i iih,hjhi,uii,IWIVI
!
The Commoner.
VOLUME 8, NUMBER 50
avr -- fw rr v WVF
I
VrXIK v w.
r rmivs?"
"ES Tri-,: Trj.
T.llPl'M'' II I I J
"vrauy. mm
JfW1WPWM
f CURR8NT GOPICS 1
i i W li
. ! rfir r .At
gSigC VV I2P$
i ' 'WWTT " -f 'Elr rr'i i'f i T'" f r . Z-w4j!C3
A STORY OF thrift as told by an Associated
Press dispatch from San Francisco fol
lows: "Charles Harvey, a retired soldier, who
has been post quartermaster sergeant at Fort
Rosecrans for some time, drew yesterday from
Colonel George R. Smith, chief paymaster of
the department of California the sum of $13,
900, the amount he had saved from his pay
through the army deposit plan. This is the sec
ond largest sum the chief paymaster of this
department has ever paid to a soldier. Besides
this amount Harvey will receive for the rest of
his life $07.50 a month as retired pay."
THE ENEMIES of Speaker Cannon lost in the
first battle. Mr. Gardner of Massachusetts
offered an amended resolution calling for the
appointment of a committee of eight to consider
the question 0f the revision of the house rules
and to make a report to congress. An Associat
ed Press report says: "A substantial majority
of the house voted to take away from the com
mittee on foreign affairs consideration of the
resolution which in its original form simply
called for Information from the secretary of
state -regarding what the British house of com
mons had done Jn that regard. A ruling by
the speaker that the amendment of Mr. Gard
ner changed the character of the resolution in
such a way as not to make it privileged was sus
tained, and the resolution then was laid on the
table, Twenty republicans, .voted against the
speaker, .as follows: Boyd of Nebraska, Cump
bell of Kansas, Gaulfield of Missouri, Cooper of
Wisconsin, Davis of Minnesota, Ellis of Missouri,
Fowler of New Jersey, Gardner of Massachu
setts, Gronna of North Dakota, Howland of Ohio,
Hubbard of West Virginia, Lindbergh of Minne
sota, McJCinley of California, Madison of Kan
sas, Nelson of Minnesota, Nye of Minnesota,
Pearre of Maryland, Pollard of Nebraska, Sturgis
of West Virginia and Volstead of Minnesota.
Thc-resojution then, on motion of Mr. Gardner,
after he had further attacked the rules of the
house, was laid on the table, 137 to 42, which
has the effect of killing the whole proposition."
THE HOUSE ,of representatives, by unanimous
vote; has adopted a resolution calling the
president to account for his civil service mes
sage. The. resolution was offered by Mr. Per
kins, republican, of New York, chairman of the
special committee.. The, resolution as adopted
is as follows: 'Whereas, There was contained
in the sundry civil appropriation bill which
passed congress at Its last session and became
a. law, a provision in reference to the employ
ment of the secret service of the treasury de
partment; and whereas, in the last annual mes
sage of tho president of the United States to the
two houses of congress, it was stated, in refer
ence to that provision: 'It Is not too much to
say that this amendment has been of benefit only
and could be of benefit only to tho criminal
classes;' and it was further stated: 'The chief
argument in favor .of the provision was that tho
congressmen did not themselves wish to be in
vestigated by secret service men'; and It was
further stated: 'But If this is not considered
desirable a special exception could bo made in
the law, prohibiting the use of the secret service
force In investigating members of congress It
would be far better to do, this than to do what
actually was done and strive to prevent or at
least to hamper effective action against crimi
nals by tho executive branch of the government;'
and whereas, the plain meaning of the words is
that the majority of the congressmen were in
fear of boJngMnvestlgated by secret service men;
and that congress as a whole was actuated by
that motive in enacting the provision in ques
tion; and, whereas, your committee appointed to
consider these statements of the president and
to report to the house can not find in the hear
ings before committees nor in the records of
the house or senate justification for this impeach
ment of thq honor ajid integrity of the congress;
and, whereas, your committee would prefer, in
order to make, an intelligent and comprehensive
report, just to the president; as well as to the
congress, to have all-the information which the
president may -have-to-communicate; therefore,
be it resolved, that the president be requested
to transmit to the house any evidence upon
which he based his statements that the 'chief
argument in favor of the provision was that the
congressmen did not themselves wish to be in
vestigated by secret service men,' and also to
transmit to the house any evidence connecting
any member of the house of representatives of
the Sixtieth congress with corrupt action in his
official capacity, 'and to inform the house whether
he has instituted proceedings by punishment of
any such individual by the courts or has re
ported any such alleged delinquencies to the
house of representatives."
IN REPORTING the resolution, Mr. Perkins
said it had been recommended unanimously
by the special committee and he promised that
as soon as the president should send in any in
formation the committee would make another
report to the house. The Associated Press re-
port of the house proceedings says: "Represent
ative John Sharp Williams expressed tho hope
that the resolution would be adopted promptly
and practically without debate. Mr. Williams
said the committee would impartially report up
on 'this seemingly unprovoked and unjustified
attack upon the honesty and reputation of the
legislative branch of the government.' 'So far
as the committee knows,' said- Mr. Williams,
'there is not a scintilla of evidence to support
.that statement by the president. The commit
tee has thought it would be fair to the president
' to give him further opportunity to produce testi
mony if he has any. The American people have
a right to know if the American congress be .
corrupt.' Such a procedure, he concluded, would
allow the country which, he saidr 'was the mas
ter of both of us,' to exercise judgment in the
matter. The special committee, he said, would
remain In session 'ready to receive, to consider
and to weigh whatsoever competent evidences"
the president can furnish with resolute justice
and impartiality.' Mr. Perkins said that the
committee was actuated by a desire to be entirely
just to the president, and he added that it had
brought in the resolution with that purpose in
view. Mr. Keifer of Ohio, wanted to know
: whether the words 'if not incompatible, with th
public service,' should not be inserted in the
resolution, as is usual in calling on the president
for information. This suggestion called forth
laughter and Mr. Perkins declared that the reso
lution as worded was 'a request for information
and was imperative in its wording.' Mr. Per
kins then cut off further discussion by demand
ing the previous question, and Speaker Cannon
calling for a viva voce vote there was a' chorus
of 'ayes' favoring the passage of the resolution,
followed by a dead silence when the noes were
called for."
