The Washington herald., 1909-01-31

I u
sire TO be heard. OF course. II K Is
committee investigation the Commission
ers do not feel that they have any right
TO be heard unless the committee desires
them 10. and that has been my under
standing Of the situation.
Mr. Murphy think the counsel mis-
understood a little the statement I made.
What I intended to convey 10 him was
this. that this was not bill that was
prepared BY the committee, but the mat
ter was brought before Us. as I under
stood, coming from the Commissioners.
and understand that they were expected
to present testimony here.
Mr. MOOre-YOu gentlemen have been
here more consistently and constantly
than / have. Has there been any discus
sion of this question before2
Mr.. Thomas-No.
Mr.. Sims-There has been no committee
action at ali. but there has been a lib
crafty INDUCED in allowing any one who
wanted 10 to be heard and ask questions;
and as far as I am personally concerned
as the Commissioners are here charged
with responsibilities. think they not only
ought to have q right but ought 20 be
invited. 10 come before the committee
and give the committee any information
that they have. through themselves or
otherwise.
M Murphy certainly do.
Dir. Sims-AnG I think the same way
about the gas company.
Mr. Murphy-Counsel for the gas com
pany has appeared here and been per
mitted 10 ask questions Of persons who
have appeared before the committee
Mr.. Sims-Not only permitted. but in
vited
The Clerk Of the Committee-Perbap I
can make little explanation which viii
clear up this matter. When the first
hearing was 10 be held, Mr.. Smith asked
me 10 notify the Commissioners. and
state that the committee would be
pleased 10 have them appear They ali
responded that they were engaged With
the Committee on Appropriations Of the
Senate. and could not appear I did not
understand that Mr. Smiths instructions
10 me we're Of q continuing nature, and I
gave them no notice OK yesterdays pro-
eeedings. During the proceedings Con-
missioner Mcfarland telephoned me and
said he had heard that there were pro
ceedings OF this kind. and / said there
was hearing then In progress. and he
said they had received no notice OF
course. I did not stop TO discuss the mat
ter very much over the telephone then,
but after the adjournment I notified
Commissioner Mcfarland by telephone
that We had adjourned over until to-day,
and that suppose is the reason that Mr..
Thomas Is here
Mr.. ThonaS-Yes. 7 would not have been
here unless I had been notified because
I did not know that there was 10 be a
session yesterday. and I did not think
had any right 70 come unless was asked
70 come.
The Clerk OF the Committee-As say.
did not understand that there was any
order made by The committee that would
require me 70 notify the Commissioners.
Mr. Sims-You we're acting under the in
structions Of Mr. Smith, the chairman OF
the committee7
The Clerk Of the Committee-Yes-
Mr. Murphy think the Commissioners
ought 10 be represented here This came
70 Us by a message from the President
and by request Of the Attorney General
ana OF everybody else. to bring this mat
ter here. and there is nobody 10 Tepres mt
the public unless the Commissioners OF
this District are looking after IL
Mr. M0ore-I think every member OF the
committee Is representing the public, 10
the best of his ability.
Mr.. MUTphy-To the best Of his ability
EfT. Moore-There is no intention on the
part Of any member Of the committee
70 be unfair.
Mr.. Nurphy-No 7 do not think there is
Mr.. Moore-Or on the part OF the repre-
sentatives Of the gas company But the
bill that We have before as is, as I IN
derstand. a bill submitted with the ap-
prevail Of the Commissioners, and that
being so II seems 10 me there is no rea-
son why the Commissioners should not
be represented except that II We are
going into crOss-examination OF witnesses
and are going 10 have questions and
answers by both sides. IL IS going 10
prOlOng the hearings 70 q considerable
extent However, the inquiry thus far
has reached a point that ought TO satisfy
the most Onnivor0us newspaper reader,
because ! notice that all the papers are
full Of 1t this morning. and perhaps they
intend to keep on being full Of IL, and If
II is to be al inquiry that is 10 20 down
10 the bottom Of everything, there is no
reason why the Commissioners should not
be represented and be here
(Ar. Taylor here entered the committee
room-)
MT Sims-There is no reason why they
should not be, and IS there rot a very
good reason why they should be?
Mr.. Tayior-Who. the Commissioners?
Mr.. Sims-Tss
Mr. Taylor-They are not barred.
Nj Sims-Yes, but everybody else is
here
Mr. Moore-Mr. Taylor. who was acting
Chairman Of the committee YESTERDAY. has
just arrived, and perhaps We should ex-
pain 70 him the situation that has arisen
M Thomas, corporation counsel. cues
toned the witness, and then raised the
point that Mr.. Murphy had said that the
Commissioners ought to be represented
here, and that this was not TO be an ex
parte hearing. Mr.. TAYLOR arrived during
the discussion Of that proposition. and
since he is the acting chairman. I am 20
ing TO suggest that he take the chair. and
then you can continue the discussion If
you consider Il worth while to continue Il.
(Mr- Taylor here assumed the chair1
Mr. Sims-I hope I may be hardened
for saying that I think the newspapers
are doing exactly right TO publish the tes-
umony that is Being given before this
committee in full detail, and let the peo-
PIE read IT,
Mr. Murphy-Mr. Thomas, in a CONVEX
sation moment ago, spoke 10 me about
this, and said that he thought the Com
missioners might need witnesses here.
and they had 10 authority to get them.
and : suggested to him that II he smoke
TO the chairman Of the committee I had
10 doubt they would be invited. Il they
wanted to come
Mr. Taylor-They were invited, Spe-
cially.
Mr.. Murphy-And then Mr.. Thomas said
that he did not understand that they had
any business here except by sufferance,
and It cid not strike me Just that way.
Mr.. Taylor-You VIII remember that !
announced yesterday that any person
present could ask questions OF witnesses
al the proper time and place: that is. We
had made the ruling 10 let the man ap-
pearing make his statement and then
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