New-York tribune., 1906-05-20
ANT[-LEAK BILL LOST.
LONG DEBATE IN HOUSE.
Congressmen Objected to Being
Included Under Measure.

washington May l9-By a vote Of 107 to 66 the
House to-day refused to pass the 'antl-sraft," or
"anti-leak." bill dealing with matters of a conf
Dental nature which. should they become publicly
known. might have tendency to affect markets.
The bill was lost because the conferrees had rec
commended that members of Congress be included
in its scope. Early in the day the Democrats made
their last stand against the Lee bill. and, being
completely outvoted desisted from further hlibus-
tering.
Mr. Mccall OF Massachusetts,, led the opposition
against making members OF Congress amenable to
the penalties Of the ''antsraft' bill. He said the
clause sought to be incorporated was an advertise
ment to the world that Congressman were crooked.
He said they were neither collectors nor the guar
dians of secret governmental statistics but repre-
sentatives. who could have no secrets from their
constituents. He went
If you are to, enter upon this field. why not make
shall be taken into the police court and be fined
when they fail to vote. imprisoned when they DO
Speaker. when he plays the czar, shall be fogged
at the carts tail in the public square?
Gentlemen must bear in mind that we are NOV
ing rapdly these days, and that It Is possible that
in the not distant future we may have. In this
country the state trial the spectacular and bizarre
prosecution. when a may be pursued in the
cause for political reasons. to enhance the pop
uarty Of somebody or for some so-ealied state iie
by this bill furnish very ready weapon 70 be sus-
house of Congress. and you viii thansfer an in
creased influence over them to the department
REFERS TO MR. MORTON.
In the course of his speech. which was punctuated
with applause. Mr.. Mccall referred TO ex-secre-
tary Paul Morton. Of whom he said:
I am very far from regarding Mr. Morton an
enormity OF wickedness. He is able man and
have BEEN Pc perted to g. to 0' the courts Certainly
two very eminent doctors selected by the admins
Morton regenerated and made whole again by the
course of treatment which he took at the immunity
regard lenently the officers of his own depart
and Who E5h e6g hi his s Is Shown
by me case OF nj arheId @ an eXceeRe Gegr ~ |e %
free from al blemish by that same remarkable
aepartm%9nt me VINO, An az tne same HIe; "@S 5iers
a great coordinate branch of the government
Mr. Crumpaoker. Of Indiana, said the bill was
clearly obnoxious IN character and thought. if it
became a law every bill of general Importance in
troduced in either branch of Congress would con-
tain dynamite. it might tend to aKeet markets
He thought the conference report ought to be dis
agreed to- and then so planned that it would never
see the light OF day hereafter Mr.. Burleson, Of
Texas the author Of the BILL said that the measure
was aimed at the corrupt and venal practice or
giving information OF confidential nature
which might seriously affect markets or stocks. he
wanted members Of Congress to be included In the
bill. not because he believed they would violate
condolences but because they might be tempted on
some occasion to use the information of which they
were possessed for purposes OF gain.
RECALLS INCIDENT IN POINT.
He referred to an allusion made by Mr.. Mccall to
the muck rake in public life, and said he had no
more respect for the muck rake" even II the
handle was at the head of the avenue and the
rake in a message criticsing the judiciary, than he
had nf the yelowest Journal dealing with the sa-
cred affairs of life He thought the legislation was
vital and recalled an incident growing out OF the
consideration of the Wilson tariff bill. when the
s,oa, schedules were subjects of investigation He
told how E. c. Chapman, a broker. went to jail
rather than answer a question as to what Senators
were dealing in sugar.
M Cochran OF New York replied that the mat
taT was not 80 much of information as 1t was OF
hon, a legislator would vote on particular sched-
ule .,. -. -. ,-,,ao ~, NJ r,,,-
leson regarding the Chapman case was not proyided
for in the bill he did not know now II could be
nrevented unless it could be in raising the penalty
.oTT5is hin degrades the high office OF member of
Congress" said Mr.. GTOSvenoT, or Ohlo, anu, Tor
one he was against its provisions, he SAID ms
career as legislator was eXceeOIhsly SNORT anu ne
would not place stigma upon nose WIlo "otilo
come after him by impugnlng their uotlVes. MT
Gardner said that last summer the herring nsner-
NAV ~ Gloucester were having considerable diff
Guilty with Canadian authorities Eisnng sloops
s-S5rs oezea and Il became necessary for him to
the Secretary of State. He came 70 w washington,
lea rned much that was not generally Known and
caused the Information to be made public, and as a
s.Tf tbjs bilI should pass both the Secretary OF
state myself would be candidates Tor the peni-
The conference report was rejected. 26 TO 1Ol.
Mr. Mccall then moved 70 lay the bill ana amend
nents on the table, and the bill went TO the junk
heap-ayes 107: noes 6S present. 35