The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-01-28
CAM GET FACTS
NEEDED IN PROBE
SENATE COMMITTEE HELPLESS
IN STEEL DEAL MATTER.
WILL CONTINUE INQUIRY
Senator cummIns of Iowa Makes His
Maiden Speech--Rainey Scores
Cromwell, obaidia and
Others.

Washington, Jan. 27-vThat the sen.
ate has no right to call upon Presi.
dent Roosevelt for information which
he may have obtained from the United
States Steel Corporation when he
countenanced that concerns absorp-
ton Of the Tennessee Coal e Iron
Company is the opinion of the special
committee on judiciary appointed to
Investigate the merger.
The situation is proving decidedly
embarrassing to the judiciary commit,
tee, but, regardless of this fact. 1t has
been decided to proceed with the In
Jury and report to the senate whether
che president had authority to permit
the merger
Can't Get the information.
When the committee called upon At
torney General Bonaparte to appear
before 1T at a recent meeting a reply
was received declining the invitation
This invitation was not made public.
1t is now known that Mr.. Bonaparte
directed the committees attention to
the act to establish the department OF
commerce and labor and argued that
1t is a bar to any demand for such in
formation as the president may have
acquired concerning the necessity for
the absorption Of the Tennessee con
Germ. Under that act the commission
er of corporations is empowered to
gather from corporations engaged in
interstate commerce such data and in
formation as will enable the president
to make recommendations to congress
for regulation. This provision OF law
concludes as follows:
And the information so obtained or
as much thereof as the president may
direct shall be made public"
The data supplied to the president
by Judge e. H. Gary and H. T. Frick
as to the necessity for the merger, ae-
.cording to Mr.. Bonaparte. comes with.
In this clause OF the commerce and La.
Dor act. Without this Information 1t
is difficult for the committee to ,pro.
coed.
cummins' Maiden Speech.
Senator Cummins of Iowa yesterday
delivered his maiden speech, In opposi-
ton to the postal savings bank bin in
the form In which it had beenreported
20 the senate by the committee on post
offices and post roads. He declared
that Iowa has more banking institu-
tons than any other state of the
union and spoke in favor of his amend
ment, which authorizes the deposit of
postal savings funds in any bank,
whether organized under national,
state or territorial laws.
He also warned the senate against
the provision of the bill which ex.
empts deposits in postal savings banks
from all liens
Mr.. Cummins spoke for about an
hour, receiving the careful attention of
senator's on both sides of the chamber,
Rainey Attacks Cromwell.
A sensational and bitter attack on
William Nelson Cromwell and Presi.
dent Obaldia Of Panama and others by
Mr.. Ralney of Illinois was made in the
house of representatives. The post
office appropriation bill was under
consideration, but Mr.. Rainey spoke
lnder license of general debate, and he
was unsparing in his charges of cor
ruption and fraud against the persons
nam /. At the conclusion of his
speech, which consumed over an hour
and half, Messrs. Stevens of Mime
sofa and Kustermann Of Wisconsin ex-
pressed their disapproval of his re-
marks and entered a defense of the
accused.
During the morning the house
Gassed a joint resolution making Feb
Cuary II. 1909. which marks the one
luadredth anniversary of the birth of
Abraham lincoln, legal holiday in
he territories and District of Colum.
Uia.