The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-02-24


vide that all the work on the building
should be 10y Montana architects. con-
tractors and Wurhmcn. An amendment
by Humber provided that the state
should not be responsible Tor the bonds
AS amended the hill was favumbly
recommended.
Upon motion ~ Longstan ~ Mis-
soula the report On the reform school
was made special order for to-mor-
row AZ p, m,
The house then went into committee
Of the whole fnF the consideration II the
report ~ the capitol commission inVcs-
tigating committee
Half u dozen men were nu their feet
as suun as the rruort was rad RAM
soy of Gallailn was recognized apd
made u spirited and earnest defense of
the majority report, lie said
Mr. Enm,ry's riain raIk.
Il desire tn say that | have listened
tO the most remarkable document that
! ever heard read in this connection,
and inasmuCh as not only the Chnrdr-
tiers OF five men un that commission
are at stake. hut the characters uf four
members Of the capitol commission are
az stake, | drsiTr, gentlemen. here Ia
rise In defense ~ the majority report,
OF my personal character and the char-
majority Of that committee. | want
you Ia appreciate thoroughly the srri-
BUSINESS of the position In which We are
sought tn be placed, An iutlmutiuu *
made here. by the report of the mi
nority Of the committee, that there Is
certain dishonesty ON the part of the
members of the majority of the Cuui-
mittce. ! feel that at this moment |
am absolutely forced into "A discussion
that Is highly dlstastcful In every fra-
ture and every syllable. hut am forced
Ia do II, absolutely compelled to do II.
because OF III" position In which | am
placed through such a document NJ
has Just been read by the clerk of this
house.
From the time the committee en-
tered upon It's deliberations, it's cVi-
deuce was carefully procured In every
possible way and in every way that u
could think NJ ar fancy ar study up To-
receive evidence and Ia get at the hot
tom Of these rumurs and supposltiuns
that have been lying about the state
relative To the capitol commission.
Now | want Ia say. as a democrat, |
realized that that commission was a
republican commission. | realized that
It's operations had taken place under a
republican administration. realized
that the law authorizing the appoint
ment Of that committee and authoriZ-
ing the important features were passed
by republican legislature, have
heard rumors and insinuations and in
timations by the hushcl as Ia the dis
honesty of the capitol commission and
everybody connected with H. and |
want to say To you frankly, that en-
tered upon the duties as member NJ
that committee booking for trouble.
l was nbsplufalN e,rfulu fl r,1N .Nsf, VtiuI
that II would hc Easy Ia unrtrth alb
solute dishonesty and create something
| that would he a sensation In this stale
and a sensation In this city. and 10 IL
said that when a man is looking for
trouble he can always uud a. Afier
We had spent weeks In a careful aud
absolutely judicial investigation, the
majority made the report which has
been rad tu you to-day.
We went to work carefully In detail
and began summoning witnesses We
had our lawyers there and We had the
fellow members of our committee there
and ! want To say that the gentlemen
VIII" made the minority report was. IL
! remember rightly. ana II the records
are correct, present at every meeting
of tn" committee that was held | want
To- submit tu you an exhibition AZ "a
matter of evidence the records of the
testimony taken in this investigation
of the capitol commission. Look az
tn" volumes ~ testimony that II sub
mitted IN these documents. We began
examining Witnesses members OF the
commission and those connected with
the affair in indirect ways, and In ah-
solutcly no instance could We obtain
a single fact. And, gentlemen, 7 am
absolutely hoping that ths house may
I appoint "A committee ~ 20 30 ur iO or
/ Of FIVE or 10 for the purpus" nf going
over thai testimony ~ submitted and
as ccrtincd 10 for the purpose of sovlng
whether they could have arrived at
l'nny other conclusion than the one We
did-than that OF the majority of this
committee. The pretenslons for arrv-
ing az any different conclusions than
I the evidence would warrant I do not
l propose to question in 0nr single re-
gard. but ] want tu ray 20 you. gcn-
! llemen, that IudiCially and in accord
ance with the yo.t uf the members pf
/ this committee. as uniCcTs ~ the state
and as one ~ them. I cannot bring "A
report no matter who wants H. re-
port that win blackcn the character ~
any man wh,n the evidence does not
indicate II,
4 want tn auy to you that there Is n
purl"s" ~ al this that there IL pur-
/ i''s' ~ ~ tN+ 'lhN IAilh-f mas AH a
/ basis uuthius more nor less than per-
sonal 'nWiiy | want Ia say 10 YOU
I that thcr' De-, tO the discrelit uf the city
~ Helena, rlques upon Cliuu,S and
fiugs upon rings and circles within cir
vIHs ~ that KIND of men Who seek tu
harkhte and blacken the character of
I their neirhh0rs and absolutely tn do
struy every confidence ~ the people IN
the mamlHrs at the commission aud
prominent Citizens ~ the town. simplv
by proposals ~ this character. I want
( Ia say TO- you righ, here and now. gem
tlrwen, that yuEErstipns were made 10
me as tu the Kind ~ evidence. pressure
? brought To- bear as tp the report to b.4
brought In, hut | want 10 say that !
. do not propose to do a thing that ~
/ contrary to my Judgment for the pollti-
cal truwns or the political smiles 81
any man on top uf earth, ! want ~ sbg
as the minority member 81 this cuur-
mittee has stated In private Conyrrsa-
. tiou that th" report mad" hy the mai
ity Of the committee is just as strong as
the evidence would possibly indicate.
Regardless ~ our personal feelings In
this matter. | want to say to you as
did before, | went into this investiga-
tion looking for trouble aud I could not
1nd II. I could not find truuhl. aud
consequently. ~ matter what my per-
sonal opinion may be- I cannot bring in
a report y hen that committee has al
stake tho reputation ~ i've men aud
their families f1r the balance of their
natural lives. and ! want 10 say that
anybody whu would bring In a report