The Washington herald., 1908-05-21
HOUSE SCORES
Scathing Report Of Special
Committee Adopted.
TREASON" WILLIAMS SAYS
Connecticut Members Charges Of
Corrupt Practices in Congress Fall
20 Ground-HOuse, by Vote Of 15z
TO 81, Sustains Findings Of Com
mfttec-whnt viii LfiIey Dot

or not voting, the House Of Representa-
tives yesterday adopted the report Of the
special committee which investigated the
charges Of Representative George L. Lii
ley Of Connecticut in reference TO the
alleged use of corrupt legislative methods
by the Electric Boat Company, builders
of submarine torpedo boats.
1t was a scathing report. Mr.. Lilley's
allegations against the company and
members Of Congress, as well as the press,
were declared to be unfounded The
committee reported that he had acted
IN bad faith in presenting his charges.
that the real object was to defeat appro-
priations for the Electric Boat Company
that he allowed himself to be used as
an instrument OF the Electric Boat Com
pany's rival that he was guilty Of con-
tempt og the House, and acted in con-
! tempt OF the House. and that one charge
made by him was false. and 'Mr. LilIey
knew that the charge was false when
he made IT,
When the committees conclusion was
read. that "Mr Lilley violated his obli-
CATION as a member Of this House, in
formulating and urging before this COM
mittee the groundless charge against Mr..
Loud" the House broke out in applause.
Made No recommendation.
The committee made 70 recommenda-
tion for the censure OF expulsion Of Mr.
LiIley. Representative John Sharp Will
/ iams. the Democratic leader, suggested
an explanation of this when he voiced
the presumption that il was due 70 the
fact that SIR. Lilley was sick and ab-
sent.
AS soon as the reading OF the report
was completed Representative Payne
the Republican floor leader, offered q
resolution reciting that the report IS
/ hereby approved and the conclusions OF
said committee are hereby adopted as
the conclusions Of the House OF Repre-
sentatlves." which was equivalent 70 and
| Ing Mr. Lilley guilty Of bad faith. maxi
/ ing false statements, and otherwise going
contrary 10 his obligations as a member
| Of the House
The debate upon the Payne resolution
vas opened by Representative Higgins.
/ Mr.. Liiley's colleague, who spoke for
/ the Connecticut delegation. The delega-
ton, he explained. did not intend 10 an
1 iaZonize the resolution. but would not
vote for it, For himself he could not sc-
! cept the conclusions CT the commit tee as
correctly representing the attitude CT his
! colleague toward tho committee on
/ the investigation.
! Representative Keifer of Ohio TO whom
Leader Payne allotted time, said he could
not vote for the report, giving as his rea-
/ sons for this attitude that the commit
! tee had been instructed 10 investigate
/ charges made by Mr.. Lllley, w5.ile many
/ Of the committees conclusions were as 10
/ Mr. Lilley's conduct as author Of the
! charges They were not directed 70 in
vostigate this at all.
/ ST this point Minority Leader Williams
! was recognized, His remarks indicated
/ that he believed the committee had been
/ too lenient with Mr.. Lilley.
williams Roa'sts LiIIsy.
Mr.. Williams said. in part:
THE very worst form OF treason to a
/ government Ike ours is corrupt practice
upon the part Of Representative. Any
man upon this floor who is guilty OF
/ corrupt practices or would be. is an
/ enemy to the American people themselves;
not only an enemy. but a traitor TO the
1 American people. He is not a gentleman,
because no gentleman betrays a trust.
/ i have no hesitancy in saying that any
man who wantoniy and without due cause
| accuses an elected Representative OF the
people Of the very highest possible form
| of treason under a free government. is
himself so guilty that re ought not to be
a member Of this body. and this body
ought to be purged of his association.
THE friends of the gentleman who has
! been treated so leniently by the commit
/ tee do not seem to appreciate the leniency.
They do not seem TO appreciate the fact
/ that one of two things is true. Either
that the charge Of corrupt practices upon
the part of members is true, or else the
I charge Itself was absolutely false, wan
ton. and unprovoked.
If the charge had been proven against
/ a single member Of this House he ought
! TO have been expelled from this body. and
/ any member VINO viii make an unfOunded
/ charge OF this sort against a fellow
| member ought to be expelled from this
body.
Il presume that the reason why the
/ committee did not recommend the expul-
/ sion Of the gentleman from Connecticut
! is because he is sick and absent, and /
/ had not proposed TO say a word on that
/ account No man ought 10 be arraigned
and visited with heavy penalty in his
| absence, and without opportunity &c be
heard here.
Tired OF Degradation.
Mr.. Speaker" Mr.. Williams continued.
passionately. 4 am tired of the degrada-
ton Of the representatives Of the people;
am tired Of my own association with
/ that dc gradation. Ii has reached a point
where simply because a man has been
elected TO Ill place upon this floor he
/ becomes q suspect
"On Monday he is a gentleman. on
/ Tuesday he is elected a member of the
House Of Representatives, and on Wed
nesday he is suspect Suspect an open,
palpable, plain, victim OF yellow journals
and self-interviewing members OF Con-
gress. If there be rotten men among
/ you, for Gods sake find them out and
1 pat them out of this House.
And II men dare, wantonly, unpro-
/ vokedly, without cause, with no support
Of testimony to break down the very
/ reverence that the American people owe
| to their own institutions. their respect
for their own elected representatives, LET
the man who does it be visited with the
penalty that is due to the crime. II
/ is treason. not against the House OF
Representatives, il Is treason against
The American people"
After Mr.. Williams finished, Repre-
sentative Mccall, OF Massachusetts,, made
the point that he had not had the op-
portunity Of examining the committee 8
testimony and until he did so. could
not accept the committees conclusions.
Should he examine the testimony and
accept the conclusions. he said, he must
move TO eXpel MT. Iilley and remove him