The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-24
t0[UR D'ALtNE INQUIRY.
owe OF THE MOST REMARKABLE
INVESTIGATIONS IN HISTORY.
How Lentx and sulzer, the Dema-
gogues of the House Committee
ON Military Affairs, Attempted to
Dfscredit Government and Army.

torv Of the United States congress has
drawn to a close. II began on the 18th
~ February in the house committee on
military affairs. 1t has ever since occu-
MED the attention of that committee prac-
ideally to the exclusion OF everything else
with the exception of the appropriation
bill
An inordinate desire to make political
r.pital. to manufacture new political Is
~As'' was the handspring OF those who
demanded this investigation, ostensibly an
investigation of the conduct of the United
states military in the Occur d'Alenes.
ahoshone county, Idaho, after the drama
dc occurrences OF April 90 1850, and the
6issensons. conflicts and crimes that pre-
ceded that date. The prime mover in the
conspiracy to drag the present administra-
tion into huge scandal-for a conspiracy
n was. beyond a doubt--was John ]. Lentz.
Democratic member OF congress. from
the Columbus, o.. district.
II Is rarely necessary to search for hid
sen motives in Lentz' conduct. At all
times. In his speeches. in his private utter
snces, IN his political doings, In all his
undertakings, he is actuated by an unrea-
soning blind hatred of Mr.. Mckinley.
vhom he abuses I'm and out OF season. In
terms quite beyond the ordinary ken of the
average self-respecting member of con-
rress All the righteousness of his ma
ture Is applied TO the problem of doing
or saying something that might bring OPP
nrobrfum to the chief executive; his pic
turesque vocabulary IL daily augmented BY
some expression fierce and vituperative,
calculated to show In what small regard he
holds the highest office In the gift OF hts
countrymen the most honorable position
IN al the world
Such is the manner OF man who brought
the charges. He had number of worthy
allies Chief among them II Congressman
sulzer, Of New York. known to his col
leagues as 1.-The Bowery statesman In
the disregard OF all that marks courtesy
among men, kindliness and genteness
among associates, Lentz has but one rival.
That rival Is Sulzer. These men dominated
the Democrats of the committee. They
made 1t plain to them at the outset that
this was not an investigation that should
Investigate. II was an investigation that
shcnld besmiroh Messrs. Hay. Jett and
elayden and other Democrats OF the com
mittee had no desire to handle pitch. they
willingly left the conduct of affairs to those
w whUse had d' been 'e cut out they allowed
Lentz and Suzer to have Il their own way.
Il was their investigation They had given
the assurance that this was to be the one
Grand blot on the escutcheon OF the adj
ministration. They could not trust any
one else to daub the mud and the filth
effectively. No one above the characters
tic fiber of these two worthless could he
expected to do 1t properly. They must,
Of necessity. undertake to do 1t them
selves,
TO arrive Lentz made no conceaiment OF
the fact that they needed drilling. osten-
sihiy he was one CT those 10 sit In iuds-
ment He quickly threw of that mask.
He hobnnbbed with the witnesses. He
coached them. lilo drilled them He re-
NAMED up till the wee small hours to. get
their stories out OF them and TO teach them
he manner In which they could be most
effectively told. 1t was his purpose to
show that a great wrong had been done.
Surely a rhilanthropic motive. But the
/ ADMINISTRATION. at all hazards must De bs
= what use, otherwise. woulc be the expos
ure of this great wrong"
The plan OF the conspirators was soon
made evident. There are q number or law
yers ON the committee on military analrs
They knew that the only way 70 conduc;
legal inquiry was e conduct u on iesal
lines Tho laws OF evidences may sometimes
moi he understood by the layman. But
they are based on the best experience OF
generations. They go directly at thnt
which is relevant, important acceptnhie.
They reject what Is immaterial. irrelevant
and not to tho point. To govern the ex-
animation In accordance with these rules
would have brought the investigation TO
too speedy n termination to suit the rur-
poses Of the conspiratofs. IL would have
taken the committee too directly 10 the
gst OF the inquiry. namely. did the mill
iary commit any WRONGS In me Goaur
dAleaes: Il so what wrongs? II would
have destroyed the possibility or induig-
ing In buncombe, of encumbering me rec
crd with such matter IA Lentz ana Sulser
deemed material not to the inquiry. nut 10
their own sinister purposes Hearsay tes-
,imony, from the beginning. was their
choicest morsel
Their manner OF conducting the inves-
tea,lon was unique In the annals OF all
Investigations. Such questions as what
do you think was in his mind when he
heard these rnmorS7 p were no exceptions
They became 40 common that they no
longer attracted attention Republicans
who undertook to CroSs-cNamine Wit
nesses did Il at great personal peru Inc
tactics OF tho blathorsAte were In great
favor. Personal abuse was heaped on
members OF Lcntz and Sulzer. They hes
lated not 70 draw the most offensive IN
fefences. They hesitated not TO charge
men with the most sordid motives They
hssitated not to indulge In personal
threats Fortunately for them they were
not taken with great seriousness, only
once were they really brought TO with
short turn Chairman Hun had been
goaded almost beyond human endurance
livid with anger he shook hts hrst under
the nose OF t.entz. whose rowing eve
avoided him You have gone as far with
ne as you dare" he cried
tentE went no further He might bully
But his physical courage must not be put
to too severe a test
Nothing was too low for him The per
-sonal character Of men thousands OF
miles from tho scene men who could not
defend themselves was nothing sacred 10
hin Gov Stcuneubergs attorney gener-
o. forgot himself So far IA TO allow hts
yrtaous mitigation 10 carry him away
he crammed the uutruth down Leni1' =
troat The committee could not forget
Nat Lent2 was one 81 their number De
nghted as they were with the rcbuke.
hey could brook no such rctOfts The at
torney's connection with the case almost
came 90 an uutjmciy termination. But he
made amends and was allowed 20 remain.
Al length the "nthcr side" began 60
Produce IT'S witnesses. The very first wit
hess pUnctured all the bubbles which
LentE and SulEer fondly imagined We're
,ainss of material texture. Gov Stcnntn-
ecfg, OF Idaho. took away from them
everything upon which lhyy stood AN
NE protests az the Republicans 10 the
contrary notwithstanding. l.,ntX and Sui
ger had Not only failed but refused 90
connect the military With the inveStiga-
.oh. The field was not fruitful enough
Ies them The acts 81 the Idaho state
ssSm'uistratior We're much more TO their
1nAing Ignoring all the states rights.
eoctrtnes which are SO sacred 20 the aver
~ nemocrAt demagcgue. they proceeded
ue allow a congressional committee 20
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