The Washington herald., 1907-01-26


slstant Secretary Of State Peirce In ac-
cepting money from private interests con
cerned while appearing in his official ca
pacity az The Hague tribunal Of arbitra-
ton. ex-senator Faulkner. representing
the North American Commercial Com
pany. stated to the Ways and Means
Committee of the House, at a hearing
yesterday, that 1t is a common practice
for representatives Of the government 10
accept pay from private concerns under
similar circumstances. Special attorneys
for the Department OF Justice make a
practice OF It, he said.
Poor Burton Is doing time In Jail for
praCtiCing before an executive depart
ment," said Champ Clark What's the
difference between Peirce and Burton?'
Mir. Faulkner replied that there was no
moral onense in either case, but a statu-
tory offense In former Senator Burton
case.
MIR. Dalzell demanded 20 know why the
government should pay the special at
torneys when private concerns get the
benefit
John Sharp Williams got into the dis
Cussion by declaring that the private in
terests should be allowed 20 select their
own representatives
Appeared In Tobacco Case.
Mr. Faulkner admitted that when attor-
ney for the American Tobacco Company
be had been appointed by the Department
of Justice as a special attorney 10 test
the constitutionality Of the law requiring
that only tobacco be put in tobacco pack
ages offered for sale, case which was
in the interest Of the company. the De
partment Of Justice required the tobacco
company to pay him.
The hearing was called TO enable Mr.
Faulkner, on behalf Of the North Ameri-
can Commercial Company. holder of the
sealing privilege in Alaska, to reply to the
argument for the destruction Of the herd
as made by II W. Elliott, Of Cleveland.
Faulkner showed how Elliott had APP
pcared before Congress I'm years past at
times acknowledging he was expert rep
resentative Of the Alaska Commercial
/ Company, which held the sealing privilege
previous 10 the time when the North
American Commercial Company underbid
IT,
He said former Secretary of the Treas
ury Charles Foster refused 20 make pub
lie q report made by Elliott as a gov
eminent agent because, as he wrote 70
John W. Foster. then Secretary OF
State, Elliott was biased by his cennec-|
ton with certain interests. Faulkner
said an extract OF this report was printed
{ in q newspaper in Cleveland, Elliotts
home town. and thereupon Great Britain
greatly embarrassed the United States by
/ demanding the report at a time when
Z Is
were strained
Faulkner quoted Vice President Fair
banks as informing the State Depart
ment. when Senator and chairman OF the
Joint High Commission, that Elliott was
an impossible person 20 make a seal
investigation.
EIIiotts Criticism stopped.
In replying Prof. Elliott produced
mass Of papers from which he read TO
show his efforts 20 have the sealing in
dustry investigated In this connection
he took occasion TO criticise the late
Charles J. Foster, Secretary OF the Treas
ury. and the late James G. Blaine. Secre-
tary Of State. He accused them Of being
in a conspiracy. and also mentioned the
name OF Senator Elkins. and was in the
midst OF TRADE against the two dead
Z
member Of the committee Interrupted
him, declaring that his statements were
false, and that he would not permit fur
Their assaults upon their integrity and
public acts
Representative Dalzeu joined Mr. eros
venor in his objection TO this line OF ar
gument, and gave Prof Elliott a hard
call down. After a good deal Of personal
feeling and resentment had been ex-
pressed Chairman Payne ended the mat
ter by telling the witness that his hear
ing would be terminated unless he elm
mated from his remarks his verbal as
saults on the dead
| Continuing, Prof. Elliott read much cor
respondence which passed between him
self and the late Secretary Eos CT and the
| late Secretary Hay This was done with
out comment except that Prof. Elliott
commended the course Of Mr. Hay. who
| e declared, had adopted his suggestions
/ The hearing was not concluded.