Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-22
Adverse Report on Senator Tillman's
Resolution.
ALLEGED SUGAR STOCK SPECULATING
Insinuations Not Sufficient to Jus
tify Investigation.
CORRESPONDENTS CHARGES


that committee on the resolution intro
duced by Senator Tillman for an investiga-
tion OF the charges of speculating in sugar
stocks, etc. The report takes strong
position against ordering the investigation
and is very exhaustive review of the
procedure of the Senate in the past in
such matters.
The report takes the position that aside
from the names Of the newspaper men
themselves only the name of Senator Smith
OF New Jersey is mentioned in the news
papers making the charges on which the
resolution was based. The position Is
taken that the newspaper men do not
count, 'inasmuch as those gentlemen do
not profess to write from knowledge and
usually, If not always, decline to disclose
the sources of their information"
Senator Smiths Case.
with reference to Senator Smith the
report says: Here is a newspaper charge
made against a senator Of the United
States without any averment of personal
knowledge OH the part Of the writer and
without the slightest particle of evidence
to sustain it-nCt even as much as would
warran. justice Of the peace in sum-
moning witnesses to determine the truth of
a complaint by one citizen against another
with reference to the most trifiing Incl
cent of everyday life. 1t is the bold and
naked assertion of a 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 a
definite, explicit and absolute denial of
the charge from the senator affected-a de-
NAL publicly made from mis- place lii the
Senate upon the responsibility of his no
sltion. as senator of the United States"
AS to the clause of the resolution which
charges 'brOkprS in Ncy l-,o
III advance as to what the finance commit
Tee would report as to the sugar schedule"
the committee say they can find in the
newspaper clippings presented in support
OF the proposed inquiry nothing but in
definite illusions. insinuations, guesses and
1nierences drawn by correspondents from
hearsay statements and the hearsay some
times several degrees removed. Many If
their expressions indicate the fiimsiness of
the foundation on which they have erected
this structure of scandal"
The attack Of one of the correspondents
Is characterized as "a deliberate, unfair
and envenomed determination to, if possi-
Bile, bring upon the subcommittee of the
finance committee the contempt of the
country"
InsinuatiOns of Correspondents.
Whenever" the report continues, I'VE
approach statement that, judging from
the sensatiCn nal headings Of the article,
seems about to give us definite and respon-
sible information, which could be reached
by an investigation, we are disappointed 20
find that instead Of affording evidence Of
the alleged fact the statements consist Of
mslnuatfons, mysterious hints and indefi-
mite allusions made on the authority af
some person whose name the correspondent
does not disclose. All these guesses, infer
eEces and innuendoes ere met in the most
direct and emphatic manner by the state
ment of the senator from Rhode Island,
r thn oho ofrvv, <Nf tIn
mittee of the finance committee having in
charge the arrangement Of the details Of
the tariff bill"
Senator Aldrich's reply to Senator TILL
man, In which he refers to Senator Jones
of Nevada the only senator outside Of
the subcommittee who had knowledge Of
its proceedings, is quoted at length.
Replying to this statement Senator Jones
makes an Individual paIenthetical state
ment, 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 re-
ferred to by the senator from Rhode Island
was information received in legitimate, Of
fetal consultation with the members of
the subcommittee. and that such informa-
tion was conveyed by Mr.. Jones to no hu-
man being in any form or manner before
the presentation of the particulars to the
Senate, and this publication In due and or
derly course"
Asxassins of Reputation.
The report takes the position that the
distinct assertions of senators are not to
be outweighed by newspaper attacks in
stigated by men "willing to make state
ments to newspaper correspondents with
view to publication and then, like assassins
who use the stiletto in the dark, skulk be-
hind those correspondents and refuse to
permit their names to be made known,
even for purposes Of evidence.
1t would, the report continues, be mon
strous to set in motion the investigating
machinery of the Senate every time that
such an attack is made upon a senator,
and the committee concludes that II every
unfathered rumor and unsupported charge
we're to be held sufficient ground on which
to base an Investigation into the official
conduct of the peoples representatives,
there is no legislative body In the world
ttat could for single day carry on the
work for which 1t was designed. Its entire
time would be given over to the work of
investigating rumors, whispers and charges.
Before the investigation of one such could
be completed, another would have made
its appearance. and when the second had
been Investigated, third would have been
provided and would be ready, which, in
turn, would be succeeded by fourth, and
the fourth by fifth. There would be no
end"
Must De Tangible Evidence.
They. say that the Senate has on several
II vestigations into the conduct of Its mem
bers that in order to warrant SO grave a
proceeding there should be some tangible
evidence-some specific and properly sup
ported allegation of fact from a responsible
source, and not merely vague general
charges of rumors'
ine committee say with reference to the
portion OF the resolution which requires the
reopening of the inquiry of 1894, that no
new evidence has been produced and that
the proceedings In the courts .'in the mat
ter OF certain contumacious witnesses do
not show any probability Of securing in
formation beyond that already adduced. !"
They call attention to the fact that in all
the prosecutions growing out of the former
inquiry there was only one conviction, the
others being acquitted on the ground that
the questions put to them were not per
tinent.
The committee concludes that this status
cannot be changed by reopening the case.
Alleged Sugar Trust Political Contrl-
With reference to the proposition that IN
quiry be made whether the sugar trust
has contributed to or controlled the elec-
tion OF q senator In this body at any time"
the committee expresses the opinion that