Speech #630106022

I an in favor of the purposes of that resolution. but I find by a casual examination that since 1899 we have had 28 of these commissions. and that the whole amount expended by them has been over $7.000.000. I think it is time to call a halt on these commissions. Take the Immigration Commission. which. according to the report given me this morning. spent perhaps between $800.000 and $850.000. They brought back a report that could have been obtained by our consuls abroad without the expenditure of a single additional dollar. I have examined the items of expenditure by that commission. First. I discover that we paid for carriage hire to the House of Lords. Did we expect any emigrants from the hereditary lords of Great Britain? I find an item for carriage hire to visit Westminster Abbey. Did we expect any emigrants from that abbey. the oldest in the world. where rest the remains of 13 of Englands Kings and 4 of her sovereign Queens. and where Henry IV " shuffled off." over 500 years ago. in the Jerusalem corner? Did we expect any emigrants from Westminster Abbey? Then I find a report of n expenditure for carriage hire to the Catacombs of Rome. Did we expect any emigrants from those subterranean caverns that have been silent in death for over 1.800 years? Then I find an item. that has been paid. for carriage hire in Constantinople--for joy rides at night in caloric Constantinople. Did they expect any emigrants from there? Did they sind any desirable emigrants fromn the harem of the imperial Sultan? I find an item for carriage hire from Joppa to Jerusalem. and so on. Tite Member who had charge of that commission took over with him some 30 of his friends. who were anxious to make the tour of Europe at the expense of the Government of the United States.