The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-15
REESE ATT ACK, ON
CLAPP B As / 5 5.
Senator Is No Recteant in the
Railroad Rate Hill Con-
tr oversy.
Rx M Nc ,Iermana.

Washington, Fab. 15-If the opposi-
tion to Senator Clapp in St. Paul -
nothing more serious to bring against
him than whatswls stated &by Oar Reese
Monday nighb9at the Lincoln birthday
banquet in that city, it is beating the
bush argnmel,ts. Notsone word OF
what Reese said against Clapp, was true,
or even partly true. Clapp did not run
away from the senate interstate COM
merce committee sessions, he did not
desert the presid don't, he was not recre-
ant to his duty in this regard, and he is
not any of the other things Reese said
he's was. r 49,. !.
In, view.of this cutlery 1t may be well
TO tell just what Gid happen: Clapp is
chairman of the Indian affairs commit
tee, which is considering a. bill for the
final disposition Of the affairs Of the
Five, Civilized Tribes in Indian Terri
tory, That bill must become law by
committee has been holding all day
meetings for consi 4ering the bill for ten
DAYS or two weeks, and unavoidably
these meetings have conficted occasion
ally with the meetings of the committee
having the rate bill in charge, of which
Clapp is also. a npsmber. These lndlan \
committee meetings have begun at 8
am and lasted uatil 8 or 6'p.m.. the
senate, on accounG of the pressing i'm
portance Of the matter, giving 1t per
mission to. sit during sessions Of the
senate.
,: Had to be Excused. -.
On the day in question certain wit
nesseg were 20 be Examined by the COM
mittee, witnesses Who had to leave town
that evening. Clapp divided his time
between the tive committees as best he
could and finally, on call, was compelled
to ask to be excused from the Interstate
4TI,o 60 sr1c& 41o
day. This request was readily granted
as everybody knew the Importance of
the bill the Indian committee was con
sidering. There waa not any fuss about
It, there were no words exchanged be-
tween Clapp and anybody else about it.
His position on .he rate question is
thoroly understood by all members of
the Elkins committee, and his absence
on that particular day did not affect
particle. He has attended subsequent
meetings Of the rate committee, anC
will attend the otht,r one tomorrow.
The idea that hts Indian committee
did not have right Of way on the day
in question strikes folks here as fool
ish. Reese would not dare make sucl
a statement in Washington, eithe
among the pfesident9s friends or enc
mics, and hope to keep his reputation
as a man who knoVs what is going OF
In congress.
Session Was Stormy.
It is true that the session of tn
rate committee on that day, as ha
been the case on numerous other days
was stormy. Clapp and Dolliver wer
standing out for one proposition an
the other members Of the committe
were opposing them. Clapp made hi
speech to the committee before leay
ing, and his absence was not impol
sant, as no vote was to be taken tina
I Gay. The vote in the committee wi
: some tomorrow.
+: - There has been "a concerted effort t
break down the president on this rat
~-~~ question and it has taken all sorts 6
tndiscreet and overt forms. This effol
will be continued daring the whole c
lhe rate CONTROVERSY and Dolliver an
committee Of the president IS ideas, al
has tried to break them down, hopin
thus to get at the president indirectl
-. Dolliver was attacked vicious1y in Phi
ldelphia and Pittsburg newspapers tie
days ago as a part Of this policy, an
both are expecting that the attacks ma
pc renewed any hour against one
:. both of them.
While Mr. Reese s performance in
Paul Monday night was probably not
part Of this carefully planned oppo!
hon. his speech, played directly into
hat Clapp is not doing his duty, al
Ihus get a backfre on him from hon
te will do exactly what the railro
,rganization would have asked him
10 if they had hired him at big sala
o help their cause.