Show OP1A THE DOORS Senator TELLER has introduced a resolution reso-lution to provide that hereafter executive nominations shall be considered bj the Senate in open session The resolution will not be acted upon till next winter by S which time it is to be hoped the Senators will have acquired enough courage to adopt it Several times have efforts been made to open the doors of the Senat on these occasions < but they have invariably failed owing partly to the objection of the gentlemen in that branch of Congress to change a rule but more largely to the cow ardicc of the majority of the Senators Never before however has a Senator with the influence of TELLER come to the front in open and earnest advocacy of the proposition propo-sition which leads to the hope and belief that the rule may be broken down Many a mans character has been blasted in that star chamber Charges are presented pre-sented of which he has no knowledge and which because of his ignorance of them cannot be answered The reporters and correspondents get hints and intimations of what is going on and they enlarge upon these with sensational and slanderous effect Furthermore in the absence of definite knowledge of what is said the uewspapei people too often give their imagination full play and the poor nominee is covered allover with slimy insinuations The Senators cannot correct these if they were disposed to do so for their lips ares are-s bj a rule which none dues violate But perhaps the ugliest feature of this closed door business is the protection wh C 1 it gives to the blackguards the defamers de-famers and the cowards if we will be per i nutted to suggest the possibility of such i characters ever getting into the Senate Man talk there as they would not talk if their words were to be repeated they say things which they would not dare say if they had an idea that their criticisms and condsmnation would reach the fears of their victims A man who is worthy to sit in the United States Senate should have the courage to stand by his words before all the world He shoold be man enough to say to a persons face what he says behind his back to make no charges which he is afraid to uphold t up-hold beforo lho accused He certainly I ought to be enough of a man to avoid I shielding himself behind the closed doors of the Senate while he blackens the character I char-acter of another If a Senator cannot give good reason for opposing a nomination he ought not to oppose and if he has a valid I reason he should be afraid of nobody in advancing it Senator TEIIEKS resolution has been called forth by the newspaper criticism and abuse called out by the rejection of the nomination of MCIIAT IhLSTEUI to be minister to Germany The Colorado Senator Sen-ator it is said is one of those who voted against the confirmation and as a consequence conse-quence he has been attacked most savagelj by partisan organs but cannot defend himself him-self his tongue being tied TELLER is a man of courage and independence He is not afraid tosaj why opposed Hu STEAD and he would say it before the whole world a3 fieelj and frankly as before his brother Senators lIe as well as the nominee should have the privilege of being placed right on the record The public also should know what is brought out in the Sdnate concerning an official It frequently fre-quently happens that very grave charges ue preferred against candidates and the charges are proven notwithstanding which the nominations are confirmed partisanship being stronger than honest If the public were aware of the facts the majority of the Senate would not dare to confirm a man against whom wrongdoing 01 mcompctcncj had been proven There is no good reason for closing the doors of the Senate while nominations are being discussed On the contrary there is every reason for permitting the public to know all the facts If the nominee is afraid of the truth if he cannot face the world he ought not to be placed in the office and no rule should be allowed to shield a Senator Sen-ator in improper work |