The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-03
A DENIAL
BY SMITH.
The Senator Says He Never Spec
uIated in Sugar.
HIS STATEMENT IN THE SENATE.
SENATOR JONES SAYS HE HAS
NOT DETERMINED WHAT HIS
ACTION WILL EX-SENATOR
TILLMAN AS PERSISTENT AS
EvER-GoRMAN WILL MAKE "A
SPEECH IN DEFENSE OF THE
SENATE.


Washington, June 2.-Senator Smith,
of New Jersey occupied the attention of
the Senate for exactly one minute and
fifty-two seconds Yesterday During that
time he took occasion to deny most posi-
lively that he had ever specialized in
sugar stock, using the following terse
language:
sMr. President: During my absence
from the Senate the other day ascertain
from the Congressional Record that in /,
very remarkable deliverance by the Sena-
tor from South Carolina (Mr. Tillman),
he became sponsor for IL newspaper clip
ping in which my name was mentioned
in connection with the sugar schedule in
the pending tariff bill. II is only neces-
sary for me to say that the statement in
the newspaper clipping in question is alb.
solutely and unqualifedly untrue. have
not, during this session OF Congress,
bought or sold, directly or indirectly,
single share of stock, nor at any time
prior to this when-any legislation affect
ing the value of sugar or sugar stock was
pending"
While Senator Smith read this state
ment from typewriter manuscript, Sen
ator T!llman sat very near him and
watched him closely, but did not under.
take to reply. This episode was the only
reference in the Senate yesterday to the
proposed sugar investigation and it is
barely possible that the matter will not
come up to-day.
Senator Jones, of Nevada who is the
chairman of the committee on contingent
expenses, to which the Tillman resolution
has been referred, will leave this after
noon for Philadelphia, to witness the
graduation of his daughter at Bryn Mawr
College, and the resolution will not be
acted upon until he returns.
~ have not yet decided what shall be
DONE" said the Senator yesterday, s'but
am in favor of having some committee,
like the judiciary committee, frame
rule which shall be the guide for the SEN
ate in the future and which shall spec fly
that no investigation shall be had unless
Senator demands it or unless some spe-
cifc charge is made by responsible per
son." Ssssts
"But are not the gentlemen who signed
their naInes.to these newspaper dispatches
responsible persons?''
80, they may be,'' said the Senator,
"but if they should be called as witnesses
they would simply .suy that they heard
some rumors on the street and printed
the gossip that they heard. That would
be the extent of their knowledge. There
is nothing definite In what they have
said"
The committee Yesterday decided to
take time to look into the charges. The
fact that Senator Smith, the only mem
Der of the Senate mentioned by name as
having engaged in such speculation, made
denial in the Senate of the Charge was
noted In the committee meeting, and this
fact, coupled with Senator Aldrich's gem
eral denial in behalf OF the finance COM
mittee, taken into consideration in con-
nection with the resolution, was produce
tive of some talk in the committee of an
indefinite postponement as the wisest
course. The committee therefore con-
Guided TO postone making any recommen-
dation for the present.
When Senator Tillman heard yesterday
that Mr.. Jones was going ..out of the city
he went to him and asked him why he
did not report back the resolution. He
talked very plainly. but did not exact any
promise that the desired action would be
forthcoming. Senator Tillman, there
fore, is all the more determined TO bring
the matter again to the attention of the
Senate, although he Will give the commit
tee little more leeway in the matter of
time 'As for Senator Smiths denial"
SAID Mr.. Tillman yesterday, cit does not
remove the necessity for an investigation.
vi Vic contrary, III only makes one more
necessary and desirable. The question is
now one of veracity betweep Mr. Creel.
man, who wrote the original dispatch and
Mr.. Smith We ought not to let the mat
ter hang up in the air like Mahomet's
cofIin.''
There is said to be % growing feeling
against an investigation. The rank and
file of the Senate will be willing to do
whatever the older and more experienced
leaders suggest, but the latter are OF.
posed to having the inquiry begun. This
reluctance was more manifest yesterday
than at any other time. AS che Repub-
lican Senator said 1--WE will be criticised
If we do. and criticised il we don't, and
as we have been pretty we'll blackened al
ready, do not suppose it could be worse
II we decided not to have an investiga-
tiou." 1t is said that Senator German
has determined TO make speech in de
Tense Of the Senate and opposing any in
vestigation, and that Senator Faulkner
viii take the same ground. Senator
Jones, of Nevada, even if he reports the
resolution, will pobably vote against