The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-08
Illinois Congressman Offers
 Resolution In the House
WAS THERE ANY RAKE-OFF?
Comment Is Made Upon the Presi- dents Recent Letter to Mr. Foulke and MT. Rainey Again Asks
 Where Money Went.

Washington. December 7.-(speeiaI)- Roosevelt's denunciation of the editor of the Indianapolis News, who had the te- merity to question the patriotism of those who participated in the purchase of the Panama canal Representative Henry T. Rainey of Illinois, today intro duced resolution for the appointment of a special con mittee to investigate the question. The resolution asked for a committee of five members in the House to investigate how much of the $40,O000OO, which appears to have been paid to the French company, was really paid to said company, or for the stock or holdings of said company, or to the French govern ment for said company; and with a view also of ascertaining how much of said sum, if any was directly or indirectly paid to American citizens, or to an Amer ican syndicate; and with a view to as- eertaining whether any member of either branch of the Congress of the United States in an official capacity profted di- rectly or indirectly by said transaction"
 MT Rainey said tonight that he had looked into the matter fully, and the res olution was introduced by him in the hope of securing a serious investigation. During the last Congress the attention of the democratic national committee was called to the canal scandal, but little came out of 1t. In view of the Presidents let ter to MT. Foulke, MT. Rainey says there should be no desire upon the part of the House to pigeonhole his resolution. MT. Rainey will speak upon it within the next 10 days. Taking his cue from the Presi- dents letter, MT. Rainey, after introduc ing his resolution in the House, wrote the heads of departments which entered into the canal matter, asking permission to ex- anime the records, which the President says any reputable man has the opportun- ity to do. MT. Rainey says the Presi- dents letter to MT. Foulke is unsatisfac- tory and makes no progress toward ar irving at the truth
 '.The letter." said he, simply puts two or three more members in the Ananias club. Of course the government paid the $40, ,O00,0 900 to the French government. Every one knows that. What we want to bncw is what the French government did with the money. It was pretty well set-
 
 across Nicaragua. All of sudden some body was able to make arrangements for the transfer of the Panama stock 10 the United States"
 MT Rainey is an excellent lawyer and 6pe of tle ablest members in the House. He will give close attention to the rec ords in the department and while he has little idea that there is at this late date anything on file of an discriminating na- turc. he nevertheless hopes to secure mass of information on the subject. There has been always belief in Washington that the $40 OOO,O0O only in small part rna ched the French stockholders of the Panama canal Where many of the mil lions went no one ever knew, but it is known that the whole transaction caused mere susricior around the capitol than any other piece of legislation In recent years. The late Senator Morgan of Ala hama rever hesitated to express his con- viction that the transaction was nor apove board and it rarely happened that that orsat man was far from the truth.