Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1910-02-03
DILLlNcnAM's DENIAL.
seya the Macon Charges Are False
from eeaInnIna 70 Emo.

IRON the 81. Adams Messenger
Washington, Jan. 2s.-The correspond.
ent OF The Messenger here has interested
himself in the charges made on tbs floor
OF the House early this week that the i'm
migration commission, OF which William
p. Dillingham; OF Vermont is the chair
man, had accomplished little public serv-
ice ct the cost OF very extravaganf ex-
penditure OF the public money, and that
he trip to Europe OF the commission was
IN reality nothing but pleasure junktt.
careful investigation OF the records,
and interviews with the men most con-
cerned, have convinced him that the sem
sational charges were entirely unwar-
ranied.
II one could and would take glance at
the index Tile OF the immigration commits
sion showing the interviews had with the
government officials By The members OF
the commission whe went abroad to
study immigration questions and take
pate of tue various countries visited, the
interviews had there by each member,
and on the various phases OF the work
and could see an outline of the dozen
volumes that the commission hopes to get
out from Information gathered and staiis-
tics complied at home through agents all
over the country one would be SLOW in
passing Judgment on the work Of the
commission until it is completed. The
work is being and has been performed
with great system and detail and covers a
variety OF subdetail that seems almost in-
credible.
The recent attack in the House by Con-
gresham Macon OF Arkansas, who
charged that the commissions trip
abroad was a pleasure junket and that
the commission Was guilty of extrava-
gance, was answered by Congressman
Bennett Of New York, a member Of the
commission, the next morning on a ques-
ton OF personal privilege and every phase
OF work was shown in detail. He asked
Mr.. Macon from whom be got the details
upon which to base this attack and the
latter refused at first to say but later ad-
mitted that IL was James A. Patten.
In his speech Mr.. Bennett made this
statement OF Mr.. Patten: "Mr. Speaker, /
am reminded OF having said that before |
had closed l would indicate what 1 be-
lieved to be the source OF the authority Of
the gentleman from Arkansas, and so
shall. When we came back in 1907 a
man applied to our commission for en-
ployinent. His name was and ia James
A. Patten. He was the secretary Of the
immigration Restriction league. OBJ
iected to his appointment. l said that so
far we had been abolutely free and open
and non-partisan, and that would object
Is strongly to the secretary OF the Nation
al Liberal Immigration league as would
to the secretary Of the immigration Re-
striction league.
81 know that James A. Patten received
The information that be was not employed
because OF my objection. He went into
my district in 1908. He attempted to use
the same kind OF stuff. lie tried to get
friends OF mine to believe that / had de-
frauded the United States government
out OF 60-cent pieces He could not get
his stuff in paper in the city Of New
York, not one. 49, II il
from that kind OF source, say, that the |
gentleman from Arkansas obtained his in |
formation, at least indirectly.
But know the man who has been ned.
ding around this Capitol, in committee |
rooms, in hotel Hobbies, 10 clubs, in my |
city, wherever he could, these little, triy-
ial, scandalous things about a commits
sion, every member OF which has devoted
time and money to it that he might much
better for his own use have given to his
own personal ends.p
Mr.. Macon stated on the floor of the
House that one OF the secretaries of the
commission, Morton K. Crane was a
nephew Of Senator Crane, of Massachus-
stts, and also averred that Mr.. Patten had
given him this information and It was
,leariy shown on the floor OF the House
hat no such relationship exists.
As far as the statements made BY Mr..
Macon about Senator W. P. Dillingham;
ire concerned and the remark charged 70
nave been made to Mr.. Wheeler, another
member Of the commission, to the effect
hat they would go of and enjoy them
elves and let the others work, Senator
Dillingham; says that all these statements
ire absolutely false from beginning TO
md and that they were made out of
: hole cloth.
In the course of bis rep'y to Congress-
nan Macon on the floor of the House
tuesday, Congressman Bennett OF New
York said, concerning the staff taken to
europe by the immigration commission:
1--WE took first Mr.. Husband, secretary
4 the commission, man from Vermont, !
ppointed, think, on my own sugges-
ion because be bad been the clerk OF the
enate committee on immigration and
ras the most proficient man / knew of
ersoually in Washington in relation to
This was Walter W. Husband, the well
nown former Vermont newspaper man. l