The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-06-11
|MONETAR BOARD
IS BEING PRObED
Democrats Regard This Com.
mission an Asylum Only
for Lame Ducks"
BY RoDERIcck CLIFFORD

Washington, June 10-The congress.
sional probe is extending into many
government affairs which have hith-
erto been exempt from the white glare
of publicity, and among other things
which are now being investigated is
the National Monetary commission.
The Democrats have long had their
eye upon this organization. which is
commonly regarded as an asylum for
lame ducks" and what the probe
has already discovered has been lit
tie short of amazing.
The National Monetary Commission
has been chiefly monetary" in its
capacity for spending money. 1t has
organized rich junkets to Europe; ii
has issued voluminous and expensive
monographs; it has contrived to
spend the peoples money in a score
or more of original ways.
Naturally, the Democrats are not
going to make the probe too harsh
and severe, since some loyal mem
bers of their party are also members
of the commission. Among these are
former Senators fernando De Soto
Money of Mississippi, and J. P. Italia
ferro of Florida.
10 Given Immunity
One of the delightful facts about the
Nationa; Monetary Commission II
that the law creating it gives it i'm
munity from the shNp-eyed auditor
The chairman of the commission, for
mer Senator .Aldrich, can reach into
the Federal treasury, extract from Il
whatever sum of money he requires
and no questions are asked.
The criticism of the National Mon
etary Commission is by no means con
fined to the present Congress-. A feel
ing against it has existed for more
than a year past. but because of thu
strong grip which Senator Aldricl
kept over the senate, it was impossi
BILE to pass any resolution of investi
cation in the upper chamber. 1t wal
not until the Democrats were swep
into power in the house Of represen
tatives that there was any hope tina
the Monetary Commission would hav'
to submit to the whip of effective or
position. - ...- 30
Among members of congress Their
immense amount of money in fash
ion utterly inexcusable and that
resolution to abolish it will hardl
have a single dissenting vote whel
presented to either house or senate.
The European trip of the commits
sion-''ail expenses paid without aut
iting"-cost the Federal treasury $40
25o.1S. There are ten of the commits
sioners, and apparently they had
good time abroad, while supposedly il
search of financial information.
Then there was the celebrated Jul
ket at Narragansett Pier in July. 100!
in the height of the fashionable seas
on. A bill for a single meeting Their
that is series of sessions lastin
not more than a week-was $3,439.7:
The commission has never been abb
to put forth any pressing business res
son why it met at Narragansett Pie
except that the ocean breeze Their
might furnish excellent recuperativ
treatment for lame ducks" In Jun
1905. a meeting in New York cost
comparatively modest sum, only $21l
60. Later sessions in the metropoli
were similarly cheap" SO that tn
Narragansett Pier meeting looms, u
all the more significantly in cons
quence.
One of the striking and humoro,
features of the report of the commi
sion is that relating to history of til