The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-03-28

ference on the part of the political
leaders of the two great parties.
Now there is full realization that the
use of the word Interference may be
taken to mean that the leaders may
attempt TO call halt in the march
toward the truth concerning possibly
guilty ones, but really it means moth
ing of the kind 1t is pretty we'll I'M
derstood here that some of the Demo
cratic and Republican chieftains have
come TO the belief that the country
is tired of an investigation which
seemingly is following lines leading
into the fields of innocence just as
actively as it Is following those which
may lead into the field of guilt.
Seemingly, therefore, 1t may be that
suddenly there will come cessation
of some of the committees labors. An
immense amount of stuff has been
turned over TO reveal nothing at all
of pertinence to the subject of the In
qufry. 1t Is said now that some Of
the Democratic chieftains particular
ly fear there may be reaction In the
country against the methods which
have been employed. To put 1t an
other way, there seems to be grow
Ing feeling that really important
sthings are being smothered In feath-
err bed of words about entirely unim-
portant things.
Daugherty Making Fight.
Now the Daugherty inquiry is on.
The attorney general elected to make
fight for his own, and 1t is only the
truth to say that he has won personal
admiration for his determination from
the members of both parties in this
town. The Daugherty inquiry, OF
course, is not supposed to be trial.
but in fact 1t is a trial with major
ity of the investigators probably more
than prejudiced in advance against
the defendant In the case. However,
if the facts show innocence, prejudice
can do nothing because the public
will make itself felt. and If there is
guilt it will be brought out and ev.
erybody will forget that the majority
of the Investigators possibly had pre-
judged the case.
No one knows yet definitely wheth-
er President Coolidge would have been
better satisfied If the attorney gen.
eral had followed the example of Sec
rotary of the Navy DENLY and hand
ed in his resignation as a cabinet
member. The two cases In way
are somewhat different, for the inti-
nations in the DENLY case were that
he might in some way or other be
connected directly with the oil lease
proceedings in which negligence of
duty was manifest.
On the other hand, Attorney General
Daugherty's case is in a way only in
directly connected with oil leases. He
has admitted that he bought oil stocks,
but he has said that he bought for
investment and not for speculative
purposes. This brings up the old
question as to whether or not 1t Is
proper for government official, while
he is government official, to pur-
chase or to own stock in any con-
Germ which possibly may become In
volved in government inquiry proceed
ings.
Power of the "Progressives."
So far as these Investigations are
concerned, 1t might be said in the gen.
eral method of their conducting, there
is proof found that the so-called pro-
gressive element in the senate holds
in investigating matters something
much more than that balance of pow
er which 1t holds in the senate proper.
| While a Democrat acts as chief pros
ecutor in the oil investigation, his
methods, so far as one can judge, are
entirely approved by the progressive
Republicans who also hold committee
membership.
The old line Republicans who sit II
| tile committee seemingly are content
TO let things go their way unchecked
but ii may be that there is some wis
dom in this because, as has been in.
timated before. the present thought.
or perhaps hope, is that the country
eventually will object to the outreach-
ing committee procedures.
Announcement has been made by
the two attorneys appointed by Pres
ident Coolidge to look into the whole
subject of oil that criminal proceed
-ings will be brought Immediately after
the civil suits to set aside the oil leases.
The sharp question now in Wash
ington is, Against whom are indict-
ments to be brought? In cases of al
legged bribery there must be two par
ties to the temptation deal, or per-
haps more. There are the bribed and
there are the bribers. What are their