The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-22
IN THE SENATE.

Washington, January 21.-At the open
ing of the Senate's session today MI.
Quay said that ne had noticed in the
morning newspapers that he had yester-
day voted for the consideration of the
Teller resolution, because the Senator
from Missouri had asked him to do so.
This Mr.. Quay said was not true in any
sense, as he had not heard from the
Missouri Senator about it.
He voted for it he said, because he
thought the present consideration of the
resolution would benefit the country and
the Republican party.
The resolution of Mr.. Alien asking the
secretary of the interior for papers con-
corning the dismissal from the pension
office, of Mrs. NJ. E. E. Roberts, was laid
before the Senate.
Mr.. Gallinger moved to refer the resolu-
ton to the committee on civikservice and
retrenchment.
Pending the vote ON that motion, Mr..
Allen said he desired to speak briefly up
on the matter. Mrs. Roberts, he had
heard, was a friend of former Secretary
Carlisle, from Covington, KY. She was
for years a member of the family of
James B. Beck, once Senator from Ken
lucky, ana her appointment was made
through Senator Beck's influence.
II want to say said Mr. Allen, "that
no self respecting gentleman would treat
a woman as this woman has been treated
by the secretary of the interior, and COM
missioner of pensions If this administra-
tion is willing to injure itself in this way
I am willing If it desires to hurry itself
out of power, [ am DESTROYS OF Fastening
its exit, but 1 do hold, Mr.. President,
that it is not an inherent right of the sec
rotary of the interior or the commissioner
of pensions to be brutal in their treat
ment of clerks. If the commissioner de-
sired the place of Mrs. Roberts for some
.hanger-on, why did be aim a poisoned
dart at her. He must be poltroon and
low indeed who will make coyet
charge against woman and refuse then
to state the charges"
Mr. Allen referred to the position taken
by MIR. Gallinger.
Said the New Hampshire Senator "If
the Senator from Nebraska means serious
ly to impute to me such motives as his
language indicates, he is using uDparlia-
rnentary and unWarrantable language.
Mr. GalIinger said that he had leal ned
something about the Roberts case and
was satisfied that the Senate was not the
place for the discussion of the details OF
the case. In the privacy of the committee
room the statements of MRS ROBERTS, the
secretary of the interior, the commission
er of pensions and others could be heard
upon the case Then the case could be
properly discussed and investigated. Such
cases as this have no place in the Senate
chamber and it may be possible that the
part of gallantry is to consider this case
In private and in the end, MIR. Gallinger
Thought. Mrs. Roberts would thank him
for the position he had taken in the
matter.
MT. Allen commended that there was a
bint of something vitality wrong in the
moral character of Mrs. Roberts. He re-
viewed the case again and discussed at
present agitation of the civil service cues
tion.
Assurance was given by Mr. Pritohard
of North Carolina, chairman OF the COM
Inittee on civil service and retrenchnent,
that the committee would carefully in
vestigate the case, should 1T be referred to
his committee and Mn Allen agreed to
such reference. The resolution was then
so referred
Mr.. Lodge of Massachusetts,, somewhat
to the surprise of the people in the gal
leries who were expecting discussion Of
the Teller resolution, moved that the
Senate go into executive session.
Before that motion is put, said Mr..
Vest, 'tMr President, 1 desire to make
brief statement. gave notice yesterday
that the resolution repoted by the finance
committee would be further considered,
but several Senators opposed to the reso-
luton have said to me that their personal
convenience requires that the resolution
shall not be passed at this time. They
Robbed the Grave.