The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-27
Hitchcock Gets Resolution
Passed to Investigate Delay
in Making Report.
CANNON INDIGNANTLY SAYS
HE WAS NOT TO BLAME
Speaker Intimates That Repre-.
sentative Is Creating a
Tempest in a Teapot.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 26.-Today IN the
on the ocean mall ship subsidy bill and
the Lorimer investigation. Mr.. Shively
OF Indiana opposing the former and Mr..
Cummins of Iowa criticising the COM
mittee on privileges and elections.
The senate passed the legislative. ex-
ecutive and judiciary appropriation bill.
The pay Of the secretary 10 the presl-
dent was fixed at $4,000 a year.
Proceedings In the house were enliv-
ened by an inquiry as 10 why forty mine
days had ELAPSED without the reports in
the BallingerPinchot investigation.
The resolution was introduced by Mr.
Hitchcock, II requested an investigation
and a report within a week. A former
resolution by Mr.. Hitchcock stated that
three reports were received from the
committee on investigation on December
last, and sharply criticised "the un-
eXpla ined delay. doubt and mystery in
referring said reports 10 the committee
on agriculture.
Investigation Demanded.
The resolution set forth that the ref
erence was not made until December 10.
The committee did not receive the print
ed reports until yesterday.
During that PERIOD continued the
resolution, they were neither upon the
speakers table nor in the hands of the
committee on agriculture.
Therefore resolved, that these trreSu-
lar proceedings are thus misleading
and improper treatment of these re-
ports. rendering them for six weeks un-
available and inaccessible. and consti-
tute violation OF the proper procedure
OF the house, and the committee on rules
be. and II is hereby directed, TO inves-
tigate and report 10 the house within
one week the reason for the delay and
irregular treatment of these reports
Speaker Cannon said he knew nothing
Of why the delay should have occurred,
Mr.. Cannon intimated that II Mr- Hitch
cock had been present in the house
oftener In the last few weeks and he
had earlier called attention TO the mat
ter there might not have been so much
delay.
Nh Hitchcock replied that the speak
ers criticism was rot justified.
The chair" said the speaker, has
no objection to any investigation that
may be made. The chair only desires
that member of the house should not
place the chair. the committee or the
house subject to criticism that may
cepted possibly as a fact by the ever
rigilant-and fair-press OF the coun-
try. until. in an orderly course of pro-
cedure and without prejudice. the facts
may be obtained
Hitchcock Is Inconsistent,
It was then the substitute resolution
was offered. Representative Scott OF
Kansas. chairman OF the committee on
agriculture. declared that a delay In
the government printing office had been
due TO the necessity OF preparing a liIho-
graph map of Alaska.
THAT shows another reason for this
investigation" shouted Mr.. Hitchcock
Your explanation is entirely different
from the speakers.
II said the delay might have been due
TO extra copies" said the speaker. with
a bang OF the gavel Matters of this
kind pass beyond the view of the speaker.
As far as the speaker and his force is
concerned, this matter has been handled
according to the law, the practice and
customs OF the house. II the gentleman
from Nebraska is as anxious TO have the
facts as the chair is, without sensational
statements, the chair is entirely sat
isfcd."
The resolution after some further de-
bate. was adopted IL developed later
that the reports did not pass through the
speakers hands. but were marked for ref
erence to the committee on agriculture in
the usual way and ordered printed.
In the meanwhile, word came from the
senate that Senator Nelson had intro
duced concurrent resolution providing
for the printing OF 5000 extra copies
Pending action on the resolution, the or
der for printing was held up in the
clerks office. The resolution did not
come from the senate until December II
and was not passed by the house until
December 20.
In holding up the reports from The
printer, the clerk in charge had over
| ence noted In the journal OF the house
her