New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-09
FLOWER AS A STATESMAN.
HIS SAYINGS AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN CON
GRESS


AUGMENTATION FOR THE coNsrTU-
TIoN-MR FLOWERS PRESIDENTIAL
BooM-HE TRIES TO DEFEAT AProR
TIoNMENr-wEAKNEss OF HIS IN
FLUENCE IN coNGRESs-soME
GEMS FROM HIS SPEECHES.
WASHINGTON oct. s.-The reputation Of Roswell p.
Flower as a statesman rests wholly upon the record
Of his acts and speeches Representative In the
xLyIIth and List Congresses His friends have begun
to boast OF that record since he became Tammanys
candidate for Governor of the Empire state they seem
disposed 10 assert that he exhibited qualities OF states
manshp of the highest and broadeS scope Ia the iour
years during which he n member Of the National
House of Representatives that he impressed upon the
pages Of Congressional proceedings il not upon the
statutes marks of genius and ability which can never
be efsced II these assertions are true. it is full time
that the country should know OF the great things Mr.
Flower said and did In Congress 1t Is due 10 tne
people of New-York as we'll to himself that the
truth which down TO the present time has been known
to an extremely small number Of persons, snould Do
published In detail and spread broadcast throughout
his native State.
The history OF Mr. Flowers distinguished career IN
Congress naturally divides itself into two chapters
one describing his sayings and achievements as mem
Der Of the XLvIIth Congress- from 1881 to 1888 ana
the other setting forth his acts and speeches as
member OF the List Congress, from 1880 to 1891.
During Mr. Flowers first term 10 Congress he served
as O member Of the Committee on Banking and Our
rcnoy place to which he assigned mainly through
tho influence Of Abrsm S. Hewitt and Waldo flutchis'
who were among his colleagues. The committee was
strong one Mr.. Grape, Of Massachusetts, being chair
man. and such men as Messrs. Dngley. OF Maine
Thomas Cornell Of NewYork, and Buckner. OF MIS-
souri,. among its members. Through the niuehce ana
efforts of the committee the bill to extend the charters
OF National banks carried through the House ana
| it finally became law. Mr.. Flower favored the
measure and supported 1t In the House. but he nap
pened to be absent paired with Mr. Skinner, OF New
York who was also supporter Of the bill. when the
vote was taken on the conference report, the ADOPTION
Of which sent the measure to the PRESIDENT TUT MS
approval II is rather unusual for one Representative
TO pair himself with another on measure which Do'h
of them favor oppose and then be absent when the
vote is taken. No harm done on that occasion by
Mr. Flowers neglect inadvertrnce as the biit had
fair majority without the aid of his vote. the House
| at that time being controlled by Republicans.
Mr. Flower feels deep, profound veneraton for the
Constitution Of the United States--so deep and pro
found that he had served In Congress nearly
eight months beforr he offered amendment
| to il. Once started in that direction. now
ever. he was so eager and impatient to improve tic
venerable instrument that he not only delivered an ex
baustiye not TO say exhaustng, speech In favor OF II
on December IA, 1882 but, on February D. 1885, moved
to suspend the rules and pass the amendment after
half hours debate motion which he repeated without
success on March ., 1888 Among other things IN the
speech referred TO, Mr.. Flower said
| al have not proposed this amendment to our SUI
nreme law without due consideration and full sense
| ., rssnonsihiltv am very reuctant-I may say as
relnctant as any man can beto alter one word OF our
Constitution or 10 add to IL word not strictly IN
accord with Ii M form or in spirit. nave hearu p'"e
when the trainers Of the Constitution compeea tneif
labors they astounded at the magnitude OF ther
uorl, have read that they did not comprehend how
great e. was that George Washington apologzed for 1t
to the people Of his State have even seen 10 sa'eu
that the greatest of the period OF its birth fere
that IL would meet untmey end and that many OF
them were Of the belief that no constitution could SUI
ylye a generation But, sir, TO us OF the present ia.
there q fuller and rander perception OF that which
IN firmly binds the States and Is the handspring Oh our
prosperty-a deeper, stronger confidence IN us CON
.Inued existence The sentiment have for that mai
lowed instrument is hardly to be expressed a copy
NJ II was given to me when was YOUTH It's ta'lcrou
| remnants are in my pockets now oes .e''o
N append to these remarks the ConSttutloh Vi inc
United states, doctrine which cannot DC o'o "u'''
| Disseminated
toovs as granted ond Mr. Flower not ONLY mus sue
| ceeded in obtaining brand-new copy In place Oh inc
.ot,orad remnants, OF the Constitution winch ne hau
carried in his pocket since his YOUTH but also Ill pro-
v,dnr for its wide dissemination by emDaihis 10 III
the pages Of that light, racy and exuemfH popui'
nerodical "The Congressional Record "hec c'ets
.merlcan-especlaly every "immlGrant" 10 oorrow
| another word from Mr. Flowers eloquent ana III
structive speech-wOuld be certain to see ana fe"u "
A srRADDLE on THE TARIFF.
Petween 1883 and 1890 Mr. Flowers views IN reSpeot
.. .ha torid. like those Of some other Democrats.
| underwent q material change. In speech ue"Noi@u
Inv him in the House Of Representatives reoru''S o,
! Ioe9 Mr. Flower referring to customs duueS anu
| ,,oura, toxes said: "They have induced capital 10
av into channels which it would not hther"ise nave
| eouobt They have furnished employment lhuheo Wy
| 40 thousands even millions OF laborers' WHO msi'
| otherwise have glutcd other employmentS, ana VINO
h,ye NJ least consumed the products OF ther o" anu
10 Industries Finally they have Indirectly cheap
| oa tho cost OF many essential and necessary manu-
| Sa,rrod articles Could Samuel J. Randall or any
| other protection Democrat have planted mniseh
| moro firmly or squarey protective PLATFORM tiah
| yr Flower did when he uttered those words lie
continued:
at feel that due consideration must be gwen to the
state in which things are that no hardship nor ue
creose OF wages must be brought upon the american
loborer II II can possibly be avoided, and so am TOT
| o Nrxt and then protection 10 American labor,
| ~ I, not protection at least no destruction OF us
omnlovment or humiliation of its compacts. Finally
rocognizing that II capital be tmidabor Wilde eh-
| Moved am in favor OF nothing that VIII 'ehu W "
| decentralization Of business enterprise. stlAe
! where you will along the hne oil tsfln ana at eNerS
| stroke some American Industry and the isoorS III IL
| - .horD ~ ,,itoItv The tariff be sim
nlieed and arranged and reduced nom time TO time
10 sut the needs of the Government and the wants OF
the country But there cannot. ought not must not
be any radical or sudden shocks to business or to cap
ta any outrage perpetrated In legal guise upon those
Iaborers and Others engaged in manufacturing, trusting
in the stability Of system which, good or BAD, mas
| been in vogue sufficiently long to require delicate
| handling"
Rrave words were these, uttered on February g.
ss3 and vet on March g. following, Mr.. Flower voted
with Carlisle. Morrison Mills and their freetrade fol
lowers against bill which not only reduced internal
| taxes and customs duties by "judcious revision.