The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-04-30
LOBBY REPORT MADE
JUDICIARY BODY GIVES HOUSE
FINDINGS IN N. A. N. AND
MeDERMoTT CASE.
MAJORITY is FOR CENSURE
Minority Recommendation Demands
Expulsion Of Member From Illinois
Lobbyists Are "lnformaIIy" Con-
demned In Statement.

Washington, D. c., April 27.-
Whether the invisible government is
greater than the constituted govern
ment was the issue put squarely up to
the house of representatives Friday
by the members of the judiciary COM
mittee of that body.
On behalf of the majority OF the
committee, Representative Floyd OF
Arkansas, Democrat, presented a re-
port which in its recommendations not
only treats the invisible government
with great consideration, but declares
it immune from punishment by the
constituted government.
The report by the majority of the
committee recommends merely the
censure of Representative James T.
McDermott of Chicago for his partici-
patton in the lobby scandal. A minor
ity report by Representative John M
Nelson of Wisconsin and George s.
Graham of Pennsylvania, Republicans
recommends the expulsion OF McDer-
mott.
The majority OF the committee IN
formally" condemns the officials of the
National Association OF Manufacturers
]. Philip Byrd, John Kirby Jr., and
James A. Emery, and former Field
Agent Martin NJ. Mulhall for I'M
proper and reprehensible lobby activi-
ties and systematic secret and dis
reputable practises against the honor
dignity and integrity" Of the house IN
the last congress.
But any formal punishment, even
censure of this organization or OF It's
officials, is beyond the power OF the
house, says the majority Of the com
mittee, because the offenses were COM
mitted during the previous congress.
That the invisible government is not
immune from punishment by the con-
stituted government is contended by
Representative FitzHenry of Illinois,
Democrat, who filed a minority report
Representative Floyd announced
that he would call the report up for
action by the house at later date
At that time the house will decide the
issue raised by the invisible govern
ment and the constituted government.
The resolution of expulsion pro-
posed In the minority report by Repre-
sentatives Nelson and Graham fol-
| lows:
Resolved, That James T. Nc
Dermott, a representative from
the state Of Illinois, having been
guilty Of gross misconduct en-
tirely inconsistent with his public
trust and duty, be and he Is here
by expelled from his seat as
member Of this house.
In their dissenting views recon-
mend the expulsion Of McDermott
Representatives Nelson and Graham
say:
The large purpose Of any action to
be taken in cases Of this kind Is not
punishment of an individual, but the
protection of the honor of the house
the maintenance Of the confidence of
the people in its integrity and the
preservation of it's self-respect before
the eyes Of the world.
"The undersigned in this minority
report respectfully submit that care
full weighing OF the evidence by the
membership of the house, provided we
Law aside for the moment a wholly
misplaced feeling Of personal sym
pathy and look at the contradictions,
evasions, and shifts in his testimony
with cold common sense and dispas'
sfonate Judgment, must inevitably lead
to the conviction that Mr.. McDermott
is guilty, to say the least, Of corrupt
misconduct, wholly incompatible with
official honor trust, and duty.
"His admitted transactions with the
district liquor dealers lobby; his un'
deniable transactions with the pawn
brokers' lobby; his peculiar relation,
ship with the National Brewers as
sociation; his proven transactions
with Mulhall in accepting sums Of
money; his inexcusable action in ask
ing the manufacturers association for
financial credit, and his soliciting cam
paign funds from corporations, know
ing that such contributions are In
violation of law, these interests being
vitally concerned in pending legisla
ton and in every instance it being
clear that Mr. McDermott received
these funds in his representative ca
pacity-alt these venal transactions
lead imperatively to the conclusion Of
guilt to a moral certainty"