The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-03-04

Senator Joseph Weldon Bailey, of Texas, |
arrived In Washington from Austin. where /
he has been for the last three months. /
He was in his seat in the Senate during I
both the day and night. sessions, thus /
making his first appearance this session
When he appeared In the Senate cham /
Der a number of his Democratic colleagues /
gathered around him, shook hands with /
him. and warmly congratulated him on
the result OF the fight which has been
waged against him in his home State for
several months For time he held a
veritable reception. Before the afternoon
recess was taken. practically every Sena-
tor on both sides of the chamber had
shaken hands with the Texan
Mr.. Bailey left Washington just before
the converting Of the session Of Congress !
which adjourns to-day.
The attorney general Of Texas r. V.
Davidson, in a suit against the Waters
Pierce Oil Company. had publicly and
officially called on the defendant concern
10 produce certain specified documents.
vouchers. checks. receipts and other pa
pers. which. assuming that they really
existed and were genuine. would seem TO
show that Mr. Bailey had been in the en-
ploy Of the Waters-Pierce corporation. had
been Instrumental in bringing about the re-
admission Of the concern to do business III
Texas. following its exclusion under the
State antitrust laws. and had received
large sums Of money from it.
Reelected by Large Majority.
Shortly after Mr. Baney's arrival at
Austin the trial Of the suit against the
Waters-Pierce Company was adjourned
but bis political enemies taking advant-
age Of the attorney generals limitations,
carried the fight against him into the
legislature. which convened about that
time. Mr.. Bailey was reelected Senator
by a very large majority. A committee
Of legislators was appointed TO inyesd-
gate charges made against him by Rep
resentatiye W. A. Cooke. OF Bexar
County. and that committee finished its
work only "A few days ago Without
waiting for the report Of the committee.
the Texas Senate exonerated Senator
Bailey of all the charges by a vote OF
Is 70 II.
port which took up each charge IN turn,
declared that none was sustained by the
evidence. and asserted with much en-
phasis that Mr. Bailey was innocent Of
each and every one of the practices and
acts alleged against him. This report
was signed by five Of the seven members
of the committee.
A minority report. signed by one mem
Der. was To the effect that Senator Bailey
had been indlscreet In his financial trans
actions with the president of the Waters
Pierce Company. and other capitalists
and censured the Senator mildly. A
second minority report. also signed by
one member. was TO the effect that MIR.
Bailey was guilty of some Of the minor
charges. and recommended that he be
.censured for some OF his personal trans
actions.
The lower house Of the legislature,
without waiting for the submission Of the
evidence. voted TO fully and completely
exonerate Mr.. Bailey by a vote Of 20 TO
40 Eighteen members we're absent
Excoriates Hearst.
Mr.. Bailey delivered a speech i'm
mediately after the vote In the house.
In which he excoriated William r Hearst,
who he declared was responsible for the
attacks on him, and the members OF the
legislature who had led those attacks.
He left Austin for Washington on the
first train the following day. in order TO
be here and take the oath of Office for
his new term before the close of the SEES
sion.
Mr. Bailey declined yesterday to dis
cuss for publication the campaign through
which ne has just passed. He said that
the people Of Texas were fully acquainted
with the facts. He did, however. de-
nounce as false and absurd the story,
published broadcast throughout the coUn-
try, that ne had shed tears while testify
! ing before the investigating committee
That he said. was on the same plane with
many of the other published reports OF
the investigation.
The Senator's friends in Texas and in
Washington insist that the only effect OF
the fight on him In his own State is "a
Increase his political strength there and
10 tend 10 the political ObliteratiOn of the
men who brought the charges against
/ him. They admit that his standing has
/ been impaired in the eyes of the public
at large. but assert that this is largely
/ IL not wholly, due to false and misleading
/ reports sent out from Austin by persons
identified with the movement against Mr.
/ Bailey, and published in newspapers
throughout the country They insist that
nobody who is acquainted with the real
facts, as developed by the investigation
can arrive at any other conclusion than
+ that the charges against the Senator were
altogether baseless. and that the cam
paign against him was wholly for political
effect.
Mr. Bailey made no speech in the Senate
yesterday with reference to the attacks
on him, and will make none to-day. He
| said yesterday afternoon that he had
| never intended TO deliver such a speech