The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-21
Congressman Rainey and
Austin Engage in Fierce
Oratorical Encounter.
RAlNEY ACCUSES AUSTIN OF
BEING CLOSELY ASSOCIATED
WITH AN ALLEGED WATER
POWER TRUST IN TENNESSEE
RAINEY REPLIES THAT AUSTIN
is A DEFAMER AND A DEMA-
coGUE.
BY Associated Press.


Washington, Aug. 20.-Representa-
tive Rainey, democrat of Illinois, and
Representative Austin of Tennessee,
a republican, fought a wordy battle
in the house today and exchanged bit
ter personalities. Each had fifty -four
minutes allowed under a special rule.
Mr.. Raney charged that Mr.. Austin
was personally interested in water
power legislation, that he was one of
the incorporators Of a big company in
the vicinity of Knoxville, Tenn, to be
benefited by pending legislation and
that well trodden traip' led from
the congressional office Of Mr.. Austin
to the offices Of the so-called water
power trust.
The incident was the sequel to a re-
cent exchange Of personalities between
the two members when Mr.. Rainy
objected to certain bills introduced by
Mr.. Austin and Mr.. Austin retaliated
by calling Mr.. Rainey a defamer from
Illinois, and a demagogue.
In the recent colloquoy Mr.. Rainey
said Mr.. Austin had declared that
If he, as a representative, had favored
the water power trust he would con-
slider he had disgraced himself and If
Mr.. Rainey could produce proof of his
guilt he would resign.
WOULD NOT BE MISSED.
'T do not ask the gentleman to re-
sign from this body" said Mr.. Rainey
today, delivering carefully prepared
speech. II do not think however. that
the cause OF weter power conserva-
tion in Tennessee would suffer If the
gentlenlan's connection with the house
would cease. The gentleman will be
missed If he resigns however by wa
terpower lobbyists. But those inter-
ested on the water power conserva-
tton win not regret his absence from
this body"
Recently Mr.. Rainey objected to
bills of Mr.. Austin to provide for
seventeen dams in Tennessee, two of
which were to be in the congressional
district of a colleague, Representative
Sells, who knew nothing of the bills
until after the subject had been dis
cussed in the house, according to Mr..
Rainey.
Mr.. Rainey charged that under the
Austin bills and the omnibus dam
bill, the Tennessee hydro electric COM
pany was to have a franchise to erect
four dams In the Clinch river, one dam
IN the EOW6l1 TlN6Ts lH6 (l1uSu 44NSA
Power Company was to erect another
dam in the Clinch river and five Nor
ristown, Tenn, citizens were to erect
two dams in the Clinch river, 'har-
mony remarkable enough to excite
suspicion" added Mr. Rainey. He re-
ferred to what he called the absolute
bad faith Of all these Tennessee en-
terprises," and said he knew of no
70 xrh
scrupulous water power manipulators
can do with water power proposition
than the illustration furnished by the
Knoxville Power Company.
y WATER POWER TRUST.
'This company" he said, made the
first attempt to deliver the city Of
Knoxville and all of that territory to
the water power trust. 1t had live
incorporators. The records Of the sec
retary of state Of Tennessee show that
Richard w. Austin was one of them,
the same Richard w. Austin who now
represents the second district of Ten
nessee."
Mr.. Rainey said that prior to Mr..
Austins congressional career the
Knoxville Power Company had been
turned over to manipulators and
managers of international reputation;
that "it Is possible to produce at any
time the admissions of the gentleman
from Tennessee that he had been au-
thorized to assist Former United
States Treasurer Charles H. Treat in
dlsposing Of the franchise"
Mr.. Rainey said that Mr.. Charles II.
Treat Mr.. George Sullivan and
Richard w. Austin on May 4, 1910,
gave to F. R. Weller, Of Washington,
an option to dispose Of the holdings of
the Knoxville Power Company for
S160.00O which on August %, 1910,
was accepted by the Aluminium Com
pany of America, closely allied with
the General Electric Company, the
very largest of the six water power
groups in the United States.
''No member OF this house is on
closer terms of business relationship
with the representatives of the great
w ter power trust than the gentleman
from Tennessee" said Mr.. Rainey.
"The trail from his congressional Of
fee here leads to the office Of f. r.
Weller, Of Washington; to the Office
of Charles H. Treat, former treasurer
of the United States; to the firm of
Cromwell and Sullivan, dealers in in
ter-ocean canals and water power
properties, to the banking firm Of the
Kuhus in Pittsburgh, and to ]. P Nor