Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-07-04
DO MORE PRosINe.
Underground System" at the Capt.
toll Talked About.

Washington, June S0.-A searching
Investigation of the socailed under
ground system" at the capitol not
only BY the senate lobby committee
but select committee Of the house
also. promises to be the first result
Of sensational charges by Martin NJ.
Mulhall, who claims to have been the
general field lobbyist" for the Ma
tional Association Of Manufacturers. !.
Mulhall's startling allegations that
representatives. senator's and high Of
ficials Of the government had been
reached or influenced that the
lobby conducted its operations from,
room in the capitol, paid money TO
employees there, took an active hand
in making up committees and went
out actively in the political campaigns
to defeat congressman who opposed
legislation the lobby" wanted, have
thrown congressional circles into an
upnoar.
congressman named In the Mulhall
charges are issuing statements; some
LOT them denouncing the allegations
as malicious lies" Speaker Clark
last night made a statement confirm
ing the charge that the lobby" had
worked for his defeat. Many con-
gressmen mentioned, however, who
feel that they have been brought in
without any specific charges against
them, declare they. will not be salts
fled with the senate lobby commit
tees investigation alone, but will in
sist on a select committee of the
house to sift the charges.
The senate committee, however, in.
tends to lose no time. A subpoena
already served upon Mulhall is to be
followed by others for the men nam.
ed in the published statements. Chair
man Overman believes that when his
process-servers get through they will
nave spread a dragnet to bring in
material for an investigation covering
the last ten years doings at the cap.
itol at least. If there is any doubt ol
the authority of the senate commit
tee to investigate that far Chairman
overman intends to have the senate
extend its power. Mulhall's state
ments were almost the sole topic Of
discussion in official circles today.
President Wilson discussed the Mu
hall charges briefly today with thu
Washington correspondents, and sait
, he believed the lobby ON the tariff
legislation had ceased to "embarras.
anybody but itself"
When the president made his frs
declaration that a numerous and in
sidious lobby" was operating in Wash
ington, he had no idea that sucl
charges as made by Mulhall wer
J brought out, but he added, he was 70
investigating all charges and had M
! doubt the committee would have ;
free hand. The president told hi,
: callers the accusations in the Mulhal
statement had been called to his at
tention Just before the publication
1t was learned today that Senator
Overman's attention also had beef
called to a portion of the charges.
Chairmna 0verman called his com
mittee for a short executive session
and its conclusion announced that q
full investigation of the AIulbap
charges had been agreed upon.
I'VE will go to the bottom of the
charges, he said, and while I have
no doubt the committee has the au.
thority, if it has not we will have its
authority extended"
1t was decided that no meeting Of
the committee would be held until
July 2S. Charges by Chairman Lovett
of the Union Pacific board, that Ger.
tain men in New York had been i'm.
) personating congressman, and in
which the name Of c. E. Edward Lau
terbach and David Lamar were
brought in, will be first taken up and
the Mulhall charges will follow.