Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-04-30

dom of Mr.. WIMoT's course, and that it was
the true policy for the interests of the State.
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES, }
Harrisburg, Jan. Is, lSjI. !
| Hos. DAVID WiLMor.-Dear Sir Your friends here
will bring volr name before the Legislature connection
with the office OF United State, senator The main o'ec-
ton urged against you arises out OF an impression enter
tanned by many that "a are uricud'! 10 the great IN
terests of our State.
We should lie glad to see YOU here bat if you cannot
visit Harrisburg before the election please give us in
letter the history of your coGf.e IN Congress %" the tar
question there to bc misrepresentation abroad
in regard to your views if have properly understood
them. L. LAPORIE.
MCNrRosF Jan. % Iejj
Nj DEAR SIR " or favor came hand last evening.
do not thuk shall be at Harrisburg. The week
ton between my Courts would he mostly occupied III the
journey leaving but little time to make the acquan
tance OF gentlemen assembled at the Capitol Again
if difficulties in the way am reluctant to show
myself at Harrisburg this time. Not that ndifcr
ent the issue of the Senatorial election but do not
wish to appear selfish and ambitious asiraht for the
place. have not You well know been eager for Sen
atoral honors, have l. in any way Whatever been in
struncnta in making mySeia candidate. Tie connection
my with the office OF Senator Is the result of the
late signal revolution in the politics oi this State and OF
nv well known position on one at least the important
upon which that revolution turned and not through
any van+y schemng OF my own. TO visit Harrisburg
at this time would subject t. suspicion and to the
charge of sinister ard selfish motives, which wholly and
emplaticaily di>caim.
do deny that should feel personal pride in
election tD O1 tnc nlTncSl ana most lOuTaDc posi-
tons in the government but do deny that dc ire the
place for any selfish persona. ends, should hope il
elected to be OF some service . the country and - the
cause Of sound principles. While claim eminent
qualifications for the Office do nevertheless, believe that
MY election would, III some respects, sc Fortunate
UecalIy so in uniting and ccmcLng tor future action
the who achieved the Lite signal victory i'll this
State.
You saw that the main objection urged against me arises
oEt Of an impression entertained by many, that am
friendly the great intere Is Of State This tal
mi,aIPrehenson OF my feelings and position aud prngS
doubtless from the fact that in l6Ii could not act with
my colleagues in proi'lcs AID obstinate support of the
tariff of lSI2 1t apparent wee h before the late
riff bill passed, that the at Of y could not stand.
III favor OF its revision and modification and III doing
this Zealously anxious t. preserve for the great inter
ets Of our State, permanent and aqIRP security and t.
this end lahored indlstoasiy and perNeverngiy On
the floor OF the House urged the laying Of specific III
stead OF ad raOJe ddties upon irou and to eXenn
that ho.d give security tooGr interest, AGAINST r,inot,
foreign competition. entered into argument to prove
the propriety and advantage o specific ad viorem
duties, in respect the various articles, and especially
regard to iron establishing to my own satisfaction, that
position well in respect to the interests OF the revenue,
also to that OF the consumer aud manufacturer, that
every interest woId be promoted by ayu" specific duties
iron appealed to the Eouae behalf OF the iron in
tcgests OF State, claiming or il national respect and
consideration insisting that the iron Interest justly
eutitled 10 stand upon higher ground than other branch
of maaul. turing business claiming for it 7tiy national
character necessary clement of national defense and
entitled therefore to the special aud most vor ,e
not be applied to interest of this magnitude that
applied to the manufacture OF thread tape pins butt ,ns
&c, &c These doctrines pat forth to meet
the OCCASION but the doctrines placed the
Congress, and easily found in it, volumes of debates.
not only spoke IL behalf o the Interests OF State
bat Jr0Ttef earnestly in the House. and out # L 70 give
to that interest an adequate ald permanent security.
believed then and believe It part ot the De
l'trt'c delegation IN C"ESlc from tAlS state would
have agreed to modification of the tariff Of A. that
great interest could have been ahundautly secured Il
majority OF the Democrats from this state would have
agreed to support the bill they could almost have made
their terms, far Pesy vaua interest,
cerncd We met once twice in caucus, il part,
AT least could not agree upon the terms which
should support the bill. Ii these consultations Press
earnest desire 80 to shape my acton as I, protect
the interest OF our STATE. pledged IAycls, n tkc
would agree upon specific duties for iron
% oppose the bill unless they adopted by the House.
