Evening star., 1908-01-29
Fault Found With CorteIyou's
Statement.
OBJECTIONS OF DEMOCRATS
Claim That Printed Document Should
Not Have Been Sent to Senate.
DEFENDED BY REPUBLICANS
Somewhat Lively Discussion as to
Proper Method Of Departmental
Communications to Congress.


Senate resolution calling for information
concerning the operations of the Treasury
Department in connection with the recent
financial crisis was laid before the Senate
today by the Vice President The docu-
ment was not read but printed copy
of it was on the desk of each senator.
and nearly all OF them at once gave it his
attention.
Mr.. Culbcrson inquired of the Vice
President whether the pamphlet con-
tanned all of the Secretarys communica-
ton The Vice President said he had not
examined the report and did not know
whether the pamphlet contained all of the
message
Il do not recall an instance" said Mr..
Culherson in which head of de-
partmcnt OF the government has an
swarcd Senate resolution in printed
form.
Il ask the senator from Massachu-
seps, b-oke in Senator Tillman, turn
ing to Senator Lodge. who is such a
stickl"r for senatorial dignity and sem
atorial rights, to reply to this inquiry
Il don't know responded Mr.. Lodge.
whether cabinet officer ever sent in
printed report OF this kind as a conven-
ience, and l do not think it is matter OF
Importance The entire reply will be
printed tomorrow.
rs 1t legal?' asked Mr. Tillman.
1T is certainly legal. because the Sec
rotary can communicate to Congress
either In typewrting or in print"
The Usual Practice.
Mr.. Aldrch remarked that all the re-
ports OF the Secretary of the Treasury
are made TO the Senate in printed form.
Mr.. Tfflman retorted to this suGges-
ton by declaring:
The Secretary of the Treasury is as
suming the airs of a president before he
is elected to that office. The President
sends his message in this printed form.
but / have never known a cabinet officer
TO assume to do this before"
Mr.. Culberson' said that the fact OF
which he complained was that the Secre-
tary of the Treasury had printed MS
argument and had 1t laid on the desks
of senators and had left the statement of
facts which accompanies 1t TO be printed
afterward.
Senator Garter of Montana referred to
constant opportunities" that had been
heard in the Senate for an immediate an
SNer to the Senate resolution by the Sec
retary Of the Treasury.
Had the Secretary of the Treasury de-
iayed in making this reply, he added,
''he would have been criticised no doubt.
Now his expeditions method of placing
his reply before the Senate Is made sub
ject for criticism. How in the world
could the Secretary of the Treasury have
pleased the senators from South Carolina
and from TeXas?
Senator Bcveridge interrupted. saving:
Il wish 10 call attention to the fact that
the criticism of the senaor from South
Carolina WAS directed to the airs that
tho Secretary has assumed" "
Il want the Secretary 10 reply in an
orderly manner, replied Mr.. Tilman.
''and in the same manner that has char
acterized his predecessors i'll office. Iic
should send his report here and let us
print it if we think fit. The senator can
not point to solitary case in which the
printing has been done before
Mr.. Tillman said there never had been
such unaccountable delay in replying to
Senate resolution.
THE Secretary" he said. had been in
New York making speeches and now he
sends this iabored report to us
Mr.. Carter inquired whether Mr. Tillman
had read the report and, being told that
he had not declared that the senator
fact .labored'' whether it had been
prepared in fluent manner and with
special skill.
1T may be" he added. that before the
sun goes down the senator may agree with
all the Secretary of the Treasury has TO
say about this bond issue"
Il ask him." interrupted Mr.. Tillman,
waving his hand toward Mr. Carter.
WneIlP. lie Undertakes TO NlnQ1cate the
issue OF the Panama bonds
Mr. Carter retorted promptly that the
Secretary had just sent the information
concerning that matter To the Senate and
he did not propose 10 determine that mat
ter until he had an opportunity to con-
slider the facts
Mr. Tillman declared that the senator"
from Montana was partisan in his de-
Tense of The Secretary.
Il have not been in any case partisan
retorted Mr. Carter who then added
amid general laughter. that ''all presi-
dental candidates would acquit him of
being partisan.
Mr.. Tilman then declared that the
printed part of the Secretarys report was
merely filled with assertions.
Lodge Rebukes Tillman.
Mr.. Lodge said he was surprised at the
senator from South Carolina.
T know no one, said Mr.. Lodge, who
has pleaded so much for light and shows
SO much anxiety 10 have il shine in dark
places as he. and yet when we begin to
shed light he resists because of the par
tial illumination l think it is a great
convenience to have in printed form this
reply summarizing the exhibits, all of
which will be here tomorrow.
Does the senator assert there is any
light in this pamphet?'' interrupted Mr.
TiIlman in high pitched voice. and then
adding. Il say light. light. light Don't
go off on anything else-lisht. light.
light
Il think replied Mr.. Lodge there
is abundant light in it, but whether the
senator from South Carolina will be able
to see it | do not know
Mr.. CuiberSon then took up the re;Sprt
and said that upon a cursory examination
he discovered that the Secretary admitted
that he had not replied to the specific
Inquiries of the Senate resolution He
stated that his main objection was con-
cerning the piecemeai method used by
the Secretary in giving the report TO the
Senate. He had no objection TO the re-
port being printed. but he did object
to having the argument given out to the
country in brief before the Senate had
ordered the facts printed
Senator Aldrich suggested that the sem
ator from Texas, as well as the senator
from South Carolina, instead of showing
themselves 10 be Sc iousIy engaged in an
endeavor to obtain light on the financial
question were taking part in a comedy
Senator Carter brought the debate ON !
the report to closa by reteratng his |
statement that the Secretary had simply |!
put the whole matter in conve nient form |
and that no fault could be found with |
such action.