The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-03-05
SENATOR EVARTS TALKS.
A REPUBLICAN VIEW OF THE
WORK OF CONGRESS-.
Silver Coinage and Tariff Legislation
Discussed-A General Survey
OF the Field.

New York Tribune, March LIST:
Senator EvaTts strolled into the
Fifth Avenue Hotel last night to send
q telegraph message to Warrington.
He shivered from the cold and drew
his overcoat closely around his form.
he stopped u chat for few moments
with John W. Msckay Of Nevada, and
TO congratulate him on the recent
birth OF a grandson. Cyrus w. Field,
enveloped in a long overcoat, lined
and trimmed with fur, came into the
group. Congressman Burleigh, Trib.
une reporter and others Joined the
Senator, after he had completed his
errand, and he cha.ted freely about
various matters.
There is a great deal Of work at
Washington" said he. at is by no
means an easy life. Nor is it re-
munerative. must 20 to committee
meeting at 10 o'clock every day.
That is as early as a man would go 10
his office here in New York-earliev
than l used to get down town. l am
on three important committees. As
they treat me far from what l should
expect as the youngest member Of the
Senate, / am pretty hard-worked until
the Senate itself convenes. We usu.
ally remain in session until 5 o'clock.
That makes pretty long days work.
Then we are paid by the year for it all
NOT by each Job, ss would be in
my office. And l assure you there is
somewhat of a difference
what will be done in Congress
this winter ?" was asked.
There is no greas necessity for
doing much of anything. think the
press and the people fail to realize how
far Congress is really only place for
the expression Of opiDion-for talk
ing. The entire country is represented
there, and we all have our gay about
matters, and session may be all &C.
cupied in talking, and no legislation
be effected, and still be a profitable
session because no bad thing has
been done. In England, Parliament
is only expected to take up one great
question at session for settle
mept. Neither the press nor the
public expect anything more. No
Premier is asked to define his position
on more than one great question, that
which is uppermost at the time. The
country thinks only on one line.
They have been at work through
three successive Parliaments on the
Irish question and have not settled it
yet. The press and the public in this
country want our Parliament, our
Congress, 10 settle several greas ques-
tons a. the same session, and fail to
resllZs what | have already stated,
that Congress is really the place of
talking and comforting rather than of
much action"
What is to be done about the
tariff ?"
Il can only say what would like
to see done. | would like to see every
Republican in the House vote solidly
az inst the tariff bill"
Would you have them vote to
strike out the enacting clause? ?"
:" AS to details on the vote, l am will
ing to trust to the members them
selves, but l do hope to see a solid
vote OF the Republicans in the House
against the tariff bill. Then when the
bill came to the Senate we would do |
the same thing there. l doubt, how
ever, if the bill would reach the Sem
ate. 1t would be awkward for the |
Democrats If it should. l don't think |
they want to raise the Issue on tariff !
only two years old, with all the dis
turbance OF business that it would en-
tail. They are welcome to the contest
if they want it..
"How about silver-you are going
to make a speech ?"
Undoubtedly. Why, l am posted
in big letters, posted in small letters,
in the press, and even
paraded in gutter snipes to that effect.
l couldn't think OF disappointing the
public after 80 much previous notice."
"Well, said a bystander, ~ hope
you know that Wall street is not the
State OF New York on that question"
20, know they do not voice the
sentiment Of the State in Wall street
by many degrees"
They say you are their Senator
that they elected you ?" continued the
gentleman.
"But tell them" rejoined the Sem
a.or, shat their votes were not cast
for me. The Times and the Euentno
Post, which are demanding certain
action OF me, were opposed to my cleo
ton. | see that the Commercial 1dUsr-
User says | ought to resign. l haven't
considered that yet. But l think |
might satisfy Goodwin by a provision
such as they are trying to make for
the President in his veto power. They
want to let him veto a clause in bill
vetoing the entire bill. l
might resign as far as the silver ques-
ton is concerned, just to please Mr..
Goodwin. But in the absence Of law
10 permit that l shall make my speech
when the proper time comes, aud |
shall speak for the people of the State
Of New York-all the people,"
"You were up at Detroit, Senator;
how would such gathering as you
had there operate in Yew York ?"
81 have been thinking considerably
about that very thing. 1t seems to me
hat such reunion would be an i'm
portant step in New York. The De-
rot meeting is not generally under
stood. The State had got into such
shape, as regards politics, that for
lime there was danger that it would
20 Democratic. We carried it by close
work in 1884. There has been club
'ormed at Detroit for the specific pur-
pose OF recognizing the State, and
making it solidly Republican again.
It was this club that arranged the
banquet. 1t was held in an old rink,
which had been converted into a
heater. There we're long galleries,
md an immense floor, on which the
,ables were prepared. There was no
vine. There were no cigars or smok-
ng. The banquet itself was more OF
cold collation. than a dinner. But a
thousand earnest Republicans sat
here to consider the welfare OF the
country. They came in parties of
en- and twelve aud fifteen from
III parts of the State. Only two
" three counties were unrepre-
n