entire time would be given up to tn
work of investigating rumors, whisper
and charges. Before the investigator
could he completed another would hav
made its appearance, and when this ST.,
oHd would have been investigated Il thir
would he provided. and this in turn, Su,
,ceoded by a fourth. and the fourth by
fifth. There would he no end of then
They say the senate has on several ot
,casions held with reference TO propose
Investigations into the conduct of il
members that in order 10 warrant 5
grave proceeding there should be SON
tangible cvidencc-somc specific and pro-
erly supported allegation of fact frol
Il responsible source, and not mcrcl
vague general charges or rumors.'
The committee say with reference
The portion of the resolution which r
quires the reopening of the inquiry
1884 that no new evidence has been pr
duced and that the proceedings in Il
courts I'm the matter of certain cont
macious witnesses do not show any pro
ability of securing information bcyol
that already adduccd. They call ate
zion 10 the fact that in all prosecution
growing ont of the former inquiry the
was only one conviction. the others hcii
acquitted on the ground of the question
out 10 them We're not pertinent"
The committee concludes that q
status can not be changed by rcopcnil
the case.
With reference TO the proposition tn
inquiry be made whether the sugar tru
has contributed TO or controlled the ele
tion of a senator in this body at any tin
the committee expressed the opnio
The time to investigate subject of tn
character will be u,I'N" some eyiden