The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-09-28
Monday. September IS, 1908.
CONGRESSMAN HILL TEsTTrEs.


The Hon. Ebenezcr J. Hill, VIII, rep
r.scnts tie .ourth districs IN The ma.
tional house OF representatives. owes
his distinction TO two qualities, first his
efficiency and second his accuracy Of
statement. His efficiency has been
shown by his persistent search Cor
facts to uphold given attitude. His
accuracy Of statement has come from
ascertained knowledge of what ne IL
talking about. 1t is strange that In
his talk to the audience at the Young
Mems Republican club Saturday even
ing he should have been content to de-
llbcrately throw aside the virtues
which have made him conspicuous.
We question even now II Mr.. Hill
realizes to what an extent he modi-
fed the esteem in which he has been
held In this community. In speaking
of Mr.. Lilley's candidacy for governor.
he congratulated former Governor
Waller for having the evening before
ignored Mr. Lilley's record at Wash
ington. when the fact is that the
speaker referred to It in scathing terms
though briefly In giving his audi
cnce the impression that former
democratic governor had ignored LII
ley In the secret belief that he was
innocent and wronged man, Mr.. Hill
materially himself In the es-
timatior Of those who know the facts
= In taking upon his shoulders the DE-
Tense OF Mr.. Lilley for charging con-
gross with dishonesty Mr.. Hill made
It at cnce impossible for a conscien-
tIous republican to vote for Mr.. Lii
ley and the national republican ticket.
Said Mr. Hill: Just as sure as l am
here, gentlemen there was skunk in
the road. saw 1t but did not have
my gun. Mr.. Lilley saw It, He had
his gun and fred" etc. Here is the
plain irsinuation, II not charge, that
congress is rotten as alleged by In
ley, and that in shooting at the
skunk" Mr.. Lilley was inspired by the
highes motives to rid congress of an
evil and lift up the standards of ma.
tional politics.
Let US examine the evidence. Upon
the twenty-eighth day Of April last
James Schoolcraft Sherman, a mem-
Der Of congress and to-day the repub-
lean candidate for president, was
rut upon the witness stand by the IN
vestiyation committee. After he had
been sworn. he said under oath: "A
Y few days before Mr.. Lilley introduced
his resolution he called me into the
republican cloak room and showcd
me resolution which he said he pro-
posed to introduce. Whether 1t g
Identical with the one he did introduce
Of course I cannot now say. / read
1t ana | can only give the substance
stance that such a resolution would
stir I'D a muss, and | intimated that
thought so too, and he said in sub
stance that II the action of the com
mittee could be moved SO that the
competition for submarine boats could
be open to other competitors that he
would not introduce the resolution,
and he asked me to see some member
of the naval committee, with the hope
that seeing such member might posi-
bly, induce the committee to change it's
mind" When asked by another MEM
Der of the committee, Mr.. Olmsted, If
Iilley said anything about giving any
other company chance, Mr.. Sherman
replied: THAT Is what he said He
mentioned no other company, but ne
said that II the action Of the commit
tee should be so changed as to make
It possible for other companies o
enter into competition and build boats
that then he would not offer the reso-
luton" Mr.. Sherman peremptorily
refused to undertake any such queJ-
tionable task
This statement Of Mr. Sherman
makes it perfectly clear, If Mr.. sher-
man is to be trusted, that 1t was not
Mr.. Iiley's intention to purity The
.unclean atmosphere Of congress at all,
but that it was his object to secure
business for another boat building
concern, which had lost its hold after
an open test with the successful boat
concern. If he could get business for
his client, for that Is what 1t amount
ed to, he would let congress go on
with its corrupt practices and dishon-
est dealings 1.-The skunk" to which