The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-15

Washington, Jan. 14.-Almost the en-
tire four hours of the executive session
of the senate today was devoted to the
indirect consideration of the nominal
ton Of Hon. Joseph McKenna, now at
torney general, to be associate justice
of the supreme court. The discussion
| was the result Of an effort on the part
| of Senator Allen (Pop. Neb.), to Secure
q postponement for two weeks. In the
end a compromise was reached, defer
ring consideration until a week from
today, on condition that the Nebraska
senator should agree to allow vote To
| be taken en- that date. The Hawaiian
treaty was not touched upon during
the session.
The debate upon Mr.. McKenna's
nomination was precipit9ted by Sena-
tor Hoar, chairman of the committee
on judiciary who called up the nomi-
nation in accordance with his notice
of yesterday, and asked for immediate
action. In doing this, Mr. Hoar spoke
briefly Of the opposition to Mr.. Nc
Kenna, saying that the judiciary COM
rnittee had investigated most of the
charges made and had reached the con-
clusiOn that they were without founda-
ton. He said that the greater number
of charges had been made by the mem
bers of the American Protective asso-
citation, and as they had been founded
solely upon the fact that Mr.. Mckenna
was a Catholic in religion, they had
not been deemed worthy Of serious con-
sideration. Mr.. Hoar dwelt at some
length upon this point eXcoriating any
man who would attempt to inject
question of religion into a,ze0ptroversy
over mans fitness for ofHce.E lie said
that such an effort was entirely I'M
American and unpatriotie. and should
not for a moment receive Abe considera-
ton of fair minded men.
A. P. A. BIGoTs.
Senator White, of California, also
spoke of the effort of thea.a P 4.
to interfere with the course of the SEN
ate in giving proper attention to a
question the determination of which
should depend upon considerations OF
fitness and justice as between man and
man, rather than upon an appeal to
bigotry, prejudice and f. lse claim o.
patriotism. He spoke of the A. P. AS
as fools who could not be properly
characterized in the senate. He had no
patience, he said, with men who he'd
the opinion that Catholics must neces-
sarily consult the pope or some other
high functionary of the Catholic
church in every important transaction
of their lives and added that he was
would not be Influenced for a moment
by such representations as an order of
the character of the a P. A would
make. Mr.. McKenna's confirmation
should depend entirely upon different
considerations. AS for himself, while
he did not contend that Mr. McKenna
was a giant in his legaf attai-fn Il $.
still he believed him to be an honorable
man, competent lawyer and a just
jurist. and he should support his con-
firmation.
ALIENS REASONS.
1t was here that Mr.. Allen interposed
an objection to Immediate action. When
his request for two weeks delay was
met with refusal, he took the floor and
proceeded to give his reasons for the
request, which were, in the main, that
he wanted, and he thought the senate
should have. more tine for considera-
ton than had been given to it. He
called attention to the Importance of
the Office 20 which Mr.. McKenna had
been named. saying it was a place
which he would occupy probably dur
ing the remainder of his life, and that
the senate and the American public
had a right to demand that the charges
should be sifted to the bottom. He said
SO far as the opposition of the A. P.
a. was concerned, it did not influence
him in the least, and he agreed with
all that had been said as to the pro-
priety of anv interference in a matter
of this character on account of re-
Hgious prejudices or predictions.
There were still other charges which
were, to his mind. far more serious,
and to prove that such was the case
he read at length from letters and
newspapers attacking Mr.. McKenna's
record as an attorney and jurist on
the ground of legal attachments The
greater part of Mr.. Aliens speech was
devoted to reading those documents.
PACIFIC BAR ATTACK.
He called especial attention to an at
tack made by the bar of the Pacific
coast, which. he said, was deserving of
more scrutiny than had been given it.
He also stated that he had understood
that charges had been made that large
corporations had been instrumental in
securing McAenna's nomination. He
thought this matter should be looked
into more thoroughly than the senate
had had opportunity to do. Mr. AlleT
disclaimed any intention to father any
or the charges made, but asserted that
his sole purpose was to secure time for
their proper investigation. He added
that he might himself vote for Mr. Nc
Kenna's confirmation, but said that
before doing SO he desired to be con-
WINGED that the assertions made derog-
atory to Mr.. McKenna's character as a
jurist were without foundation.
1t was 4:3O in the afternoon when the
agreement was reached for concluding
the McKenna matter at the sitting on
next Friday and, by general consent, !
the senate postponed consideration of
the Hawaiian treaty until next Mon !
day.