The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-01-27
Taft Involved by Rainey
In Sensational Speech
In the Lower House of
Congress Yesterday.
IECLARES PANAMA AND L. -.
TREASURY SYSTEMATICALLf
ROBBED-CROMD FILLS THE
HOUSE As SPEECH PROCEEDS.

MAsHINGTON, Jan. 26.-Charg-
ing that William Nelson Cromwell,
Roger Farnsham. Charles l.. Taft
and others are parties 10 the most in-
famous railroad proposition ever sub
mittcd 10 any government, and that
they are being permitted not only 10
rob the Republic of Panama but in
directly the treasury of the United
States, Representative Rainey, of Illi-
nois, today declared for the throwing
Of the searchlight of publicity ON the
affairs of the Panama canal zone III
a startling speech i'm support of his
resolution providing for the inyesti-
CATION 10y congress of the Panama
canal.
Their efforts in the direction of
loot which l have indicated" he
said, "hase had 81 far the complete
cooperation and active assistance of
the present administration and also
of the next president of the United
States.
Rainey traced the history of the
proposed canal for four hundred
years back and warned that we have
already started In the direction OF
the rocks upon which the French
companies were wrecked.
Referring to the governments libel
suit against the New York World
and the grand jury investigation now
under way, Rainey said: IF we car
ry this project through to success
full conclusion we must avoid graft
II isn't the part of wise statesman
ship To dispose of resolutions ask
ing for investigation of any phase of
the canal question with sweeping and
absolutely unsupported official deca-
rations that there Is nothing to In
vestigate.
1t is not the part of sound states
manship To attempt To revive obsolete
common law customs of two hundred
years ago and employ all the tre-
mendous agencies of the government
in attempting To crush newspapers
which have had the courage to call
attention 10 Irregularities in trans
actions in connection with the canal.
Rainey was particularly bitter in
his denunciations of Cromwell, who
he charged had permitted the theft
from the United States government
of from three to four million dollars.
He also unsparingly attacked Presi-
dent Obaldia of Panama. who he said
represents all that is corrupt In Span
ish-American politics and that Obal-
dia and Cromwell would have been
impossible without the aid of each
other.
Against pYesident-elect Taft, Raj
ney made the direct accusation that
on the occasion of his last previous
trip To Panama. I'm May. he did moth
ing except openly push the candi-
dacy of Obaldia for president of Pan
ANA. threatening To seize the repub-
lie II Obaldia was not elected.
The speech created a great sensa-
ton In the house and caused seats
on the floor and I'm the galleries to
fill rapidly a rush TO these occurring
as the news spread about the capitol
of the sensational charges the Illinois
representative was giving utterance
to- Many members of the senate were
In attendance. the upper house be-
ing practically deserted after the first
few minutes of .-..iney's speech.
Rainey made his delivery In an
even tone and without passion enter
ing into 1t except at one or two
points. The manner of the delivery
was effective In retaining the close
attention of his hearers and he pro-
ceeded throughout his speech with
practically no interruption, its ac-
ceptance In this respect being in
strong contrast with the greeting