The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-06-15
LOBBYISTS ARE HANDLED
In the Senate without Gloves; Pan
American Bank Debated.

| Washington, June 14.-At today's ses
sion Of the senate the resolution OF Mr.
Lodge (Mass) directing that an inquiry
! be made into The disposition made of the
Methodist Book Concern claim. which was
! paid recently by congress. was adopted
without division. In the course of the
! debate upon Il, Mr.. Morgan (Ala) charged
| that the resolution was insincere and had
been drawn for political effect This
! statement Mr.. Lodge denied vigorously
saying that his only purpose in offering
| the resolution was that all the facts con-
| corning the matters should be laid before
the people to the end that more care
should be exercised the future. q general
law would be passed TO eliminate the pro-
fessional lobbyist from the legislative ecu
alton.
IN the course Of the discussion Mr.. Nor
gan said that only today he had been in
formed that a claim of s3Ss, 600 paid rec
emily by congress 10 the estate of John
Roach had been lobbied through congress
and that the lobbyist had received 50 per
cent OF the money.
He maintained that IL the senate was
going into the investigation business this
and other similar reports should be
looked into.
a senate bin TO provide home for aged
and infirrn colored people was passed.
At O'Clock the bill for the organiza-
ton of a Pan-American bank was laid be-
fore the senate and Mr. Pettus spoke in
opposition to the granting of the pro-
posed charter. He said such institutions
as this were calculated to stimulate such
gambling transactions as those which had
recently occurred in Chicago, where it Is
made impossible for the poor 10 secure
bread. Notwithstanding the abundance of
wheat. Speaking of the Chicago transac-
lions. Mr.. Pettus said he thanked God
that the perpetrator had gone where he
ought TO go. Speaking further along Of
the law whcih condemned the trusts, he
said:
THAT law will not reach this institu-
ton, yet here is the most damnable trust
ever conceived. a trust that has tremen-
dous and almost unlimited powers
In an extended reply to some OF the
legal propositions advanced by Mr.. Pettus.
Mr.. Foraker said the committe on for
egn relations had most carefully con-
sidered all phases of all questions bearing
upon the bill, and had unanimously re-
ported it in the belief that it was an ex-
cellent measure.
Mr.. Pettus offered an amendment to the
bill, providing that the proposed bank
should not charge or receive more than
per cent interest on loans
Pending a vote on the amendment, Mr.
Perkins CCal), presented an argument
in favor of the bill He argued that the
proposed bank was a duty TO the people
of this country who desired to Go bust
ness with our Central or South American
neighbors and it was a notice to the
world that the United States proposed to
make an effort to reach out for the bust
ness of the western hemisphere
Mr.. Frye, (Maine). was surprised that
there should be a serious objection to a
Pan-American bank. This proposed bank.
he said. Use simply an fundamentally for
the promotion Of our export trade.
m. Teller, (Coi.). maintained that the
proposed bank would not relieve the sit
uation and 1t would not be relieved until
we had ships doing business with South
America and Central America. The fail
ure to sell goods in the southern countries
was not, in his opinion, due to a lack OF
banking facilities in the nlted States.
Mr.. Bacon viewed the bill very much
as Mr.. Teller viewed il.
''The great purpose Of the bill" he de-
clared. "is to incorporate a bank which
shall have the name and power and pres
tige and authority of the United States
government There Is nothing else ia It
Is it proper that all the ether banks OF
the country shall be brought into compe-
tition with a gigantic bank backed by the
name and prestige and authority OF the
government Of the United States?"
After Mr.. Foraker. in reply. had cited ad
ditional authorities in support of his con-
tention, the senate, at $40 p m. went
into executive session and soon after
wards adjourned.