Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-27
VIEWS OF CARLISLE.
Crisp viii Make an Able.
Speaker, but Will Find
1t No Sinecure.
HARRISON A STRONG MAN.
Would Get More Votes Than Blaine.
at the Head of His Ticket.
TARIFF MUST BE THE GREATISSUE.
The Democratic Party Should Avoid the.
Free Silver Question.
HARRISON A STRONG MAN.
TARIFF MUST BE THE GREATISSUE.
MORALITY OF THE POLITICAL WORLD

WASHINGTON, Dec. 26-It was in the
parlors of comfortable house on K street,
within three block of the White House,
that chatted with one of the most remark
able statesmen in Congress last Sunday
afternoon. The man sat with his back to
the light, but his big, broad forehead, his
straight nose and his strong, smooth-shaven
jaw came Enthusiastically out in the
shadows, and his face was more than ever
the embodiment of pure intellect as his soul
looked out of its clear, gray eyes, and he
talked freely of the great questions of the
dsv.
There is no stronger man in the Senate
to-day than Mr.. John G. Carlisle. His IA
years in Congress, during which he served
either as Speaker or upon the important
Committee of Ways and Means. have given
him thorough equipment regarding all
matters connected with the Government
and the interests of the United States and
his wonderful intellact, married to a ca
pacity for perpetual work, makes him a
giant among his fellows. There is no such
worker in Washington as Senator Carlisle.
While Speaker he put in more hours day
Is still before him from morning until night.
His Body Takes Care of Itself
He has never been disciple of physical
culture. He pays, L am told, but little at
tcution to his diet, has no recreations what
ever, and his great brain rests only when he
sleeps.
Our conversation was more in the shape
Of friendly talk than an inte rview, and I
give the chat as nearly as 1 cans Just as it
occurred, having requested Mr. Carlisle to
revise it, which he has very kindly DONE
The first subject was the Speakership, and
I asked Senator Carlisle whether he con-
sidered It desirable position or hard one
TO fill He replied:
The Speakership is certainly very
srduous position. It entails hard work
from the beginning to the end of the ses-
sion, and taxes the strength and tries the
patience of the incumbent to the fullest e1-
tent. The work of selecting the commit
tees-determining Just what members will
deal most intelligently with certain classes
Of questions-and the naming of chairmen,
is perplexing and tedious in the extreme.
When this is done the Speakers work is
only begun. He has to pass upon questions
OF Importance almost every hour. a
Details of the Speakers Work.
ffHe has to be consulted as to ths time
that shall be given to the various legisia-
tive measures; must carry in his mind
panoramic view of the whole legislation of
the session, and must understand the merits
of each measure and how it should be
treated. This, of course, requires a great
amount of investigation and study. He
must be ready to decide upon all matters
the moment they come up-and new uues-
tions of procedure and parliamentary law |
are always being presented
"The mail of the Speaker is very heavy.
While 1 was Speaker L sometimes received |
as high as75 or so letters in single mail. |
and nearly all of nv correspondence related |
either directly or indirectly to public mat
ters.
you were twice reelected Speaker. Sem
ator Carlisle, without opposition in your
own party. How do you account for that?' |
81 do not know" replied the Senator. |
81 tried to be fair and impartial in NV de- |
Cisions, and 1 regarded my Office as that of a |
Judge rather than that of partisan. This |
is, in my judgment, the true position of a |
Speaker. If 1 thought the leaders of nv |
party were at allin the wrong on questions |
of order, I decided against them, but if it |
was q matter of equal right, of course |
gave the preference to the Democrats
CarIisle's Opinion OF Mr.. Crisp.
''NIr. Crisp is cool, cautious, self-reliant
and able man. He never loses his temper
and he has undoubted executive ability. I
was in favor Of Mr.. Mills election because
he was conspicuous representative of the
Democratic purity on tariff reform and be-
cause his utUerances during the last cam
paign were in accord with the attitude T
7 a. IN n rFrh+ 10 al Al
subject during the coming Presidential
''The issues of the next campaign will in
clude the whole list of questions upon
which the two parties differ The tariff
should, l think, be made the principaI
issue, and if the question of silver enters
into the campaign it should be secondary to
the tariff. 1 don't think the Demoeratic
party should take no the silver question for
at this time. 1t certainly
should not put plank in its national plaf.
form tavoring free coinage. L doubt very
much whether We have anything to gain
from the silver States. They are naturally
Republican and will vote the Republican
ticket in any event. This has been the re-
suit in all past campaigns.
Effect OF Free Coinage on the People.
"The free coinage of the American pro-
certainly be'worse for the people generally
in one respect, at least, than any plan vet
adopted, as that would donate all the differ
enee between the bullion value and the
coinage value of the metal to the owners of
mines and spectators in mining stocks in
stead OF to the Government, making them
a present. in fact, from the people of the
United States of great many million dol
lars every year
From February 2S, 1878. the date of the
of the coinage of the silver dol
lar, to June 30, 1891, this difference
amounted to nearly $4,000 600, which has
zone into the Treasury to the credit of the
axpayers of the country. Of course, if the
Government receives bullion from the
,wner, coins it free of charge, and gives
lim back q stamped dollar for every 81
,raIns Of pure silver, the bullion owner will
'eceive a very large sum over and above the
value of bis product in the mar
lels of the world. The changing of the
alto from 16 TO l to 49, to 1, as proposed
~ Governor Hill, would be worse than
rec coinage under our present ratio, and
would be a step backward instead of a step
Onward. F"
TaVors on International Ratio.
II believe that every dollar in circulation
.Elong the masses Of the people should be as
rood as any dollar that circulates in financial
,ircles or forms the basis of our trade,
domestic or international, and it seems to me
hat we had better let the matter
tand as it is now for the present, at
east, and see what the future may