The times., 1897-07-23
Jones of Nevada DOes Not Be-
lieye in investigating Senator's.
sL,ps AT NEWSPAPER MEN
Nest Not Always BE Taken Seriously
a. They DO Not Profess 10 Write
From Rnowiedge-Re Refers to As
sassins Who Stab Mems Char
ecfers in the Dark.

FesuEatiun ia d piSoon-hole Tor Goie tilah
q month. the committee on contingent eN-
peases yeSterda yreportedit5ack adversely
This disposition OF the matter was pie
dicted ia this paper when the RESOLUTION
was first offered. The report is unusually
long. ami deals with the subject fIcn
various and interesting points OIL We" e
In a nutshell. the report finds that Dut Che
Senator's name has been mehuCne" as
having spaculated in sugar stocks, anu
the denial by that Senator or the truth
OF lie report is accepted as fully ana
satisfactorily disposing OF the whole SUD
ject. Concerning the new ) dispatches III
general, The report adds that the news
naDer men must not always be taken
seriously. ..:nasIuuch as these gentlemen
do rot profess TO write from knowledge
and usually. if not alwa Us. decline 10 Gis-
close the means OF their Information
Going into the charges that Senator
Smith had specuIated the report says:
..Hereis anewSpa3er charge emade against
a Senator OF the United States without any
ayerIaent of personal knowledge on the
part OF the writer and without the slightest
particle OF evidence to sustain lt-not
even as much as would warrant justice
of the peace in summoning witnesses TO
determine the truth OF "A complaint by one
citizen against another with reference
10 the most tr4fling incidents OF everyday
ufe 1t is the bold and naked assertion
OF a man who does not profess or pre-
tend to have any knowledge whatever of
the alleged fact OF which he writes.
On .be other hand. we have definite,
exnlicit. and absolute denial Of the charge
from the Senator affected-a denial pub
ucly made from his place in the Senate
upon tie responsibility Of his position as
a Senator of the United Sites.
The Committee reports that tise fullest
investigation fails TO show that any New
York OF other papers had advance informa-
aon of tie Guiugs OF the Finance Com
nitJee
Al article written by one Of the CORE
spondeats is denounced as "a deliberate.
unfair. and envenomed determination to, if
possih.-, bring upon the subcommittee Of
she Finance Committee the contempt OF
he county"
Some attention is paid in the report to
nsen who shield their identity behind state
nlenis winch they make to correspondents
with a view 10 publication, and tbcn. like
eSsasSlns who nse tie stiletIo in the dark,
skuIk tehind these newspaper writers and
refuse for the purposes or evidence 10 per
rnit their names 10 become known. Under
such circumstances. the committee say,
IT world be monstroUs To set on foot an
Inresi iratIon every time some senator was
attacked.
.-Ii viii be time enough to look into
the subject Of whether the Sugar Trust
Eas contributed to or controlled the cleo
tiou of Senator SAYS the report, when
some evidence is offered to justify such
an inquiry IL 50 far as the American
Sugar Refining Company may offend
against the statutes OF the United States
LEI il he dealt with according to law.
We are not the apuIogists OF that COM
pany or any other. The want OF popU-
Iarity Of that company or any other can
never Of itself be held 70 be a ground for
Invesl igating the ight Of Senators to their
seats If it be our dgty, upon our own
Initiative and without the slightest war
rant from any known fact, to investigate
whether a corporation has contributed to
or controlled the election of a Senator
In this body at any time, why stop at
Of All corporations in the United States,
call up the officers OF each, and examine
into the question whether such corpora
tons have in any wise contributed or
cont rolled the election Of a Senator IN
this body at any time?' The process
OF examination would be endless, and
there would be 10 time for the perform
aDce OF any legislative duties
VIII respect to the proposed expulsion
from the press gallery OF correspondents
who print these things, the committee take
the ground that the punishment would be
disproportionate to the Offense. Other
galleries would be open to them, and the
notonety acquired by such expulsion, the
committee adds, instead OF operating as a
punishment, might prove a source Of pro-
motion 10 the correspondent in his pro-
fession. Furthermore, they conclude that
such punishment would have no Influence
upon the new spaper propretors themselves,
and that, with the press associations Gov
ing the ground, it would be impossible to
deprive new spapers from securing the news
After citing a number of cases In which
correspondents have been sought to be
disciplined, the committee, discussing the
value OF a free press, say:
lit is no disparagement Of legislative
bodies TO admit the invaluable function OF
the press in the maintenance OF free gov
ernment That function is too important
10 be subjected TO narrow restrictions or
circum scribed within fliberal bounds,
merely to correct a disposition To over
severity of criticism. The remedy would
be worse than the disease Legislators
who, In every loose and unsupported charge
affecting the action of their body see
the specter of accusation, and insist upon
imprisonment in default OF proof, should
take occasion to reflect upon the injury
that would be done to free government
by the atteInpt on every occasion to bring
to book members OF the press who exercised
over-freely the right of criticism Of public
acts
while The right must ever be main
tained by the law-ma king power TO pro-
tect itself from assault whencesoever erpan-
eting, yet the exercise of this right should
be reserved for occasions of extraordinary
Importance. Freedom OF the press is guar
anteed by the Constitution, is essential
TO existenceo Of free government, and should
not lightly he interfered with
although the press IS a most powerful
institution. VIC are very confident thar
this is great eXaggeration OF its power
Neither do all newspapers make these
Charges nor believe them The people W no
read newspapers from day to day are too
wise and Intelligent TO be 50 deceived
They are able TO gauge with reasonable
judgment the decree OF truth and If i'm
portance 10 be attributed 20 the statements