Omaha daily bee., 1910-09-14
Attempt is Not Made to Claim Any
Authority.
)ENoUNCE MINORITY" ACTION
Assert Democrats Were Seeking Party
Advantage in Proceeding.
FLINT NEEDED FOR A QUORUM
Another Meeting VIII he Put of
UntiI senator Arrives, when a
Fun Report VIII BE
Filed.

CHICAGO, Sept. l3-six republican mem
bers of the Ballinger investigating commits
tee met here today and issued a statement
condemning the action of the four demo-
/ cratic and one republican insurgent'
members VINO delivered report at Min
neapolis last Wednesday. demanding the
retirement from office OF Secretary Bal
linger
Those present today we're Senators Nel-
son. Sutherland and Root and Congress-
men Mccall, Olmstead and Dtnby. They
declared the action of what they term the
minority" at Minneapolis to have been
according to the worst methods of ward
politics"
| The evidence in the Ballngcr case was
discussed, but in the absence of a quorum
! they state, action on the casa itself was
possible. 1t was reported that Senator
Nelson had authority to act for Senator
Flint, who is a member OF the committee,
but who is in Europe. TINS could not he
confirmed, but in any event no attempt
was made to use the alleged proxy. Ad-
journmtnt was taken subject to call Of the
chairman. Senator Nelson.
AS the minority declined to attend to-
( days conference and took their adjourn
ment at Minneapolis until the next meeting
of congress it is probable that Senator Nell
son. who, as the seventh member, would
make a quorum.
Statement as Issued.
Following is the statement lssued
The hearings of the committee after
| proceedings for months were ended in the
! closing days of the last session of congress
There was no opportunity and no attempt
upon the part of anybody to have the COM
mittee meet fur purposes OF consultation
| upon the evidence to report It's findings
to congress prior to the adjournment of the
( session. Under the circumstances that
| course was manirestly impossible. The
committee is the creature OF a special act
of congress, which fixed the number OF its
members at twelve six senator's appointed
4 by the vice presidents and six Representa-
tives elected by. the nouse. The act cafs-
fully defined the powers and Jurisdiction
of the committee and contained a mandate
that 1t should report Its findings to this
congress.
THE day of the meeting found the mem-
bership widely scattered and only seven of
the twelve members present. Three other
members were detained by brief. but per-
emptory engagements Senator Flint was
In Europe and Senator Root on the sea re-
turning from arguing a case for the govern
ment before The Hague tribunal. Upon re-
assembling two days later eight gentle
men were present and two more were re-
ported on the way. The eighth member to
appear happened to be a democrat and the
members of that party themselves were in
temporary control and promptly proceeded
to turn the circumstances to what seemed
to them a party advantage. In advance
of any consultation whatever upon the evil
dence, which never had been weighed and
discussed in committee. they demanded the
passage of resolutions OF the most sweep
ing character. formally finding Secretary
Ballinger guilty, not merely of charges that
had been made, but of charges that had
only been implied and of things, which
never have been charged. but which per-
sons appearing at the hearing had alleged
, against him.
other Members Protest.
"Other members OF the committee pres
ent protested against such proceedings
which would dispose Of the case on the
absence of four of the twelve members.
making it possible for a minority of the
: committee to find the committee verdict,
and this, too. without any consultation or
discussion.
But the partisan political end 20 be at
taned by the democratic minority became
all the more urgent in proportion as the
railway trains beansg other members of
the committee were approaching Minneap-
oils. The minority refused even 20 take a
recess, and the other members, protesting
5 against the evident determination to take
snap judgment by minority in the alb
8 sence of third OF the whole tribunal and
declining to bear any responsibility for this
I converting the investigation into a trav-
T esty and for a violation OF the funda-
mental principle which should govern the
proceedings, withdrew from the meeting,
and thus deprived the democrats of their
= temporary control OF the committee.
: The meeting being left without a quorum
o any attempted decision OF the case would
a haev no more validity than would like
!, action Of a similar number OF men collected
at random in the streets, but the spectacle
was presented of five gentlemen out OF
\ a tribunal Of weve created by the congress
q of the United states assuming TO act as the
tribunal itself. These five gentlemen con-
= tnued their proceedings to the end, &C
cording TO the wGrst methods of ward
politics and after pretending 10 adopt a re-
port of eighty-nlne pages which they
brought to the meeting already prepared
and which was never the subject of con-
sideraton or discussion or even read IN
committee, they gave TO the newspapers,
although the law required Il TO be rem
dered 10 congress; and they completed
e their perN ersion Of the purpose Of the meet-
e ing by adjourning 10 December 3 so as to
o foreclose, IL possible. any action or con-
e sideratcn or discussion of evidence by the
: committee in the meantime; and by solemn
y vote they graciously extended to the ma
jority leave TO hle minority report
. Action was LawIess.
1T does not need 10 be said that such
' action In both form and substance Is
wholly lawless and it leaves Il entirely un-
necessary to ask what sort OF justice any
! public servant could look for whose char
acter was on trial In such a proceeding In
the excitement OF political campaign II
, there Is any relation between lawIess meth