Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-20
Rainsy Of Illinois is Ac-
cuser of Austin of
Tennessee.
LATTER IN A COMPANY
Alleged to Have Assisted in At.
tempt to Deliver Over City
of Knoxville.

Washington, Aug. 20.-Representa-
tive Rainey of Illinois, a democrat, and
Representative Austin Of Tennessee, a
republican, fought a wordy battle in
the house today. and exchanged bit
ter personalities. Rarney charged Aus
tin with being one of the incorporators
OF big water power company at Knox
vile, Tenn, to be benefited by pending
Legislation. The incident was sequel
to recent exchange of personalities
between the two members when Rainey
objected TO certain bills introduced by
Austin and Austin retaliated by calling
Rainey a dreamer and demagogue.
SEVENTEEN DAMS.
Recently Rainey objected to bills
by Austin to provide II dams in Ten
nessee, two of which would be in the
congressional district of his colleague,
Sells, who knew nothing of the bills
until after the subject was discussed
in the house, according to Rainey.
Rainey referred to what he called the
absolute bad faith OF all these Ten
nessee enterprises" and said he knew
/ 'of no better illustration as to what
INSCRIPTIONS water power manipulate
ors can do with water power than the
illustration furnished by the Knoxville
company.
TRY TO DELIVER CITY.
This company" he said, made the
first attempt to deliver the city of
Knoxville and all that territory TO the
water power trust. 1t had five incor-.
porators. The records of the secre-
tary Of the state of Tennessee show
Richard w. Austin to be the same
Austin who now represents the Second
Tennessee district" Rainey said prior
to Austin's congressional career the
Knoxville power company had been
turned over to manipulators and man.
ayers OF international reputation"
that 'if it is possible to produce at
any time admissions from the gentle
man from Tennessee that he had been
authorized to assist former United
States Treasurer Charles II. Treat in
cisposing of a franchise
SELL FOR 100000
Rainey said that Treat, George r.
Sullivan and Richard w. Austin, May
4, 1910, gave to F. r. Weller of Wash
, ington an option to dispose of the hold
; ings of the Knoxville Power company,
| for 100000, which Aug 20, 1910, was
accepted by the Aluminium company of
America closely allied with the
General Electric company, the very
] largest of six water power groups in
, the United States" mo member of
! this house is on closer terms and
business relationship with the repre-
sentatives of the great water power
trust than the gentleman from Tennes-
see," said Rainey.
AUSTIN GROWS BITTER.
Austin then sprang to his feet, i'm
mediately at the conclusion of Raj
ney's speech and with intense bitter
ness began a reply. He referred to
' Rainey's indictment of Charles p.
Taft in connection with the Panama
: canal acquisition, and declared those
l charges were not proved.
, SERGEANTS-AT-ARM NEAR.
He referred 10 Rainey as the de.
famer from Illinois," and declared his
waterpower bills had been passed upon
by the house interstate commerce
committee, every member Of which is
the peer of the gentleman from Hi
nois" SO bitter was the feeling Of the
two men that a sergeant-at-arms occu-
-. pied a strategic position. The house
, listened nearly TWO hours to the sur
: prisiug acrimonious debate and took
no action.
. HOUSE ADOPTS REPORT.
The house adopted the conference
II report on the naval appropriation bill.
/. The measure now goes to the presi-
0 dent. It provides for one battleship
and a number Of submarines