South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1890-12-19
Blaine and the Mckinley Bin
Snaior Biaet1uyn's Story.

And now that II Is all over CON-
timed the Kentucky Senator. Il
will tell YOU OF a scene that / wit
messed in which Mr.. Blaine vas the
principal actor--a scene that 10
me. was so full of intensity as to be
almost dramatic, and which win
never fade from my memory. II
has never been told before.
The Mckinley bill had been
passed by the House and was on
Tho calendar of the Senate, though
not yet taken M. 1t was a par
ticularly warm day in July when
Senators AIlison. Hale and myself
sat IN the Senate Al preparations
committee room waiting for Dir.
Blaine With whom VIC were TO con.
sult, as subcommittee, about the
Consular and Diplomatic budget.
here was present no one else. ex-
cept the clerk OF the committee
Mr.. Blaine finally appeared, and
with him Mr.. Curtis, the accom-.
Plished Secretary Of the Pan Amer
lean Congress. The Secretary was
rather in neglige costume as suit.
ed the temperature, EXCEPT as to a
particularly glossy and irieproacE-
able silk hat--a brand new shining
plug. The tariff bill, mind YOU.
had nothing to do with the subject
In hand, but in a casual way /,
broached it after the usual greet
lpgs had been exchanged. Proba-
biy | asked Mr.. Blaine how he
'hked 1t. Imagine my surprise
and shall say qualification when
he launched forth torrent of in.
vectlve against the act that Mr..
Mr.. Mckinley fathered. He said
This bill ID an infamy and an out.
rage 1t is the most shameful
measure ever proposed to a civil
lzed people Go on with it aud it
VIII carry our party to perdition.'
i was feeling considerably IN
'erested, and said: i wish you
were in tie Senate, Mr.. Blaine, to
announce Yourself in such terms.
Il wish | were he answered III
80, would stamp it under my feet
and spit on it, and theI advancing
toward Senators Allison and Hale,
he snapped his finger IN the face Of
each alternately, and with ref &C.
ton said: Go On with your driv-
ellng idiocy and zee 10 what destruc.
ron 1t will leao the Republican
party. Pass this bill, and in '92
tEere will not be a man in all the
party so begeared as to accept your
nomination for the pre- idency.'
Then he began to aissect the I'LL
mercllessly, particularly the sugar
schedule This he inveighed a.
gainst with all his force. l remind
ed him that the Senate improved
upon the labors OF the House as re-.
garded sugar. that to protect an
American industry invo wing the
enormous labor of boring hole in
maple tree and boiling the juice,
the Senate had agreed to give the
maple sugar growers Of New Eng.
land bounty of 3 cents.
This was the first he had heard
OF il, and he seemed hardly able to
credit what | told him.
1T isn't true be said.
ALLISON and Hale confirmed me.
Il suppose this was done at the
solicitation ofMorrill aud EdmundeP'
he inquired.
MIR. Allison replied in the AFR.
NATIVE.
1t is a good sample of the
breadth OF their statesmanship,'
81 id the Secretary.
And then the climax came. His
new beaver was lying on the table
in easy reach. With sndden blow
he brought his cleuched hand down
on it with such force as to mash it
Halter than a pancake, and then,
selzing the battered chapeau, he
hurled it against the wall violent
w. l never cav such an ebulhtion.
bat only emphasized tie deep
earnestuess with which the Secre.
tary argued against a policy about
which his opinion as then given
now seems prophetic