SENATOR ALDRICH of Rhode Island intro
duced in the senate a resolution authoriz
ing an inquiry respecting the "insult" offered to
congress in connection with the secret service
matter in the president's annual message The
Aldrich resolution was referred to the commit
tee on contingent expenses and immediately Sen
ator Keane, representing that committee
porting the Aldrich resolution with recommenda
tion tjiat it pass. Senator Culberson of K
democrat, objected. Finally the resolution was
amended toMult Senator Culberson and 2s
adopted, it was as follows: "Resolved ow
that portion of the annual message of the presi
dent relating to the secret service is hereby re
ferred to the committee on appronriation Jh
'are instructed to inquire whethe le legislal on
referred to in the message has impaired the effi
ciency or sufficiency of the force employed in the
secret service and such committee are furthe?
directed to ascertain what portions ntw n
those included in the secret service were iSlH
with LUenLt' f TOw.Vffi1
in tho detection ' or Investn , worlc
crimes or criminal actsTvfflns of CTle
including all-special attornovS Si, he la2v' '
inspectors, -or -other. empye to? rnv SSnt? "
' merit of tho covammoJ1 LJe aT1y depart-
"u Ul y orancn of the :
public service and also some information as to
all persons whose employment was authorized
by indefinite or general appropriations; the in
formation to contain the names of all persons
so employed or paid, their previous occupation
the nature of the work in which they were
engaged, by whom they were appointed, and
upon whose suggestion or recommendation; the
inquiry, however, not 'to include officers ap
pointed by the president and confirmed by the
senate, or officers specifically provided for by
law, or laborers appointed as -such and actuallv
engaged in employment as laborers. For the
purpose of carrying out the instructions of the
senate, the committee on appropriations are
hereby, by sub-committee or otherwise, to sit
during the sessions or recess of the senate, to
send for persons and papers and to subpoena
witnesses, administer oaths, to examine wit
nesses under oath and to employ such clerical
and other assistance as shall enable the commit
tee to report fully and promptly upon the mat
ters contained in this inquiry, the expenses to
be paid from the contingent fund of the senate,
upon vouchers approved by the acting chairman
of the committee on appropriations and said
committee are further, directed to report as soon
as practicable, from time to time the result of
the inquiry and to make such, recommendations
as they may see fit with reference thereto, and
further to report what action, if any, in the
judgment of the committee, the senate should
take with reference to that portion ' of the
message." -
TlHERE WAS considerable4 .discussion over the
Aldrich- resolution: Mr. Bailey ' of , Texas
thought that the' resolution as introduced by
the Rhode' Island senator was not sufficiently
explicit. Mr. Bailey objected to the resolution
because it did not direct the committee to ''in
quire into the very gross and wanton words"
of the president's message. "So far as I am
concerned," lie said, "no action should be taken
on that resolutibn until that point is covered.
Either congress is the most Infamous body that
ever assembled in any country of the world or
it will take some notice of the most wanton and
gross insult, ever given any body in the world."
Mr. Aldrich insisted that the resolution provid
ed for just what Mr. Bailey advocated but the
senator from Texas retorted that if that was
included in the resolution, it was in mild terms.
"The president," he said, "is not so' careful in
what he says about congress, and I can not
understand why congress is so careful about
what it says about him. I regard this as the
most Insulting message ever sent to any body.
I doubt if a mayor ever sent such a message
to a corrupt city council. I believe in talking
plainly to people who talk plainly to us. I be
lieve in reciprocity of that kind. If the presi
dent was not justified in making those state
ments that message ought to bo sent back to
him. No self respecting body should receive a
message which impeaches its honor." Mr. Hale
declared the resolution was sufficiently strongly
worded to permit the committee on appropria
tions to make the kind of report desired by Mr.
Bailey. He said that as chairman of -the com
mittee on appropriations he would prefer to have
had the resolution sent to some other commit
tee but he proposed that the committee would
not shirk its duty. "I would like to inquire of
the senator from Maine," interposed Mr. Till
man, "whether he thinks the senate has been
insulted." Mr. Hale insisted that everyone had
his. own opinion on that subject and anyone was
'as able as ho to form- an opinion.
MR. TILLMAN insisted that according to the
president's message congress Is composed
of a lot of "rascals and scoundrels who belong
.In the penitentiary." Mr. Hale replied that there
had been a good deal of restlessness and Indig
nation in the senate. "There is no restlessness
SL e Wnlt House," retorted Jw;r, Tillman.
They are cool and calm as can be there." Mr.
Bailey then, asserted that in view ol .what Mr.
Hnl.had said about the scope of the resolution
ho would not object to it. "I think' continued
Mr. Bailoy,"that-it Is remarkable that the ques-
tHfHHHH
f
tammnm&mm