St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-05-22
"HoRIZoNTAL BILL.

Col. William r. Morrison, the nero and
leader of several of the greatest fights ever
carried on in congress against the American
system of protection" so-called, spent yes
terday in the Sanity CITY attending to his
duties as a member of the interstate COM
merce commission Col. Morrison looks con-
sideTably older than he did when he made
his great fight for the horizontal BILL but
he is the same determined and persistent
fighter that he was in those days. His tall
form seems just a little thinner and his beard,
formerly iron-gray, is now quite white and
were it not for the fact that he wears it
rather closely cropped, would give him a
patriarehal appearance.
Il am keptvery busy in this position said
Col Morrison, in answer to q question, ''put
am frank to say that l do not like it so well
as active politics. You see,' he said with
smile. Il was raised in politics and spent the
greater part of my life in fighting political
battles, and find myself longing to get back
in the conflict. am fortunate in being kept
busy in my present position, and L suppose
ought to feel satisfied
''Your tariff fights in congress naturally
serve to keep up your interest in the caUse?''
Il am as much interested in the cause of
tariff reduction as l ever was" answered the
great leader, land have an abiding faith in
its future triumph Some marvellous steps
forward have been made in the last three
years. and it is only question of time until
the people of this country will be devising
other ways of raising revenue than through
the medium of tariff While made num-
Der of attempts while in congress to reduce
the tariff. the measure that stirred up more
interest and discussion than any other was
known as the horizontal bill. In preparing
this bill started out on the theory that the
Republican revision made year or so previ-
ously was correet-that is, that the relative
duties were correct, and merely cut down
everything 20 per cent, making few addi-
lions to the free list here and there. thought
this might be construed as compliment to
the Republican revisionists although l never
took any pains to give them that impression
They did not take it in that way, at any rate,
and we had a lively contest over the meas
ure."
Illinois seems to be swinging to the
Democracy again. colonel. Do you regard
these gains as permanent
The election of Senator Palmer was a
great victory and one 1 hardly expected
when the dead lock had continued SO long.
You know those F. NJ b. a. representatives
had sworn never to vote for him. and l sup
posed they meant what they said For this
reason along toward the end was inclined
to think that we ought to make an effort to
find a satisfactory Democrat. / took this
ground for the reason that | thought we
ought not to lose the chance of electing some
Democrat. The change of front of Moore
and Cockrell happily ended the fight and
elected our nominee, thus winning a great
victory and establishing a precedent for
future senatorial elections"
Many of your admirers in the Northwest
hoped that you might finally be the chosen
one colonel"
Il am not the kind of a man to secure
these doubtful votes" was the answer and
the old waFhol5e Strengthened up with an
air Of independence that is worth more than
the presidency of the United States every
body knows just where / stand on the poit-
ical issues of the day. I knew that whatever
might come up at Springfield 1 could not get
the senatorship.'
Turning 10 the subject of his present West
ern "trip, Col. Morrison said that it was the in
tentOn of the commissioners to proceed to
the coast hearing cases at different cities on
the way Judge Cooley, the only absent
member of the board, has been unwell for
some time, and did not feel able to make such
long trip, continued the speaker, and so we
four will make it without him. Judge Bragg
just at this time came up to the colonel and
carried him off to interview Gen. Veazey and
the clerk of the commission in regard to a
hearing to be held at Spokane Falls later on.