The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-07-23


phatic manntr by the statement OF the
senator from Rhode Island MIR. Aldrich,
the chairman OF the subcommittee of the
finance committee, having in charge the
arrar gem,nts of the details of the tariff
BILL
man. In which he refers to Senator Jones
OF Nevada as the only senator outside Of
the subcommittee who had knowledge OF it's
proceedings. is quoted al length.
Replying to this statement Senator
Jones makes an individual parenthetical
statement in which he says he is a member
OF the finance committee OF the senate and
that such Information as he obtained from
the subcommittee on the occasion referred
TO by the senator from Rhode Island was
Information received In legitimate. official
consultation with the members OF the sub
committee. and that such information was
conveyed by Mr.. Jones to no human being
in any manner before the presentation Of
the particulars to the senate and On orderly
course. The report takes the position that
the distinct assertions OF senators ought
not 10 be outweighed by newspaper attacks.
instigated by men willing to make state
ments to newspaper correspondents with u
view 10 publication and then, like assasslns
who use the stilletto in the dark, sltulk
behind those correspondents aud refuse to
permit their names to be made known. even
for the purposes OF evidence"
1t wculd, they continue. be monstrous
to set in molten the investigating ma
chlnery of the senate every time such an
attack is made upon a senator, and that
they think II every unfathered rumor aud
unsupported charge werc to be held suf-
iicient ground on which to base an inves-
tieation into the official conduct OF the
peoples representatives. there ia no iegis-
latiNe body in the world that could for a
single day carry on the work for which 1t
was designed" NJ,
Its entire time would be given up 10 the
work of investigating rumors whispers and
charges. Before one could be completed
another would make it's appearance. and
when the second had geen Investigated
third would have been provided aud
would be ready. which in turn would be
succeeded by fourth and the fourth
fifth There would be no end TO them.
Ihcy say TIE senate mas OF several &C.
oasions held with reference TO proposed
Investigations into the conduct of its mem
hers, that in order to warrant 60 grave
q preceding there should he some tangible
evld' nce-some specific and properly sup
ported allegation of fact from responsible
source and not merely vague general
charges or rullore'
Inc COMMITTEES says with reference TO
the portion of the resolution which re-
quiros the reoponing OF the inquiry Of 1894
that no new evidence has been produced.
ANA that the proceedings In the courts IN
inc matter OF certain contunacious wit
hesses do not show any probability OF SC
curing Information beyond that already
adduced They call attention IN the fact
that IN all the prosecutions growing out OF
the former inquiry there was only one con-
vlction, the others being acquitted on The
ground that the questions put to them were
not pertinent
The committee concludes that the etat-
ntes can not be changed by reopening the
case
With reference to the proposition that
inquiry be made whether the sugar trust
has contributed to or controlled the cleo
tion OF n senator in this body at any time.
the committee express the opinion that tho
time to Investigate II subject OF that char
acter Will be when some evidence is Of
fered TO show cause for the inquiry aud
adds that upon the election OF senator
his political opponents are sufficiently ac-
tive and alert in their own interest TO make
known any irregularity. In so far as the
American Sugar Refining comDany may
offend against the statutes, of the ntttd
States let 1t be dealt with according to
the law.
I'VE are not the apolozisis of that COM
PAW or any other. The want of popularity
of the company or any other can never oi
itself be held to be a ground Tor inVes,l-
eating the right OF senators 10 their seats
and without the strongest inct 10 'nNesu-
gate whether R corporation has contributed
10 or controlled the election OF a senator III
this body at any time, why stop AT 'hc
Why not prepare list OF
all CORPORATIONS In the tniteu s'd'S' M
I'D the officers Of each and examine INTO
the question whether such corporal ons
have in anywise contributed TO or con-
rolled the election or n senator IN thls
body at any time? The process oil tNaihin-
alton would he endless, and there "ot!u oe
no time for the performance OF aay leE's
lative duties. 49,
Tho committee goes on at length Into me
ouestinu of the propriety OF eNpeiling from
the senate gallery or sending 10 Iisoh
n.wspaper correspondents VINO make laiso
,harges taking position against pom
They say that expulsion I'm
he gallery would be disproportionGte 70
the o1fense as the galleries oil inc seh"'o
would be open TO the Offenders
"It might even be-" the committee aods'
chat The notoriety acquired by a CORE
spondent by reason of such cHpu'sioii' ~
stead Of operating as puhishihcn., WIZ"
prove a source OF promotion In MS pro-
fession." 80 -,
Furthermore they conclude that such
punishment would have no Influence on the
,ewspaper proprietors themselves ana that
win the press associations covering inc
round II would be impossible to deprive |
,ewspapers from securing the news'
The committee supplies list OF proseou-
ions, of pewspaper writer's by the senate. |
BEGINNING with the case c.'a, illiam Dunno
n 1900. from which the conclusion Is drawn |
that no very heavy penalties have been
imposed for tho recusancy OF newspaper
Witnesses
Reference is made to the gauntlet man |
uus before he reaches the goal OF the cen
he and the conclusion IL drawn that sue.
.ss is evidence that those who succeed |
are worthy of tho confidence of the people |
Who send them. and this presumption 1t |
4 added is one requiring evidence to re-
ute."
In conclusion, the committee recommend |
hat the resolution be indefinitely post
,oned saying: 1T seems to the committee !
hat the time has come when the senate |
hould emphatcally declare by iis action |
hat IL will not be accessory to sEacks upon |
Us members from irresponsible sources. No |
investigation of any charge affecting the |
integrity OF the senate or It's members
,bou1d at any time be undertaken unless |
uch charge be definite and specific and !
made by some known and responsible per-
-, ,nt augaoad nrofpS siOnalIy In geuEa- |