The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-16

ports--which was the first time | had
| ever heard of them-and expressed some
fear that they would have n bad efect
ON the vote in the Senate. He said the
reports were untrue"
Senator Teller, in the course of a
very wise speech defending the church
from Senator Chambers misrepresenta-
tons, said:
II have never seen claim agent nm
less Mr.. Stahlman was n claim agent,
and Mt the instance of the Senators from
ennessee the committee departed from
IFS custom and allowed him to come be-
fore the committee. upon the theory, as
we supposed that he was the church
agent and not n lobbyist or attorney;
that while he was an attorney at law.
he WAS church agent, not simply to
look after this case, but many other mat
ters belonging to the church. and we sup
posed. at least did, that he was ON sal
airy.
Mr.. Bate. '"That was the understands
ing of Senator Harris and myself"
Mr.. Teller. II have no doubt, and |
think il was stated by one or the other
Senators who came before the commit
tee"
Mr.. Bate. "He stated it himself"
There were other statements of like
tenor, which, to say the least, put Mr..
Stahlman in n very sorry position The
kilograms from Smith & Barbee who
stand high in the great church they req
resent. make explanations on their part
necessary. Senator Tillman is probably
too severe on Stahlman, but from the
testimony presented above many will
agree with him when he said, IF the
Southern MethodEts have been de-
ceived - their agents. they win dismiss
their agents in disgrace, and / hope they
will make this thief and liar, Stahlman.
disgorge"
Senator Jerry, of Arkansas, was very
severe on Senator Chambers reflections
on the church and his attempt to make
party capital ont of the affair, and spoke
what all honest people will applaud
when he said:
THE members of the Southern MethO-
dist Episcopal Church are honest people
and would scOrn to take n dollar from
any source whatever that was obtained
under false pretenses or by false state
ment. and when the facts of this matter
are fully shown-when they come to
light pledge my word in advance that
whatever is honest and whatever is hon-
orable in the minds of honest and hon
orable men, that / believe the ministers
and the members of that church through
ont the entire Southern land with one
voice will say shall be done. That, /
think, is the universal feeling.
''Now, Mr.. President, l do not know
Barbee & Smith, [ do not know Stahl-
man. never, to my knowledge saw him
i'm my life or either of the other gentle
men. IL Mt the time the kilograms came
to the Senator from Florida (Mr. Passed.
and the Senator from Tennessee (Mr.
Bate Barbee & Smith knew that Il CON
tract existed to pay this man 100000 OF
the money. no language that can be used
upon this floor can be too severe to de-
nounce the infamy of their action.
Il care not whether they made the
contract or somebody else made it:
care not whether it was for 40 per cent.
or 81 per cent. if they knew the contract
existed when they sent these kilograms
then they intended to deceive the Sen
ate into appropriating money which they
could not otherwise obtain 1t is simply
obtaining money under false pretenses.
and if it was private transaction be-
tween individuals and they knowingly
by such false statements obtained money
it would send them, and ought to send
them. to the penitentiary Of the State in
which they live.
Now, | do not know whether they
knew it or not. As the Senator from
Alabama (Mr. Morgan) said, let MS bring
them before this committee and see il
they did know it. IL they did know
it. let them be denounced and condemn
ed, as they will be by the members of the
Methodist Church from one end Of the
land to the other. If they knew that this
contract existed for 80 per cent. and seek
to excuse themselves on the miserable
preteXt that the Senator from Florida
had named 40 per cent. as the rumored
amount. then, Mr.. President, the ex-
cuse, if possible, is more infamous than
the original offense. No words or no
language they can use, if they knew
such contract existed, can excuse them.
But let us bring them before this COM
mttee. Let us give them a chance to say
and let them say what knowledge, they
had in regard to this transaction IL
they had the knowledge, then nothing
can excuse them for the kilograms, be-
cause they intended to deceive and did
deceive.
Mr. President, / have no doubt that
1t IS just as the Senator from Alabama
says, that the claim is a just one AMI
the Government owed the money. Yet
had it been known in the Senate that
SIU)OOO was to go to any agent the bill
could not have passed this body, and
every Senator here knows that il could
not have been passed"
The Senate has unanimously asked the
investigation to be made, and before the
resolution was passed, the following tele-
gram was read by Senator Teller:
Nashville, Tenn, June 10.
"Hon. Henry NJ. Teller, Washington,
ID. C.
1--WE hope the Lodge resolution will
pass and that thorough investigation
may follow. We do not care to discuss
the matter now. All we ask, on our own
behalf as well as the church, is that you
~ Il 4 IL,