The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-23

REMARKABLE CONGRESS
President Harrison Thinks the BILL
ion Dollar Body Of the Above
Description.
III IL. a-M. -------.
He Makes a Public Defense of All
It's Partisan Pro-
ceedingA.
Pleased with Himself as the Head OF tho
P~arty-Abolish Craftsmanship
of ApoloSetlcs.

Washington correspondent had an inter
view with President Harrison just before
he left on his recent pleasure trip, and tells
his story in the following words:
While standing upon a rug in front of an
open fire with his hands deeply buried in
his pockets, the president talked in a di-
rect and forciblc fashion about the work of
the administration during the winter con-
gress just gone, and incidentally upon the
work of the future. The president was
first asked what he THOUGHT of the work of
the Fifty-frst congress.
He said: "In many ways 1t has been
most remarkable. Its work has been OF the
most important character. 1t has been
done in the face of tremendous criticism,
and the legislation evolved has been the
outcrowth of fierce contentious. The re-
suit is one that will stand we'll in history.
and one which the country will approve.
1.-THE principle of majority rule has also
been asserted in a marked degree, and the
adherence to that rule is, in my Judgment.
the one principle which will preserve the
institutions of our country"
The president added, in following out
this line of thought: 'That the majority
shall rule is an underlying principle OF our
institutions. 1t is what has contributed in
the past to our security, and it is the only
guarantee in the future for our safety. The
minute you pass from that and concede mi
nority rule you 60 to chaos and confusion.
Some of the ~fiercest contentious in con-
press have been made in a vain attempt up
on the part of the minority to control the
action of the majority" go
The president was asked if he thought
the republicans would make the issues IN
yolved in the election bill prominent in fu-
ture campaigns. The president SAID: You
will find therein the same prlnciple-a
guarantee of the rule of the majority. 1t
will not do for the people of any section to
saw that they must be let alone, that 1T is a
local question to be settled by the states
whether we shall have honest elections or
not. ~
ia that the principle is at issue in the ma
tional elections, and that the inequality
upon the floor of the house of representa-
tives is 80 great that it cannot be ignored.
Whether it shall become the dominant
issue in an immediate campaign or in the
near future is a question for the public to
determine"
asked the president if he was pleased
with the aid given by congress to the ship
ping interests of the country with a view to
carrying out the reciprocity policy OF the
administ. alton. The president said: Eyes,
I am very much pleased. What was passed
by congress was about all | thought was
practical, and all that could be safely ac-
complished as a preliminary step.
"In attempting anything new it is i'm
portant to be conservative and avoid ex-
tremes. have always Thought 1t best to
begin with steamship lines. They afford
swift and rapid transit. They have the
carrying of the government mails and are
important elements i'll bringing US in
touch with the countries with which we
are seeking to improve our trade relations"
think that the tariff issue for the present
was ended SO far as the republican party
was concerned, and that as a party it
should resist further agitation of the sub
ject for at least a time. The president said,
in reply to this: "Most decidedly l think
subject until the Mckinley bill has been
fairly tried. 1t has been charged with mum
erous faults.
''There is no reason why it's workings
should be prejudiced by maleyolent predic-
tions. The bill has been already long
enough in operation to indicate that much
that was charged against it is untrue. A
period should be permitted to pass long
enough to test fairly the character of the
measure. Then if it can be shown by such
fair and impartial trial that it has faults
let them be eliminated. but until such
peTlOU ID pasSeu tuere SHOULD nOb De any
further agitation of the tariff question:"
asked the president if he did not hold
to much the same opinion concerning finan-
cial legislation. The president said: II
do not think We need any more financial
legislation for the present. What we have,
too, should have it's period of trial. 1 do
not see any present or near future necessity
for further tinan lal legislation. l have
favored silver coinage up to the point where
! thought 1t could be safely used. 1t is not
always easy to determine exactly the dan
ger point.
ut is best, however, to be conservative,
and l think we have gone about as far at
present in the direction of the free coinage
of silver as can be done for the best inter
ests of silver. To go further might result
in depreciating it. The deprecated dol
lars first mission is to go out and cheat
some workman in the payment of his days
wages. 1t is the poor man who feels first
the i'll effects of a deprecated currency"
The president was asked about the reel
procity policy of the administration, and
he said: 81 have been engaged Tor the last
few days in considering the various sub
jects of treaty under this policy. / have
been doing what could to urge along and
develop the possibilities which | see in this
new extension of our trade. | bell sve that
this policy will result in great good"
AT the close of the talk | asked him what
he thought of the future of the republican
party. The president said that there was
already a strong reaction in favor of the
party, and that the future would show that
it was upon the side of good government
and modern progress and well merited the
confidence of the country In expressing
this opinion the president said emphatical-
~: II think it is about time to abolish the
Craftsmanship of ap%ologetics for the repub-
lican party"