The age-herald., 1902-03-28

two press associations, one in New York and one in Washington and a prominent banking house in New York in the sale of the Island
 The Danish foreign minister was report ed as disgusted with the methods which had to be pursued, but as finally giving his acquiescence.
 Mir Richardson said that Christmas was speaking of inviting members of Congress to dine with him at the Hotel Raleigh in this city. He then quoted from the report as follows:
 Invited Them to Dinner.
 'It was not alone the members of Con- gress I had to invite. I had as my special assistants two men-C. W. Knox. who was an intimate friend of Senator Hanna and Richard P. Evans, lawyer in Wash ington, who represented MT. Gardner and his friends In the House. These took an active part in the personal agitation, since they talked with a large number of the members of Congress and agitated for the purchase of the islands. I had contracts with them both, according to which they. and through them certain members of Congress, should have a share of the commission if the sale took place. But the two gentlemens agitation expenses, bills in restaurants and hotels, I had to pay. The two press associations, Abner Mckinley, Brown, Evans, Knox and others, l had promised their con tracts should be guaranteed by the house of Seligman. To this the banking house had agreed, as 1t should. in one way or another, have to be recognized by the Danish government"
 MT. Richardson then proceeded:
 Now, MT. Speaker. I could make more of these quotations, but l will not take the time of the Houce. It is enough to show what a report this creature has made to the Danish government - this man whom our Secretary of State used as agent--I was about to say tool, but as an agent-to carry a trusted diplomat from our legation in London to the court of Copenhagen and there entertain this trusted agent and procure him admission and introduction to the prime minister of Denmark, which resulted in putting on foot the negotiations leading to this treaty
 Does Not Charge Bribery.
 Now I am not here to charge and do not charge that any American con gressman or senator has been bribed in this matter but here is the declaration or this agent of the Danish government ana of our government that he had contracts for five hundred thousand dollars of the money which we supposed we were pay ing into the treasury of Denmark for these islands to be used, as he said. for the corrupt purpose of bribing Ameri- can congressman.
 Now does this not demand an inves- tigation at our hands2" Are we to sit here and permit this paper to be published in the leading papers not only of Den mark and of the United States because a portion of this report making these charges has already been printed in Philadelphia paper and in some other pa- pers In this country. also in the London Times. It has been printed, venture to say in the leading papers of every capital in Europe. These charges have gone forth to the world that there is a condition of affairs in the United States Congress, as described by this minister, that Is simply horrible, and that he has known it for long time
 Does such a state of affairs exist MT. Speaker? Every member of Congress can be called and interrogated upon his oath if he met this man Christmas. if he dned with him at the Hotel Raleigh, if he sought in any way to make a public opinion in favor of the ratif1cfiation of this treaty for the purchase of the Dan- ish Islands.
 Contract Corruption Exposed.
 T have so far made no reflections upon any American official; but l do say this that these facts that l have submitted here, the extracts from these Danish pa- pers, show that all this corrupt contract business has been exposed and publish ed since the 2sth day of January in the Danish papers. take it that the Senate of the United States did not know, on the 17th day of February that five hundred thousand dollars of that money had been bargained away for the corrupt purpose of buying them and you and the balance of us, into the support of this measure, and yet on the 17th day of February the American Senate almost unanim ousy, as I believe, and has been published in the newspapers, ratified this treaty. Did they know, MT Speaker. when they rati- fled this treaty that these things were being published in Copenhagen. Denmark Did these United States Senators, did the committee on foreign affairs of the Senate know this? do not know, but this Is the first time the attention of this House has been called to this disgrace full state of affairs. It seems to me there Is one thing unpardonable in this whole business and that Is that the depart ment of state must have known of tho publication of these infamous charges in Denmark and in Copenhagen for two weeks or nearly three weeks, before this treaty was ratified"
 Preamble Changed.
 Mir Pitts pointed out that as framed the resolution asserted facts of the respon- sibility of the House of Representatives whereas they were mere charges of an outside party. MT. Richardson thereupon changed the preamble so as to read. Whereas, 1t is alleged" etc.
 Mir. Cannon of Illinois said so far as he could catch the charges, 1t appeared that some man named Christmas, who himself "a briber and | worse," made charges of which it was | to make an investigation | whether any member of the House of | was guilty of bribery or the acceptance of bribes. MT. Cannon | pressed MT. Richards to know whether the report gave the name of member or members who have been bribed, and they | engaged in very sharp clash. MT. Can | non was plainly laborIng under consider able excitement.
 MT. Richardson insisted that the report did charge members of the House and Senate. "I have mentioned several of the names," said he, land will repeat them if need be-
 Tt seems to me-" said MT. Cannon, that 1t would be wise to make this in- vestigation if it is worthy of investga- tion, after the members of the House have had opportunity to examine the doc uments, which the gentlemen from Ten neesee has read. They are ready to be printed ir the Record. When they are print ed we can see what substance there Is in them. There Is no mar on the floor of this house who does not demand fuiI