Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-06-02

or selling submarine torpedo boats
 have not and have never had af- filiations with any person interested in the construction or sale of subma- rine torpedo boats. My prepossesslons often publicly avowed, whether right or wrong, have been against the util- ity of submarine boats as engines of warfare.
 If l am not guilty of mis-statement in any of these respects believe that l can claim at the outset the presump- tion of innocence which common fair ness accords to a man whose life has been without serious reproach and who has no selfish ends to accom- plish.
 testified before the committee and l reiterate here that my motive in in- troducing my resolution calling for an investigation was the public well fare and that I did not act in concert with any other person. The very in- formality of the resolution as I 'ntro- duced it is in itself. proof that I did not have the aid of professional .,d- vice.
 The representatives of the Lake Torpedo Boat Go who took the stand during the investigation testified hat they had no knowledge of my purpose to Introduce the resolution. It is true that the immediate moving cause of my act was my conviction that the appropriation bill as framed iH the naval committee. would so restrict the powers of the secretary of the navy that he would be compelled to purchase submarine boats of the Electric Boat company to the de- struction of competition and to the disadvantage of the government. While the present threatened loss to the government and the people was the immediate prompting cause of my action, my belief that the methods employed by the Electric Boat company warranted investiga- tion was of long standing.
 The matter had first been called to my attention by the late Senator Platt of Connecticut whose judgment the whole country respected. He had in my presence, and with an exhibition of angry feeling unusual with him, expressed the intention of himself moving such an investiga- tion. The other grounds of my be- lief that the practices of the Electric
 Boat company should be inquired into I stated to the committee and they are now well known to the pub lie. I will not consider their i'm portance here as I do not intend to go into the merits of the case. I will say simply that they had weight in
 my mind.
 Against the presumption of hon.
 esty and my own direct testimony
 and that of the representatives of
 the Lake Torpedo Boat company
 there was no direct evidence. In | the minds of the committee. how | ever, all these were out-weighed by | certain circumstances which the
 committee incorporate in the report | strung together on a chronological
 thread. They are. believe, insight.
 ficant individually and in the az gregate. Substantially they are | these:
 did at one time at the request l of representative of the Lake Tor | pedo Boat company send telegram and two letters to the secretary of
 the navy requesting favorable con-
 sideration of the interests of the
 company. An examination of the
 letters will show that I put the re- | quest upon the ground that com
 petition was for the interest of the
 government. It also appears and is true that in company with other
 members of the Connecticut delega- tion I called upon the secretary of | the navy and that there requests
 were made for a proper considera' tion of the Lake Torpedo Boat com
 pany as a competitor for contracts.
 The committee found that the Connecticut delegation was enter
 tained at lunch or dinner by repre-
 sentatives of the Lake Torpedo Boat company at the new Willard hotel
 Ii omits to find that I was not pres ent on that occasion although that
 fact appeared fin evidence.
 It is true that after my resolu-
 tion was introduced I received as- sis ance and my counsel received as-
 sistance from the counsel of the
 Lake Torpedo Boat company in pre-
 pairing statements that were made to | the committee. It is true also that
 after l had been denied the assist snca of counsel to examine witnesses in the ordinary way and my persona counsel had returned to their Con- necticut homes. there were handed
 10 me by the counsel of the Lake | Torpedo Boat company lists of ques.
 tions which I adopted and presented
 10 the committee as my own.
 believed at the time and be-
 lieve now that I had a perfect right
 tr secure information as to proper
 lines of inquiry and assistance in
 the preparation of papers from any
 source where such information and
 assistance could he ob.ained and that the source from which I pro.
 cured them was my own affair. | believed and ! still believe that the thing Of consequence to the committee was the answers brought f out hy the questions and not the | origin of the questions themselves ! Whether was well advised in par. | tieipating in she conduct Of the | hearing and in attempting tO take part in the examination of witnesses | under conditions which compelled my counsel to decline te act. may
 be fairly an open question. but eannot understand what t has to do with the integrity of my motives
 I was endeavoring. inexperienced as was in such matters. to hclT ! the committee sa far as I was able in elicifinE the truth. [ am moi at- temp'inE st this time 10 defend myself against a charge Of faulty t.,.4~-,e-. wnsiId sav. however