Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-08-27
senator MorriIIs Letter.

STBAFFoRD, VI, Aug. II, 1885.
My Dear Sir Your esteemed favor of the
18th inst came to hand last evening, and al.
though my health is not yet fully restored,
hasten to reply You will bear it In mind
that was not present in the last few weeks
OF the late session Of Congress.
You say ut is charged persistently against
Senator Edmunds in several state papers that
his action upon the oleomArRarine bill was
hostile to the passage and efficiency OF said
bill. 1t is also charged against him that his
official action upon measures pending In
Congress concerning corporations has been
uniformly hostile to the interests OF the
United States and OF the people thereof and
favorable to the said corporations Believ-
ing that your long and valued service in Con-
gress has given you the fullest opportunity
OF knowing as to the trnth or faisity Of these
charges, respectfully ask that you will give
me your opinion upon the matters mention
ed"
cannot but regret that the friends of my
distinguished colleague, Senator Edmunds,
whose long aud brilliant service in the United
States Senate has obtained national fame,
should now seem to be called upon to refute
charges, possibly originating from misnfor-
nation, but, as they appear to me, wholly
destitute Of foundation, as every reader Of
the Senate's daily Record should have known.
When the oleomargarine bill, from the
House OF Representatives came to the Sen
ate after Senator Miller OF New York had
made his motion TO refer the bill TO the COM
mittee on agriculture, Of which he is the
chairman, l stated to the Senate, In sub
stance, that while the bill appeared to have
been considered and controlled in the House
by the committee on agriculture, and while
all petitions and papers in relation to the sub
To- h.l Ia haa rafarraA IN iha mi
tee on agriculture in the Senate, yet, IL the
bill was to be treated as an internal revenue
| bill, it should be referred 10 the committee
| on finance, but il the bill was to be accepted
| az an agricultural measure, then OF course it
| should 20 TO the committee on agriculture.
| | gave notice, therefore, that should the mo
| ton of senator Miller fail, l should make q
motion to refer the bill to the committee on
: finance. II was known that was friend OF
| the bill, and perhaps as well known that all,
or nearly all of the Democratic members OF
the finance committee were opposed to II.
Senator Miller's motion, he having been spe.
cially identified with the BILL did not fail,
while voted against it on the ground that
| the bill on its face "a a tax bill clearly be-
longed to the committee on finance, and my
colleague voted the same way for the same
reason-he being also an open and declared
| friend of the bill. The measure from the
outset was sure OF q majority in the Senate,
| to whatever committee it might have been
referred, and all of the Republican members
present of the committee on finance, | be-
lieve, AZ we'll az my colleague, voted in it,
| favor on its passage. The amendment re-
ducnR the tax to two cents per pound, sup
| pose, was adopted because it WAS not though
necessary to augment the revenue and also
because without il there was some apprehen
sion of an executive veto. l was Absen
from the Senate upon the final votea, but wal
paired with Senator salisbury of Delaware
The charge that X 3nator Edmunds was hos
! tile to the passage aud efficiency OF the cleo
margarine bill, it is to be hoped, has been
based upon Misrepresentation rather thar
sheer Misrepresentation.
The other charge, that his official aotiol
has been hostile to the interests OF the Unitet
States and the people and favorable TO thu
corporations, seems TO me equally baseles
and equally a marvel OF characterization.
am quite sure that Mr.. Thurman would give
to Senator f imunds as much credit for wha
is known az the Thurman act" as he wOul'
claim for himself, either AZ 10 its initiation
or as to its progress through the Senate. b.
that act the United States Is now collecting
some portion Of the large Indebtedness o
the Pacific railroads. To these roads and /
Charles Francis Adams, pr, sdent Of the Uu
ion Pacific road It will be rare news tina
Senator Edmunds is favorable 10 corporation
aud hostile TO the interests of the Unite
States or to the interests of the people. \
far as know, his action aud votes have q
been unequivocAlly on the other side
In relation to the forfeiture OF what
called unearned land grants TO railroads
where the roads have not been wholly oou
pleted, there Is a minority Of the ssnat
which holds that the lands are unearned an
subject to forfeiture over any part OF th
, line constructed subsequent 10 the time orig
inally specified when il should have bee
comU leted Notwithstanding the apparent Al
quesenoe OF Congress aud that the govern
ment has from time to time inspected an
) certified it's acceptance OF the portion OF II
9 roads thus far built but tho suprtme cou
appears to have decided that these roads al
entitled to the lands so far az the roads hay
been actually completed. On this point