The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-09-02
LEA US HAVE THE TRUTH OF
x THE MATTER.
Senator Vance and the Sub Treasury
Bill.

i pared in compliance with the St.
| Louis meeting of the National Ali
4nce. That body represented Demo
Gratis and Repu olicans from the North
and South. 1t was the peoples meas,
ure, and the Legislative Committee of
the Alliance desired It's Introduction
and consideration to be free from.
party bias or coloring. Hence, it
asked Representative Picker, of South
Dakota, a Republican and an Alliance
man, representing a strong Alliance
constituency in the Northwest, to intro
duce it in the House Mr.. Picker
was asked to state that he introduced
it by request. This vas the original
bill drawn by the committee, and is
known as House Bill No. 1852, en-
titled GA bill to establish a system of
| sub-treasuries, and for other purposes"
Senator Vance was selected to in.
troduce it in the Senate, as he repre-
sented a strong Alliance constituency
from the South. He was told that it
was not the purpose or desire OF the
committee to commit him in any man
ner by the introduction of the bill, to
its support, and hence he was asked to
state that he introduced it by request.
He very kindly suggested that after
an examination of the bill, he might
probably be able to make some i'm
provements, and full liberty was given
him to do SO. He modified the bill
and introduced it. It is known as
Senate Bill No. 28O6, and is entitled
. A Bill to establish a system of agri
cultural repositories for the accom-
mediation of farmers and planters, and
for other purposes" Subsequently,
and after a conference with Senator
Casey, OF North Dakota, who had
manifested some interest In the mat
ter, Senator Vance introduced a third
bill, known as Senate Bill No, 1916,
and entitled q" A bill to establish a
system of government store houses
for agricultural products, and for other
purposes" Neither of these two bills
were submitted to the Alliance Com
mittee.
The Picker Bill, No. 1852, con
tanned II sections and 1879 lines, and
provided for the managers Of the
warehou ss to be elected by the people.
Vance Bill, No. 28O6, contained IL
sections and 1919 lines, and made the
mabagers appointive and under CON
troll OF the Secretary o. the Treasury.
Vance Bill, No, 1876, contained 10
sections and l72 lines, and placed the
warehouses un1er control of the Sec
rotary of Agriculture, I d made tho
managers elective by the people.
Senator Vance manifested a kindly, |
and we may say more than ordinary
interest in the matter from the begin
ming, expressing always an earnest de
sire to secure the adoption of sorne
measure for the relief of thu farmers.
We all agreed that if we could get
the bill discus .ed before either House
of Congress, and thus bring the public
mind to bear on the subject, ome
thing would most likely grow out of
it for the relief of the people, even
though this measure should be de-
teated. Replying to the suggestion
that possibly the bill would die in the
committee ROOM, the senator said that
under the rules Of the Senate, be could
introduce a resolution requiring the
committee to report, and whether the
report was adverse or favorable, the
matter could be discussed. We had
frequent interviews on the subject,
and from the day Of the Introduction
of the bill by him, in February, down
to the Oath of June-the day we left
Westinghouse had no reason to
a%pprehend for a moment that he was
unfriendly to the measure, or would
oppose it. Indeed, some months after
the bill had been introduced we said
to the Senator that we had purposely
avoided all the while approaching
him in such way as to elicit an expires.
sion Of his conclusions as to the bill,
but that if he had made up his mind,
of cours we and his friends were
anxious to know how he stood. He
replied: 81 shall have to give you
the answer [ have made to Senators
who have approached me with that
HuO0OAOA' "O Will AhN0 W SGduu ny
it until we get a better one"
Hearing, on the 10th of June, that
the Senator had written a letter against
the bill, and would publish it in The
PROGRESSIVE FARMER, we promptly
sought an interview with him and told
him if it were true, we had called to
see it, or get a copy before 1t was pub
lished. He said "thereis not syllable
of truth in it." and said the only letter
he had written in regard to it was in
response to a letter from Secretary
Beddingfeld.
Thus briefly, we have endeavored
to give a truthful and unbiased state
ment of the facts connected with the
matter, and leave it with the public.
We append copy of the letter of
the Senator referred to and addressed