Soinc two or three OF them believed !y red this plan.
but large MAJORITY would agree 20 nothing They wo Id
stand by the tariff Of - in al is details, agreeing t.
ot Columbia and Rrodnead, de Jared tcy would vote
for any change whatever if in the ill the duties
on iron and coal allowed to stand, raised above
the rates provided in the act OF ~ Sach in fact the
position OF many in the delegation,
was pledged To a modification of The act Of ~; yet
was Intensely anxious that our interests houd not be put
in jeopardy. | said and did all in my power to protect
those Interests. made no eoncedment disguise what
of my anxiety in this pec. and repeatedly decar
ed to the friends Of the BILL that ii held its fate in my
hands At should not pGss. until ast and liberal
protection afforded to the interests of our State
went far to and talk with Mr. Dallas while the
me tIe was pending IN the Senate and urged him in
he should hold the late OF tie bill on his
it, friends so liberal regard for great interests.
did not wish the tersa1 Of the or this there was no
danger5ut to compel it friends % change IT, as
make the interests OF State Indeed anX.
iOus TO bring about this result that voted against
concurrlng iii Senate amendment of tring Importance.
1t i because of this vote that the Washington Union and
PennSyirdnaR have charged me with desire to defeat
the bill in the final and try ing hour OF its fate The charge
untrue gave the vote in the hope OF forcing tie bill
into committee of conference where understood il
would be open to general amendment, and thus aordng
one more chance ." so amending the bill to the
interests of State
am Of the firm belief that fisk Democrats from Penn
sylvana would have acted with me- ntead OF adhering
mmovdbly to the act of ~, that would have
obtained all that reasonably could have been asked and
her great interests placed satisfactory and permanent
basis In the carly stages of the bill before friends
had counted and narslaed their forces could in my
Judgment have secured adequate specific duties In thi
may be mistaken, but thak It. 1t is certain that We
coud nave OBTAINED my per cent al raio' Even in
the latter stages OF the BILL aud when it pass ge Ger
tam without any OF our votes, anxious it riend>
10 secure Pcnn>yFana support (rom party con,dera-
tions that Kay, who had the crge othc bill as chair
man OF the Committee OW Ays and Means ered to move
forty per cent. iron if halt the Democ ats from our
State would then vote for the bill 1t always seemed to
me strange when the pasSa of the bill was certain that
wold make sure of all they could yet They
however pledged to the tariff of ~ and it waseasi
er to stand 10y their pledges than explain their CON
stItent the reasons Tor departure from them however
good their reasons might have been was pledged to
odhcatlon the act OF 42, and after eXhau>tng every
eort TO secure the Interests Of State redeemed that
pledge declaring az the time did that ii the bill de-
pended on my vote, would withhold it until a larger
measure OF justice ncted out to State.
, have given full and truthful history my action
the tariff iii 1916 and of tie feelings and motives that in
uenced my conduct. The record will sustain this state
ment i'll al matters where the record can speak
The Co"gress'onm Gio5e-or rather APpeadiT-orl 1916
must he in the State Library, and there yod will find my
speech upon this subject The latter part of it relates to
our State interests.
You of course at liberty to make such use of this let
ter as you please There is nothing in it but what
and nothing that desire keep from the public Iwish
you would preserve this letter, copy of it, that
there cannot hereafter be any dispute its contents.
hope it will satisfy all, that now and never
was hostile to the interests of my native State.
Very truly your, ID. WILMOT
Hon. B. LAPoKTE.