Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-14

When Samuel insult, Illinois pun
lie utility magnate, and states Attor-
nev Grove refused before the senate
investigating committee 10 answer
questions relating to local primary
campaign contributions they raised
questions involving the powers or
congress to punish for contempt. ana
nossiblv affecting the whole congress
sional investigation practice. MoS'
of the newspaper comment Indicates
emphatic belief that the public has
right to know the facts about all caih-
paign contributions.
"Nhether the Senate has or has not
a legal right to extend it's probe to
local primaries and elections may be
debatable question: admits the
syracuse Herald independently, but
"the Senate is entitled to the beneft
of the doubt for two reasons. Inc
Herald then refers to unchallenged
PENNSYLVANIA and Illinois inVestlga-
tons covering contributions to the
urinary funds of contestants lor
state office. as well as for the senator
ship. and argues that the same pow.
err extends to campaigns in pontlcai
subdivisions of the State AS the
second reason for the Senate's rlght
to inuuire, the Herald contends: IN
sull, in his capacity of pubic utll-
ties car was the biggest contributor
to the campaign of Col. Frank Smlth'
Inasmuch as his political activities
and his personal prodigality in that
direction are a matter of grave pub
lie concern it logically follows that
the committee had the right to so
to the limit and to show the full
measure of Insults operations as a
political promoter and angel.
X x X
In further support of this view the
Grand Rapids Press independently
states that "plainly Mr.. insult could
have given and Mr.. Grove could have
received and spent sums which direct
Nv were for the support of candidates
for iudgeships and other county jobs
but indirectly were for the obtaining
of good will and support for a sena
torial candidate. The Press ADDS
that contempt of the Senate is serl
Gus offense, carried down from the age
old contempt of the high court OF
Parliament and this seems to be
case for it's justified application.
The Newark Evening News dndepend:
ent agrees that technically. lnsull
may be right. in law but 1t insists
that ut would be better business. as
well as COIllIIlO1l SSIloC, dLlOA IAaS iiOCN
of light already shed upon his cam
paign largess. to make a clean breast
of the whole thing. And if he won t.
he should be made to. If that be pos
sible." concludes the Newark paper.
THE Senators have every right tc
inuuire into expenditures and methods
in the contests for Senate seats, re
marks the Durham Sun independently
| but the State and the county Will
have to wash their own linen. Which
gives rise TO a certain amount OF sur
prise as to why Illinois isn't aroused
hv the manner in which elections are
bought and traded away there. WITH
similar suggestion the Saglna"
News Courier independently points out
that lit must not be forgotten that by
far the greater part of the s172,92s
was contributed to advance the candi
dacy of Frank l.. Smith, who hap
pened at the time to be, as he now is
chairman of the Illinois commission
exercising extraordinary powers over
regulation and rates of all the many
utilities in which Mr.. insult is inter
ested'
ut has never been shown that either
branch of Congress possesses the
, mower TO infiict punishment for con
tempt in such instances" according
to the Reno Evening Gazette (Republi
CAM. but the Spokane Spokesman Re
view independent Republican,. be
lieving that the Senate committee
and probably the Senate later, viii
deal with that suspicious contunacy,'
asserts that public judgment will
hardly wait for that action. Expendi
lures in primary elections" continues
the Spokesman Review. are public
/ business. They affect the wellbeine
and even the life Of our institutions
The refusal of these witnesses to give
the committee further information vii