Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-01-26
HURLES HOT FIRE AT
JUNKETlNG CHARGES
Congressman Says Its up to One OF
Two Gentlemen to Prove Himself
Either Liar or Saint in chara-
ing That Peoples Money Was
Squsndered in Pleasure Trip.
0,y Associated Press)

=
WASHINGTON, ID. C, Jan. 20
Declaring that James A. Patton. see
rotary OF the immigration restriction
league, had told n wicked, cruel, de-
iiberate and malicious lie" when he
gave Representative Macon. OF Ar
Kansas. the information upon which
the latter based his speech yester-
Gay, Representative Bennett. OF New
York, made vigorous defense of the
much-maligned immigration commits
sion in the house today.
The statements OF the gentleman
from Arkansas require an instant.
full and complete retracton." shout
cd Mr.. Bennett, after he had explain
cd In detail the work OF the commits
sion. It's trip abroad in 1907 which
Mr.. Macon had termed n 'junket and
The results It had accomplished. Mr..
Macon met Mr. Bennetts demands
with n sharp reply.
Question Of veracity.
II am not going 10 accept what the
gentleman from New York has said
TO this house as gospel" exclaimed
Mr.. Macon.
1T is question Of veracity and one
of these gentleman has as much cred
ence on the part OF this house as the
ether until one or the other shows
himself 10 be a lair and the other
shows himself TO be saint-and the
gentleman from New York is not a
saint"
Mr.. Macon admitted that Mr.. Pat
ton was his informant. following a
~ In xx.btnh A
! believed had been given the member
from Arkansas the Information.
Mr.. Macon explained that Mr.. Pat
ton was a son -in-law of deceased
member of the commission and was
N position to know.
Il am not here to take back any
part OF my statement that the trip
abroad was a junket. as ] understand
junket," exclaimed Mr.. Macon.
Macon Doesn't Recede.
Thus the incident was closed with
out Mr.. Macon having receded from
his position, but not until after Mr..
Mann, OF Illinois, had refused consent
to Mr.. Macon's request for perm ssion
to revise his remarks III the record.
Mr.. Macon explained that he mere
" wanted to correct the bad Eng
lish," but Mr.. Mann retorted that II
was unconstitutional to obtain con-
sent for that and that both parties
10 the controversy would have TO go
on record for what they had said.
II was thought for a time that Mr.
Msnn's statement indicated that Mr..
Macon might be called 10 account BY
the rules committee for using I'M
parliamentary language toward fell
low member of the house. but 1t
soon developed tina; there was no
such intention. II was argued that
MIR. Macon had not called Mr. Ben
nett a liar" as some members had
construed from his remarks
Makes Sweeping Denial
Mr.. Bennett made a general denial
cf the charges voiced by Mr.. Macon.
curing his absence yesterday and as
serted that the member from Arkar-
sas had made them without taking
the trouble to ascertain IL they were
true. tie said the commission had
spent only $4,000 of the people
money on their trip 81 investigation
abroad. but had gone down into their
own pockets for more than that
amount rather than charge to their
expense accounts all that they had
spent.
When Mr. Bennett asserted that
William r Wheeler had given mp a
$1,000 position to accept one for 81
90 with the commission. Mr.. Macon.
incredalouS. interrupted 20 say that
II he should do that he would regard
himself a. either q knare 81 fool
Il have no objection 10 the gent
ieman's Characterization Of himself.
as Mr.. benefits courteous retort.
Mr. Bennett said the immigration
commission hal accomplished much
good since 10 vas created. n had
broken up the white slave" traffic
taken steps 20 exclude alien cTimi-
rats and greatly improved stccrage
conditions On immigrant Ahips. We
Insisted that the commission did not
ccserve the abuse which had been
nfaurt uuou if