New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-06
SEN4TOR CORES CHARGES.


The gravity Of the charges preferred
ley Senator Gore and the high standing
OF the men they seek 10 inn licate GER
tainly demand the most careful and
thorough Investigations. but in view of
the sensational manner in which the
charges have been presented ii is Just
aS well IL subject them TO some analysis
even now. Otherwise g wholly 1lnwar-
ranfed impression one by no means
based upon the testimony Of Mr.. Gore,
is almost cer;ain to gain credence,
Mr.. Gore testifies that one Jacob l..
Hamon. of whose dependability be
speaks somewhat .siightiRgly. came TO
his office and offered him Il bribe of
So. 600 oI. S;'G.d00 10 withdraw or other
wise defeat Mr.. Cores own bill
Hamon according Ia AIR. Gore. was act
inC in the interest of one l. i. McMur-
raw. an attorney for the Indians who
WAS pressing Il claim for S3,oW.6n
LAWYERS fee. BamoD. according to the
testimony. told Mr.. Gore that Vice
President Sherman. Senator Curtis and
Representative Bird Mcclure were in
tpresied in the legislation. The Gore
hill proposed that all contracts with the
Indians should He subject tc the ap-
Jroval of Congress Finally. Repre-
sentative Creager also of Oklahoma,
tesiifies that Hamon offered him "a
substantial interest in the McMurray
contracts if he would withdraw his op-
position to legislation which would
facilitate them.
Senator Cores testimony. in 50 far as
it involves wronsdoing on the part Of
every one save Hamon. be ii noted.
deals only with the statements Of
HamoR. Mr.. Gore does not profess of
his own knowledge ia know that Mr..
sherman. Mr.. Curtis or Mr.. Mcclure
was in any way Interested in the Nc
Murray claim. and of Hamon. who told
him they were he testified that he be
lieved him truthful in most cases, but
he thought he wonld "deyiate little on
ccasion.''
Were ii not for the partly CON
firmatory testimony Of Representative
Creager. Senator Cores story would he
decidedly weak. The last method which
an intelligent lobbyist would have em-
pi0yed to defeat the Gore bill would
have been 10 attempt 10 bride Mr.. Gore
himself and such Il course would have
been particularly unlikely had the lob
l,yist enjoyed the advice and common
interest of such experienced legislators
as Mr.. Sherman. Mr.. Mcclure and
others mentioned
Furthermore. 1T is far from obvious
that the defeat Of the Gore bin would
have cleared the way for the payment
of Mcliurray'S claim. for Representa-
tive Mcclure fa11 n bill pending which,
while it permitted the Indians indi-
vidually 10 make contracts for legal
services. made the amount Of cGinpen-
sation to be paid therefor subject to
the approval of the President and the
Secretary of the Interior The only diff
terence between the Gore and the Nc
/ Guire bills was that Senator Gore
would have reserved TO Congress the
right 10 approve the amount Of com
penSation. which right. as has been
said. Mr.. Mcclure would have dele
gated 10 the Executive. InaSmuch as
President Taft had already indicated
his belief that the McAIu1siy fee was
100 large the defeat of the Gore bill
would hardly have benefited McMur-
ray materially as long as the Mcclure
hill was pending. and ii is question
able if the Presidents disapproval
would not have been effective in the
.ihSoncc OF "uv legislation. rs the PreSi-
dent and Secretary Ballinger had al
ready twice rejected the McMurray
claim
AZ the testimony stands. therefore.
Ire only man accused Of wronsdoin@
hy amy one other than i1amon Is
Hamon himself. who is accused oi ut
tempting Ia bride senator Gore and
REPRESENTATIVE Creager. Willie if il is
assumed that Uamon was gifted with
even a ray Of common sense the story
af his conduct strains creduiity.