New-York tribune., 1897-07-24
SENATORIAL SCANDALS AND COhhoN'
SENSE.

In his report on Mr. Tilmans resolution Tor
revival of the sugar scandal inquiry or 1851
Senator Jones' OF Nevada. lays down Win
timely emphasis some maxims or pohticai ue-
corum and common-sense which have appar-
emily not always been accepted at their true
v,luo IN tbe "most august deliberative assembly
on earth" Mr. Tillman had not yet entered the
deliberatiye branch Of Congress when the
"smelling committee" headed by Mr.. Gray un-
dertook three years ago to determine whether
any Senators had speculated In sugar STOCK
while the sugar schedule Of the Wlson-Gorman
Tariff bill was being framed and reframed by
the Democratic caucus and the Democratic
members of the Committee on Finance. The
futiIity of that heroicaly DOgberrian investiga-
ton was perfectly manifest: yet so inviting was
the field It opened to suspicion and innuenoo
that a 'pitchfOrk" orator Of Mr.. Tillmans quai-
ity might be pardoned for hoping to rediscover'
even in the meagre and colorless material when
1897 offered scandal as picturesque ana sensa-
tional as came to the surface with the inquiry
of 1894 Newspaper charges similar to those
circulated at that time were therefore collected
by the South Carolina Senator and made the
basis of a resolution authorizing an investiga-
ton of the alleged stock-dealng operations OF
certain Of his colleagues during the transit
through the Senate of the Dingley Tariff BILL
But the Senate had evidently profted by Its
experiences with the discounted smelling
committee" Of three years ago. Instead OF I'M
mediate and panc-stricken approval. Mr. I'll
mans resolution encountered searching ana
matter-of-fact examination, and after deten-
tion of two months or more in the Committee on
Contingent Expenses, 1t was reported on Thurs
day with an emphatic and sweeping protesI
from the committee against It's passage. In the
elaborate adverse report drawn by Senator
Jones the common sense principle is maintained
that the Senate cannot stOop to investigate
every idle and irresponsible charge brought
against the honor or integrity OF individual Sen
ators The position is sound one. Rumors set
adoat nv representatives Of sensational Journals
arc hardly to be received with the faith due TO
Grand Jury presentments; lor should either
branch Of Congress be required to waste It's
time Dursung will-O' O'the-wisp scandals as eiu-
sive as those which Mr.. Tillman has pressed into
service in his recent indictment resolution. Both
the dignity and the self-respect OF the Senate
would certainly be conserved, as Mr. Jones
argues II less attention were paid Within lts
walls TO petty and inconsequential assaults upon
its members: and the Nevada Senator concludes
with force and Justice that 1.-The time has come
"when the Senate should emphatically declare
"by its action that 1t will not become accessory
$50 attacks upon itself or its members from
irresponsible sources.
The report may he said to mark wholesome
recovery on the Senate's part from the extrava-
CANT sensitiveness and itch for scandal which
made possible the fiasco Of the Gray committee
inquiry of 1894. 1t Is to be hoped that there
will be no future relapses in that direction from
the saner temper and cooler judgment Of to-day.