The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-04-20

A'tA5 oh IiHC IGite Dill.
Washington, April 17.-Preceding
the taking I'D of the railroad rate bill
IN the senate today. Senator Tillman
called up his resolution directing the
senate committee on finance to enter
upon an investigation of the question
Of campaign contributions by the ma
uonal banks. and after he had spoken
at ength the resolution was referred
to the finance committee.
In the course of his speech Mr.. Till
man read a letter from a New York
banker suggesting hat the auditor Of
the republican national committee
should be called to give testimony con-
corning the contributions to the re-
publican fund of the last campaign.
Ar. Tillman said he would not cOnfine
the inquiry to the republican commit
tee, but would extend it to the demo-
crdtlc committee. He again referred
TO the affairs of the Walsh Bank of
Chicago. and in that connection was
in sharp controversy bv Mr..
who declared the Walsh
bank not to be insolVent. He also said
in reply to a question from MI. Tillman
that Mr.. Walsh a not been indicted.
Mr.. Foster spoke for almost three
o on the rate bill, contending for
the validity Of the proposed legislation.
urging It's necessity in order to check
n growing powers of the railroads.
and announcing his support of a broad
court review with a prohibition against
temporary injunctions in rate cases bv
the inferior federal courts. When he
concluded he was warmly congratulate
ed by many of his colleagues. Mr..
T1llman had read an article by James
w. Breen, printed in the New York
Herald. entitled How the Banks Filled
Hanna War Chests" making if the
basis of his
Mr.. Tillman said the members of the
committee on privileges and elections
had told him hat as a matter of
course everybody had contributed to
the fund of 1896. They had promise
to report the bill. but three weeks had
passed n still the bill was not on
the senate calendar.
Mr.. Foraker speaking for the sub
committee having the bill in charge
said that he had been in frequent con-
ference with Messrs. Knox and Bailey,
the other members of the sub-com-
mittee and that they were now pre-
pared to report to the full committee
recommending legislation. No dispo-
sition a been manifested to c%ontro-
vert the charge that contributions had
been made in 1896.
Mr.. Tillman stated that he had been
told that the total contributions to the
republican fund in 1886 had been So
500. 600; in 1900 S2.SOO, 600, and in
1904 81, 900, 600. He also spoke of
the expose made by Colonel Andrew
Hamilton in his recent spectacular ap-
pearance before a legislative commit
tee at Albany in which h said that in
addition to the contributors by the
McCalls he had given $4,000 to the
republican fund" and expressed the
opinion that many of the facts in on
nectiOn with those contributions were
still being struggled up yOnder at AL
bany." He said that h McCurdys
were being sued for 50. 10000 that
had been misapprOpriated or stolen."s
I don't like to say ~StOlen,' he add
ed. but l like the word In support
of his suggestion that some of the facts
were being covered up. Mr.. Tillman
read a letter which he had received
today from a New York banker whose
name he did not give, in which the
suggestion was made that if it was
considered desirable to get at the de-
tails concerning the republican cam
paign contribution the committee
should examine Auditor Anthony Of
the republican national committee,
who he said. could give a complete
list of all the contributors" He added
that statements of contributors and of
those who did not contribute were
made periodically and that the presi-
dent knew who they were.
The same letter writer volunteered
the information that an examination
would reveal the fact that Secretary
Root had been responsible for the ap-
pointment of eX-Secretary Morton as
the head of the Equitable company,
and that the Of his selection
had been to head off the insurance
investigation. He declared also that
Governor Higgins had held off the in
quiry as long as possible, and that
when the investigation was begun it
was undertaken by the republicans in
order to insure their control of it.
Continuing Mr.. Tillman said an
other reason why he desired the in
vestigation was to secure, if possible,
information. as to why certain ma
tional banks are such great favorites
of the treasury and are allowed to hold
such large amounts Of treasury funds.
He declared that either the bank ex-
aminations were frauds and humbugs
or the results had not been made pub
lie.
He announced his conviction that
the national banks were even now
contributing to state campaigns in
order to keep favorite parties in power.
He would have both parties investi-
gated and wanted the committee to
send for the chairman and the audi
tor of the democratic party as well as
the chairman and auditor Of the re-
publican committee.
Lets stop the infamy." he exclaim-
ed and when asked by Mr.. Lodge if
he would be willing to extend the pro-
posed inquiry back to 1885 and 1888
he replied unhesitatingly in h affr-