North Park union., 1901-03-15

was In the chair, made statements to
which understand exception is taken.
] deny the right of the House or any
body else to call me in question for
what said on the tioor of tine House;
but, waiving that, / made the state
mcnt that n MIRACULOUS change had
come over the minds of members.
had been advised that undue infiu-
ences, potent In their character, had
been used: that these influences were
attributable to IN eX-speaker OF the
House and part of his lieutenants.
II did not say that any member of
the House had received money. l
stated that the minds of some members
had been changed and that l believed
those influences, whatever they may
have been, had been brought about by
the lobby, anu l regretted that on II
matter of such vital Importance to the
state these influences had worked In
this way.
1.-THE basis of what said was that
had been informed that money hau
been used an, by other members, that
they had been offered money. 1t was
not stated to me that it concerned this
bill, but this being the only one under
consideration. thought it applied to
that. i was informed that money hau
changed hands in the south cloak
room. and 1t was on lis information
that made the remarks / did.
My remarks We're not correctly
stated by the press. did not state
that any member had received any
money, and statements that it grew
out of an animosily between ex-Speak-
m NJ
have seen Mr. Smith on the floor of the
House during sessions and recesses
consulting members. and was informed
that lie was managing the lo..y ef-
forts to secure reconsideration of sec
tion AZ. According to my observation,
nothing would have been sa4,. ;,uout
my remarks except for the feeung
aroused over the spcakership contest
and the desire of certain persons to
take advantage of every occasion to
oppose the speaker. believe if it had
not been for the eNtravagant state
mcnts of the press no notice would
have been taken of it."
Asked II he would give the names
of his informants, he replied: "Such
rs We're given me in contideT ce, no; as
to others, yes. Mr.. Necley Informed
me that he had been offered money at
his room In the Broadway hotel, but
did not say 1t was In reference to this
bill, although at the time thought so.
AS to the matters in the cloak room,
prefer to have the persons who saw 1t
testify II they will, rather than to
state 1t secondhand"
Mr.. O'Connell demanded that Mr.
Montgomery give the names.
''Such things us l have received in
confidence shall not give without con-
sent" he replied.
Mr.. Schweigert: "How many per
sons have spoken to you about itY"
"A half dozen. perhaps" replied the
speaker.
Asked IL he would suggest witnesses
for the next meeting, he said Yes"
The Senate passed bill amending
Article V. Of the constitution and fixing
the compensation of the members of
the Legislature at $500, with the usual
mileage. The idea is that this will do
away with extra sessions, and shorten
the regular ones to sixty days, as the
senators will be able to complete their
work and so home whenever ready.
Extra sessions are limited to thirty
days, with the usual per diem. On the
other hand the filibusters will only
have to hold out sixty days.
Senator Buckley's bill, Senate bill
2O1, opens an important question, the
granting of the right of eminent do
main to electric companies. In defend
ing it the author said that in the near
future, from Mexico to Canada, every
line of railway will be propelled by
electricity, The Telluride Power
Transmission Company, for the benefit
of which this bill is introduced, is n
large one, with branches operating in
Provo, Utah, Washington and Mon
tana. 1t furnishes powe.' TO all the
mines within n radius of twenty-five
miles, taking In the towns Of Telluride.
Ouray and ophir. and is ut present op-
Grating without law and without any
right Of domain. 1t asks for this, ex-
pecting, as the bill provides, to make
'Just compensation" for such right of
way.