The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-12-22
HAS
HONOR Of MAKING
OLD-TIME SPEECH
Congressman FINS Garrett, Of
Dresden, Takes Republicans
to Task for Criticism Of
Democratic Presidents.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Correspondent Of The News
Semnar.)

N*fN W. ~ " ltlkuAEn InlkS MltnF
good, old fashioned rough and tumble
speech Of the kind that makes Ameri-
can poltlcS appeuEng passes on to the
insecurity OF the record unless those
VINO chance to have heard il spread
the word that is worth reading.
Sqeh speech has just been deliv-
cred by. Representative FINS Garrett.
OF Dresden, Tenn whose remarks have
attracted considerable attention, first,
among business men, who resent the
sweeping imputation and generaliza-
IONS mat Just because they did bust
ness WIN the government during the
war ,they must necessarily have de.
irauued the government. and second,
among the Democrats who have been
snarting under the attack Of their Re.
bbu uo colleagues concerning tho COM
some Of their colleagues toward the
health Of President Wilson. The oc
caslon was the discussion of the re-
port mace by the Republican majority
o. the committee investigating eXpendi.
lures IN the war department
Inc testimony taken before this
subcommittee explained Garrett "at
NE Ine outset covers two large Volumes,
livery case presents a purely legal
question IN itself. No man can pFss
Juogment upon any one of those cases
tn dttiout nearing or reading all OF the
testimony that has been taken, 10
we object to the facts coming out? No.
DO we object TO discussion? No. What
Eve 90 object to is the opportunity OF
lnterences 10 be cast out to the com.
ny predicdted alone upon only a part
~ 5ne testimony that has been taken,
E!sht business firms of this country
sTe mentioned by name in the report
IlIeo oy the majority of the commit
zee and 1t is followed with the state
meht that the settlement Of these
s sradinS ~ some OF these cases without
specllylng, seem to have been obvious.
~ tainted with fraud In what re-.
Spect are they tainted with fraud, and
whose fraud? Fraud upon the part OF
me negotlators Of the government or
!rauo upon the part of the first men.
n ~ l submit that it is an injustice
committee, Of this house to bring be.
Iore thus body in an official report nj
iesatlonS attacking the integrity ~
business firms without specifying the
n nl[Ln they would attack or the en-
ernment VI wb heprefsSentatiyes Of the gov
nave been guilty Of fraud"
AFTER an exhaustive discussion of tbn
report, Mr.. Garrett accused the Re.
puDlicans of conducting the entire in.
W. eS11Isatlon not TO attack the officers
IN france, but merely to criticse fbs
president Of the United States and md
! secretary of war ""N
tIlticise the president of the United
otates? Why, that is characteristir "
eSeMlmed Mr.. Garrett. Ibid if ever
c osruL 10 you that since the RepubG-
| Gdh party came into existence there
nave been five Democratic presidentS
olS @Gu ny the United States?
one OF them the Republicans them.
| 49, Nominated and elected as vice
p ar ANDREW Johnson aud he be
I ~ ~ az pIeslueut ny reason OF the death
u the great Lincoln and they impeaSrfha'
e. 81 ana sought to Gust him from offine
nc next one CTilden), who was elect.
g1 oy the people, they stole II frnn,
1hs ether three they have slanderad
"s 9i1S;o nN yg and traduced while dead
months ago when an effort Voc d icy, le~
20 set aside little plot of gromn H I n9o'
| dent Buchanan. " resi-
al SSriticizing the president of the Init
II HTShh es why, he is accustomed TO
SONS Of criticism in cloak rooms THpt a3i
LIAM raaMIlig rooms and on the street com
pateu 10 which the jlbes OF the ruftar-
amipe are gracious compliments Rut
f enai,a rs net all, Mr. Speaker. o.
forced a way into the sick chambc fop ~
n 1ne president under the pretense Of
reforming public business, thouph oy
eIE man knows, and the president ht,,
ecu knew, that the visitor went thera !
dnr ~ .t.IuNoltOH ot lunaCy with an or.
uer 20 return the writ within AZ hours |
T.. And how Disappointing it must "H bays |
80, untn LOT Nun to meet there a mind clear
uttotS heu by vision that stlll looked |
NY tne lar future unclouded; and a ,vilI |
nnrn' ltoug! he had suffered a ten.
bringing about peace of he w g,lpI' a LOT
Ely sJiaSShching the flow of blood Of man
klhd. And now the president has add'
gu u HlsuiL 10 injury by walking -
rva lret .'s ring 70 the fact that "in every
tr 1i L o1 consequence in which this coun.
Try ias been engaged except one, Tie
secretary Of war was a Democrat" '0
i, Garrett called attention to the thinvs
that occurred when Republican 80
I cGG,ary o. war, Horatio Alger, was in
l dlsdain to make any intimation az
10 things that occurred during thai
ddnnihstration as charging MIR AIger
I Wlth responsibility No man of seSsa
would think for single moment thai
ne or tle great and kindlyMcKinley were
1000 that was fed to the soldiers Of th te
country IN that war, and there is nc Nc
political advantage to be obtained frnn,
II, and none was obtained. And | toll
none non. ss rar, men now, you will derive
''G HIr ' f:3rro tRls constant nagging."
ane record speak for itself ana then
quoted this sentence from the concl,id'
lns paragraph Of the report Of Gen
Fe.rrishlng, IN which he said;
IN closlHg this report, Mr. Secretary
! desire to record my deep apprscia I'll ton n
II the unqualified support accorded M, me
and yourself. Ny task was simpiifIeS
by, your confidence and wise counsel"
M Jarrett closed with one Of the
mouse in recent years, He said:
- resent the. imputation Of fraud
contained E, IN this report. I resent il
N me name Of my party, one OF whose
members happens to have been secreta.
~ o. war throughout these grueins
N that department, men Of different no.
utlcal faith, with whom have come IA
fidence W.
>, Z, resent it y the name Of the living
name Of the mothers Of the soldiers who
died in France and who have their place
In the warriors heaven ~
You shall not, at least. without my
earnest protest and my feeble dispute.
hearts to suffer more by untruthfuily
alleging that the administration under
which they fought for their country was
shot through with fraud
challenge that statement and de-
mand the proof
il may not be an extenuation of tho
course. of the Republicans. but It is 4
fact that under similar circumstances
the Democrats have led the attack
though admittedly without political sd.
But the speech of Representative Oar.
rett may he considered the typical Dem.
ocrattc viewpoint at present in reniv
to the charges Of fraud which the house
coInmittees have been investigating for
The last six months.
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