Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-21

The reading of the report occupied foui
hours time 1t was the lengthiest docu
ment placed before the House this ses.
sion Upon the conclusion of the rcadin
Payne, the majority leader. offered res
olution approving the report and it's ccn
illusions and adopting them as the con-
clusion Of the House.
Higgins, CT, announced that the dele
CATION from that state would vote against
the resolution. Declaring his absolute
belief that the members Of the House
were above venal and improper influence
Higgins maintained that those who knew
Ljlley could not accept the committees
findings that he was guilty either of bad
faith or Of wilfully and knowingly max
ing any misstatements intended to deceive
or that he had any other than proper
and absolutely right motives in attempt
ing to reach the ultimate truth Of the
subject matter of the investigation.
Stating that at Llley's telegraphic re-
quest he would not antasonize the report,
Hill, CT, paid a brief tribute to his col
league and EXPIRE ssed his confidence in
Lilley's integrity and sincerity of pur-
pose.
Following a statement by Payne that
the committee was justified in its report
and conclusions. VILLAS, Miss, the mi
norty leader. denounced Lilley as being
guilty of treason. 1.-THE very worst form
of treason to a government like ours"
he said, sis corrupt practice on the part
of the representatives of the people"
He maintained that any member of the
House guilty of corrupt practices was an
enemy of the people themselves; Not
only an enemy but traitor" Such a
member, he continued, was not gentle
man, for, he said, no gentleman betrayed
trust.
1.-THE very worst form of treason to the
people is to stigmatize as being guilty
of corrupt practices fellow representa-
tives of the people who are not guilty
of the charges" he said.
He said he had no hesitancy in saying
that such a man ought not to be allowed
to remain a member of the House. The
committee, he contcndcd. had acted very
lenicntly with Lilley. but he was sorry
to observe that the Connecticut delcga-
ton did not seem to appreciate that fact.
Williams presumed the reason the COM
mittee did not recommend expulsion was
because Lilley was sick. mo man." he
Salu, 'OuSnL 10 De dfTdSIeu ana NlSltett
with heavy penalty without the oppor-
tunity of being heard and he felt that
that was the reason the report had not
been carried to its logical conclusion.
Raising his voice TO a high pitch, Will
liams exclaimed
Il am tired of the degradation of the
representatives. of the people. I am tired
of my own association with that degrade
ton" 1t had. he declared reached the
point that simply because man had been
elected by the people to fill Il place on
the floor of the House he at once be-
came a suspect. The man was a gentle
man the day before his election and a
suspect the day after, an open, palpable.
plain and obvious victim of yellow jour
nails and OF all self interviewing mem
bers of Congress"
Mccall. Mass. Keifer. Ohio. and Hob
son opposed the resolution.
Following an unsuccessful attempt by
Parsons of New York to obtain a post
ponement of action on the resolution IN
til the next session. the resolution was
adopted; yeas III. nay 81. present" Sc. 1t
was an bipartisan vote.