Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-23
BURTON ANSWERS RAINEY
Ohio Man Characterizes Canal Charges
in Vigorous Terms.
TAFT AND CROMWELL DEPENDED
Says COnjured Up wrongs Are But
tressed Up with FalsehoOd and
SANDER Cochran Also
Speaks.

ny MI halney Nlu.) reiterating his former
statements concerning the Panama canal
ana a bitter arraignment OF Mr.. Rainey by
Mr.. Burton co. furnished the principal in
cidents OF the house of representatives to-
day. After the Illinois member had spoken
for an hour in further denunciation Of Will
liam Nelson Cromwell. Mr.. Burton took the
floor TO make reply. He vigorously de-
Tended Mr.. Cromwell, c. p. Taft, President
elect Taft and others whom Mr.. Rainey on
a former occasion had made objects OF his
attacks.
Mr.. Rainey, he said, had furnished no
proofs OF wrongdoing in connection with
the purchase of the Panama canal fran
chise, but instead had conJured up wrongs
and buttressed them with Islander and
falsehood. thereby placing himself on a
level with "the scurvy politician" He chaI-
lenged Mr.. Rainey to get from behind the
protection afforded him by the constitution
OF the United States and rules OF the house
and make HIS charges in the open. MIR.
Lowering (Mass) Joined In the discussion
and insisted that Mr.. Rainey had proved
nothing.
The incident was closed by a declaration
by Mr.. Cochran IN. " that persons whose
regulations were attacked in the house
should have an opportunity to defend them
selves in the same place.
Burton Answers RaIney.
Mr.. Burton ELECTED republican applause
when he rose to reply to Mr.. Ralney. He
said that Mr.. Rainey had abandoned for
the most part his accusations made in prior
speeches and goes afield and brings in a
new lot of accusations relating for the most
part to a treaty now pending between Pan
anna and the United States involving CO.
lombia as we'll"
He declared that II would have been more
edifying to the house and more instructive
to the country IL Mr.. Rainey had proven
the accusations he made.
1t Is impossible" he exclaimed, that
there should be such childlike, such care
less abandonment OF the rights OF this
country as to lead to the results which the
gentleman has portrayed"
AS regarded the timber contract he said
that was an old scandal. Mr.. Burton then
assailed Mr.. Rainey. IT object" he said
with vehemence, ito conjuring I'D wrongs
and buttressing them with Islander and
falsehood, when there are real wrongs to
right"
Mr.. Rainey at once was on his feet and
demanded that the words be taken down,
while Mr.. Bartlett CGa.) wanted the Ohio
member ordered to take his seat.
Mr.. Burton. with a shrug of shoulders.
remarked that If what he said was going
to lead to a scene he would withdraw his
words, but he added, they were uttered
under very great provocation."
Mr.. Rainey at first declined to accept |
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 canal. w
should uphold their hands," he exclaimed,
and protect them against false accusa-
tions.". Men, he said, who would attack
those engaged In that work had found 1t
necessary to go down into the miasmic
swamps and polluted pools Of Panama it.
self.
Mr.. Burton declared that Mr.. Rainey
should retract his remarks against Presi-
dent-elect Taft. Mr.. Rainey's remarks, Mr..
Burton said, had been on the level of the1
scurvy politician. There were weightler
matters that the house could consider. Mr..
Rainey, Mr.. Burton declared, had taken I'D
the cudgels of a disappointed side land
taken up their material without analyzinE
it"
Mr.. Burton paid a high tribute to Mr..
Cromwell, President Obaldla and the others
mentioned by Mr.. Rainey. He spoke of his
senatorial contest with c. p. Taft and said
he never heard a word against Mr.. Taft
that reflected on his honesty as a man, or
connected with him any schemes of ex-
Are We not stepping below the
level on which we stand" he Inquired,
when we bring in private citizens here
and openly accuse them OF that which
brings contumely and corruptIon7" He
challenged Mr.. Rainey to make his state
ments out in the open. Will he" he
a sized fsuhap ha &c nnt,tdo A.
by the constitution and rules of
this house, will he out in the open, make
the statements that he has been making
here on the floor of this house? VIII he
make so free with regulations as he has
in addressing us?"
The democrats applauded when Mr.. Bur
ton said it was to the credit OF the demo-
cratic national committee that 1t had re-
fused to have anything to do with the
alleged scandals But what consolation
is there" he asked, for the accusation
now nader"
Let us have a fair and square and direct
and proof of that which he has
already said,' Mr.. Burton pleaded. Then
when they are all proved. perhaps the house
and the country will listen to what else
he has to say. But so long as the sub
stantial averments he has made have been
proved groundless, It is not for us to turn
aside from our ordinary business to pay at
tention &c further accusations"
Those already made. he said, had fallen
to the ground from the weight Of their
own improbability. absurdity and incorrect
ness.
While not sharing the opinion OF Mr.. Bur
ton "as to the enormity" Of Mr.. Rainey's
action in seeking protection under the house
rules. Mr.. Cochran of New York declared
that 1t would be an intolerable situation
for a citizen OF the United States who had
not been convicted OF a crime to be assailed
on the floor OF the house and no method