Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-23
RAINEY RENFWS
BATTLE AGAINST
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
CONGRESSMAN DENOUNCED IN
SCATHING SPEECHES
EAWMAKER DECLARES HE HAS
ONLY BEGUN FIGHT
Burton RidicuIes AssaiIant cf Presi-
dent as Modern Ananias-Manv
Members Indulge in Spirited
Discussion
[By Associated Press.1

w that his recent speech in the
mouse relative to the purchase
by the United States government of the
Panama canal had brought upon him
self ''v1ification, misrepresentation and
abuse almost without parallel in the
history of that body Representative
Ralney of Illinois today delivered in
the mouse of representatives a lengthy
speech in reply to the charges that the
information upon which his remarks
were based was obtained from ''ex-con-
Vlcts and blackmailers," this accusa-
tlon having been made openly in the
mousse by Representative Lowering of
Massachusetts,
True loyalty to this great enter
prise" Representative Rainey said.
means that you must expose and de-
houhce all kinds of graft in connection
with 1t in order to avoid the pitfalls in
which the French companies fell. and
propose to do this whether it meets
WIN the approval of the next presi-
dent of the United States or not
Il want to say to all those who are
spending so much time abusing me
Lhat nave not yet commenced this
nght. L have only trained nv guns on
some of the least Objectionable matte g
IN connection with the Panama canaI.'
Mr.. Rainey declared he did not at
NS~0rA SAAC Ncl11clI OQI SlIuDlV attacked the
grant connected with the enterprise
He asserted that Representative Low
erlng had not attempted to deny
single fact he had stated, but after
making his charges proceeded to eulo-
gize William Nelson Cromwell.
Did Not Know Of 1t
ct never heard until he made his
speech that any persons were trvine.
10 get Mr.. Cromwell to purchase any
alleged evidence of the guilt of Mr.
Cromwell" he said. Il knew nothing
OF any attempts to sell any story to
the Democratic national committee
until the gentleman made his speech
on this floor"
Mr.. Rainey further said that in the
evidence he produced in support of his
charge of graft in connection with the
buying of the canal, nearly all was OBJ
| tanned from Panama.
Then he added:
The attack l made was entirely IN
expected ana the next attack / make
| upon these gentlemen will he inst as
entirely unexpected, when it comes.
MI. Burton of Ohio ELECTED Republi-
can applause when he rose to repIv to
Mr.. Ra1ney. He said that Mr.. Rainev
nad abandoned for the most part his
accusations made in prior speeches.
and goes off afield and brings in a new
part to a treaty now pending between
Panama and the United Staes and in
volving Colombia as we'll"
lie declared it would have beer. more
edlfylng to the house and more in
"trQctlVe to the country if Mr.. Rainey
| EaC proved the accusations ne made
1t is impossible - he exclaimed chat
there should be such childlike, such
| careless abandonment of the rights of
TINS country as to lead to the results
which the gentleman had portrayed
As regards the timber contract. he
SAID that was an old scandal.
Vigorously AssaiIs Him
Mr.. Burton then vigorously assailed
Mr.. Rainey
Il object" he said, "to conjuring up
wrongs and buttressing them with
SANDER and 'falsehoods, when there are
real wrongs to right
Mr.. Rainey at once was on his feet
and demanded that the words be TAX
en- down, while Mr.. Bartlett of Georgia
wanted the Ohio member ordered TO
take his seat. Mr. Burton, however.
with shrug of his shoulders, remarked
that if what he said was going to lead
TO scene he would withdraw his
words, but he added, 'they were ut
tered under very great provocation.'
Mr.. Ralney at first declined to accent
the withdrawal but later did so.
Continuing, Mr.. Burton declared that
full justice should be given to the men
engaged in the work of building the ca
nal.
1--WE should uphold their hands, he
exclaimed, land protect them against
false accusations
Men, he said, who would attack those
engaged in that work had found If
necessary to go down into the miasnaic
swamp and polluted pool Of Panama ii
self
Mr. Burton declared that Mr.. Rainev
should retract his remarks against
President-elect Taft. Mr.. Rainey's re-
marks, Mr.. Burton said, had been on
the level Of the scurvy politician.
There were far weightier matters
that the house could consider.
Mr.. Rainey, Mr.. Burton declared, had
taken up the cudgels of q; disappointed
side "and taken up their material with
out analyzing it,"
Pays Tribute to Cromwell
Mr.. Burton paid a tribute to Mr..
Cromwell.
Are we not stepping below the level
of that on which we stand" he in
quired, when we bring in private citi-
zens here and openly accuse them of
that which brings contumely and cor
ruption?"
He challenged Mr. Rainey to make
his statements out in the open.
''Will ne. - he asked, when he is out
side the protection afforded by the con-
stitution and rules of this house. will
he, out in the open, make the state
ments he has been making here on the
floor OF this house? Will he make SO
free with regulations as he has in ad-
dressing us?'
The Democrats appl&uded when Mr..
Burton said it was to the credit of the
Democratic national committee that it
had refused to have anything to do
with the alleged scandals.
"But what consolation is there" he
asked, ''for the accusation now nader
Mr.. Burton provoked laughter by say
ing that Mr. Rainey felt honored at
having been put in the Ananias club.
1.-THE Ananias club" he said, "has
never taken out articles of incorpora-
tion. 1t does not hold annual banquets.
It's members wear no buttons. It's
members don't buy busts to put in pub
lie halls. A census of the membership
would be excessively difficult, but am
Continued on Page Three)