The Washington herald., 1910-03-17

Senator Brown yesterday lost his fight
to have his resolution providing for an
investigation of the Washington Gas
Company referred TO some committee
other than the Senate District Committee,
OF which Senator Gallinger is chairman.
Senator Brown wanted the resolution
referred to the Committee on Corporations
Organized in the District, Of which he Is
chairman, after the Senate, by the narrow
vote OF 80 10 30, refused to send it to the
the Committee on Contingent Expend-
ltures, to which Senator Brown would
have been willing to have it so.
Wide interest was displayed in the fate
Of the resolution. which was given Sem
ator Galllngers committee by q vote of
81 to .. after speeches in favor Of this
course had been made by Senators Cal
llnger, Lodge, and Aldrieh. Senator Mar
tin Of Virginia. also earnestly opposed
sending the resolution 10 other than the
District Committee. and a number Of
Democrats and insTgent Republicans.
who had voted with Senator Brown In
refusing to table the motion 10 send It
to the Committee on Expenditures, voted
to send it to the District Committee after
a speech made by Senator Taliafero. Of
Florida. Democratic member of the Com
mittee on District Corporations. in which
he said it made no difference to him
which committee got the resolution.
TaIIaferrO's Speech Lost Votes.
After the fight, which lasted two hours.
Senator Brown declared that Senator
Taliaferro's speech probably cost number
of Democratic votes and brought about
the result.
IF the resolution is not reported out OF
the District Committee within q reason
able time" Senator Brown said. Il shall
call it out OF the committee on a question
of privilege and we may move to dis
charge the committee. I do not intend
that the plan to investigate this gas COM
pany shall be smothered."
Senator Gailinger announced that the
bill will probably be referred to a SUBJ
committee OF the District in charge OF
public service corporation matters. of
which Senator Carter. of Montana. is
chairman,
The debate was an interesting one. and
there was evidently feeling between SEN
ators GalHnger and Brown. AT one time
during the discussion Senator Brown re-
marked that if the District Committee got
the resolution il would result in nothing
but an inquiry being made Of the Attor-
ney General for information.
81 regard that" Senator Gallinger an
sWered. jumping to his feet. "as an inten-
tional insult to the committee"
Senator Brown was quick to say it was
not so intended.
At another point In the debate Senator
Brewn inquired with earnestness what the
Committee on Corporations Organized in
the District intended to do. IL it were not
to have charge OF matters affecting cor
poratons organized In the District
Senator Lodge informed Senator Brown
that the committee was probably created
merely for the purpose Of providing a
Craftsmanship.
Most of those who spoke in favor of
giving Senator Gallinger's committee
charge OF the resolution made 1t clear
that they did not intend the Committee
| on Corporations to have anything to DO
with such an important matter as the
possibility Of investigating big corpora
ton like the Gas Company.
It was clearly brought out IN the de-
bate that the Senate. In originally re-
ferring the resolution, which was at first
phrased TO be a request of the Attorney
General for information IN regard TO the
Gas Company, thought it was referring a
routine matter TO the Committee on Cor
porations.
The vote was not strictly party one.
It was as follows:
Teas-Aldrich Bradley Brantegee. Bsiggz, Buck
Icy Durham, Burrows. Carter, Crane CaIioEn
Dick. Dillingham; Du Pout. E7kins Flint, Calm
ger, Gamble, Hale, Johnston. Hsan, Lodge, Mar
tin. Nixon, overnan, Page, Penrcse, Perkins Rich
arlson Root, Scott. smith Of Maryland SmOos
Stephenson. Sutherland. Warner, Warren, and
WetnOTe.
Nays-Borsh, BouTns, Bsistow, Brown. Burkett
Burton. Clapp, Clarke Of Arkansas Clay Cum
Minis. Dixon, Fletchez. Gore. Hughes Jones La
Toilette Money. Nelson. Owen. Percy. Purcell
Shiysly. smith Of South Carolina, TsllAfero and
Taylor.