New-York tribune., 1908-03-14
CANNON NOT INVOLVED.
4ppointed Hobson on Williams s
Recommendation.

Washington March f3-As bearing on tie means
adopted to obtain the appointment Of Captain Rich
mond P. Hobson, OF Alabama. on the Committee
Naval Affairs, which has been referred TO In
the of the charges of Representative
Iilley in connection with the purchase by the gov
ernment of submarine boats. the following inter
view with L. White Busbey. secretary 10 speaker
Cannon. will be of interest:
Have you any objections to stating what inhu-
ence placed Captain Hobson on the Committee on
Naval Affairs?" Mr.. Busbey was asked
Not in the least" he replied. Captain Hobson
was recommended for assignment 10 the naval COM
rnittee by John SHARP Williams the minority lead
of the House, and Mr.. Cannon accepted Mr-
Wiliams's slate. On the night OF DecernDer TO-
1907 Mr. Williams his list Of minority assign
ments Mr.. Cannon. That was ABOUT io o eioch-
Mr. Cannon glanced over the list very hastily and
handed il TO Mr. Kinds to incorporate with MS
assignments for the majority side OF the
House. Mr.. Cannon then left his office, and MI
Kinds and I prepared the copy Ior the printer
There was no discussion and only one change mace
in Mr. WiIliams's recommendations. That was not
the Naval Committee The Speaker ola not
again see the committee lists until the printed
copies distributed in the House the next odS
Was Mr. Wiams's recommendation of Mr. dop-
son the only one that came before the speaker
Yes with the exception that on March ;. 1901,
two days before the seth Congress adjourned MI
Hobson. d menber-elect of the 60th Congress
left with me letter addressed to the Speaker,
expressing desire for assignment to the NaFai
Committee. That letter indorsed by the MEM
bers-elect of the Alabama delegation ihat WAS
the only recommendation of Mr. Hobson tor as
sgnment to the Committee Naval Affairs ever
placed before Speaker Cannon until he received
the list of the minority leader the night oeore Ie
committees announced to the House Captain
Hobson and every other Democratic member OF me
House understood the custom prevailing since Mr.
Cannon became speaker of the 5sth Congress. Civ
ing the minority the organization of its own
side of the House and assignments TO commit
tees by its leader chosen in It's caucus
Understanding HDbSOn
come to the Speakers room to talk about COM
n1ittee assignments. He went with all Democratic
members Mr. Williams, because the minority
leader had the organization of the minority side
of the standing committees. ANY who did
not know this had a limited knowledge of
affairs in Washington This custom was intro
dUced by Mr. Cannon In the beginning of the 5Sth
Congress in 1908 and it is well known that COM
paratively few Democratic members Of Congress
came TO Mr.. Cannon when the 59th and 6Oth Con
crosses organized Those that did come were
courteousIy referred Mr.. Williams their lead
er. who would make the minority assdgnnlents-
Representative Lflley next Monday will face the
investigating COMMITTEES without counsel 70 advise
him. It learned to-day that Frank T. Brown
and Stiles Judson. the Connecticut attorneys en-
gagged by Mr. L1ley. who appeared with him at
the committee hearing Thursday, last night can
celled their engagement and went home They
gave the reason the refusal of the committee to
permit examination or cross-examinatton of wit
nesses by persons other than members of the COM
mtted TO the committee for its approval.
Chairman Boutell said to-day:
1 wish 70 state very clearly as chairman Of
the investigating committee, that we propose to
probe this painful affair the very bottom. and
In doing propose proceed within the
Lnley as member Of the House OF Representa-
tiveS In pursuance Of this the commit
tee to-day decided unanimously TO call Mr.
Liliey for list Of the witnesses ne desires 10
have summoned and for a full statement in
nection with each witness of the papers he de
sires to have that witness bring. As
received I
duCeS tecun1 for all of these witnesses, and they
will be summoned at once by the sergeant-at-
arms
The committee has thus placed entirely in the
hands Of Mr.. LiHey and his attorneys the ques
tion of what witnesses shall shall not
called at this time and what papers and doCu-
mittee will resume its sittings next Monday
ready 10 swear and hear such witnesses as Mr.
LtlIey shall have designated
The committee at an executive session this afrer-
noon, in addition deciding ask Mr.. IiIley for
a list Of his witnesses. also decided TO allow any
whose has been mentioned or will be
mentioned in the investigation TO appear and make
a statement.
Worcester. Mass. March 13.-Chares Ferry, agent
OF the Bridgeport Brass Company who was named
by Congressman Lilley before the investiga ting
committee Washington yesterday, said to-day
that he had been in Washington and had talked
with Mr. Liey about submarines. because. he
added. Mr.. LlIey the Congressman from his
district, and he (AIr. Ferry wished 10 know
if there TO be any building of submarines by
the government the time. He denied that any
thing bur legitimate had been taken in
seeking government work