New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-09


the suspicion nuninst Mr. Flower whose ambition 70
be tbe IIlll-Tammany nominee for Governor OF Now
York was no secret His own course IN the House
did nothing to allay, but much TO make the suspcio
stronger In the first session the danger tlat itT
coinage act would pass the House was imminent ana
It's friends were confident Of victory especially aiter
ihe action of the Senate. When the Coneer bill came
hack 10 the House with the Senate amendments, BIand
Mills and all tho other free-silvcr fanatics were III
high feather Il was evident that the very bcS tthat
their opponents coud hope to do was 70 erect cou
promise and every effort was bent In that dlrecnOh
Those efforts received aid from Mr.. Flower. lie
voted against the motion TO agree to the freecohago
amendment, but he also voted, or was paired against
the compromise bill, which alone averted the pas
sage of free-coinage measure. In that session nc
never lifted his voice or made any visible effort To
use the vast influence which Mr. Cummings ana O''er
admirers claim that he possessed 10 stem Inv
Democratic tide against free and unlimited silver com
age.
Il is not mpertnent to say here that Mr. Cummings.
who seems to have made himself the leading custodian
and champion Of Mr.. Flowers record and reputation
"a statesman In Congress- voted for the fIee-cOnage
amendment on the same day that Mr. fIoMcr oaust
against it. and also voted WIN MI flo"cr 'sa'"'
In he second session Of the last Congress the House
was again confronted by the question of free silver
Bland the most noisy, If not the m0SI ,, ln. na
n ta mc tSa 1aa and o9 nnmed coinage Of silver
Mr. Bland dissatisfied with the attitude OF inc
committee and so, on January FL lsgl ne n9vG Tbc
consideration Of the bill and make the same speC
order for January n and following day unni SIr r
posed OF by the House. The Speaker rnol thah Mr;
BANDS resolution was not in order, and Mr. biahu
appealed from the ruling sr so%e d Sc sy ina
appeal on the table. Roswell p. Flower voted VIZ
Mesrs Bland MllsC Crisp Springer McMiin ana an 9e
other free coinage against Mr.. Cannons MOTION;
That was his last vote in Congress the question 81
free and unlimited silver coinage, and was III la'0'
Many Democrats Governor Hin and the Ianna1S ~
Democrats especially werc eXtrea 9o,n ~ duty
nnder the Constitution in regard 10 the apportonment
of They sroye by al means nne :
With IL senormous Democratic majority, in order that
they %t r reap pr w R moe a o. carry out that
purpose than did Roswell T. Flower me fail inel'us
which his paflsans are now so boastl appeared when
the vote was taken in that body on an appoflohee
MI Tas ca rP%SfSS 1 Dy Seas aPsss than
two to and forty Democrats voted III me sHrt
much for Mr. Flowers potential, Overshadowing in.
Guence in the House OF Representatives on that
NETWORK CITY LEGISLATION.
High praise has been awarded to Mr. Flower by
his marty friends and admirers for his part In the
enactment Of certain legislation in which the Guy oi
New-YorR was especially interested. one womb lhIer
from these encomiums that Mr.. Flower dn II All
when as matter Of fact his share of the work was
an extremely modest one TO begin with, New-Iork
would not have obtained the local legislation referred
TO IL Il had not been recommended ana urPeu ny
Republican secretary Of the Treasury. urged by lie
publican committees in both branches OF Congress- ana
specially favored by Republican Speaker Of the house
Of Representatives who sustained by Repubicah
| majority in that body Mr. Flower not even a
member OF the committee which framed the legislation
neither was he influential in the effort 10 lhuuce to
House to consider H. and 1t was so clearly just anu
proper that no speeches were needed 10 pefsuade
the House TO pass It when It was brought TO VWe'
MS friends do not seem to know 1t. but Mr.. Flower
WAS so TO speak, fly on one of the driving WheeH
of the legislative locomotive and not the power "c
nronelled il There were many flies on the Wheels
at times IN the last Congress-and MI Flower was
often one of thenl-usng every atom OF their puhy
strength in futile efforts to block the busihesS oi
legislation.
That this remark Is not unjust to Mr. Flower TWO
cases are sufficient 70 prove. ON January q, 1911
| motion WAS made BIZ Mr. Farquhar, Of New-Tork, to
| consider the Senate Shipping bill. MI springer
offered al amendment to consider the Dill 10 ueHHo
optonsn and futures and impose a special tax
upon dealers therein, whereupon Mr. Flower rose
and said out of order, l am opposed to DOth lhe'e
hills but / hate this bill more than the other" Oh
course he then voted against Mr. springer's amend
mcnt and followed that by vote against the original
motion despite his anxious solictude In behalf OF the
American merchant marine and his previous prophecies
that the passage OF the Tariff bill would drive American
commerce from the ocean ana destroy our loplt"
trade Again he publicly admitted in the House.
January 10 1891 thai the minority had hlibustcred
for weeks against the consideration Of any and all
public business and he in substance declared That
he was proud TO make the admission. In the
first session of the last Congress as well
as I'm the second Mir. Flower TOOK
part in and appeared TO enjoy the performance OF re-
spending his one rollcal and sitting mute
during tho next one in feeble attempt to make
reality of what was the weakest and most transparent
fiction in which men ever INDUCED.
The Democratic Congressional Committee. of which
Mr. Flower was chairman, had hired house near the
Capitol and 10 this he and his fellow Democrats used to
fly hiding place and refuge when, at last tey dis
covered that they would longer be counted both
present at and the same time when they
were sitting or standing Ia the Legislative Chamber In
full view Of the Speaker and other members Of the
House. Mr.. Flower devoted good deal Of his time,
while Congress sitting TO his duties rs chairman
of the Congressional Committee, which time was pald
for by tire United states at the rate Of $4,000 per
year.
Mr. Flower has repeatedly asserted, and the asscr-
ton was recently published on the editorial page oil
New-York Democratic newspaper, that for each and
every day at he absent when the House was In
session he declined to receive pay from the Govern
ment. If he did, II no more than the law re-
quires, except when absence Is caused by illness
although 1t must be confessed That if Mr.. Flower did
50 he did something which no other Reprcs 'ntatVe
in Congress, within the knowledge OF the writer OF
this article. has done within the last fifteen years
we'll authenticated Of that sort would be 50 eA-
ceptiUnalso phenomenal In laCt-that the assertions
made by and In behalf OF MIR Flower appeared to
deserve investigation with a view t. give him The
credit which he had 80 richly earned. IL must be
matter of regret TO Mr. Flower and his political
friends, as doubtless II will be 10 m,n who are MS
personal friends, but who belong 10 another and
better political party that the investigation has not
resulted in establishing The absolute CORRECTNESS OF the
statements 10 which reference has been made. Inc
Sergeant alarms is the paymascr Of the House, ana
the law prescrbes that he shall deduct from the
salary OF member amount equal - the pay Of the
member for the time he may be absent, unless sud
absence Is caused by the Illness OF himself or one OF
his family. OF course the SergeahtatArms can do
this only when furnished by the Clerk of the House
with a certificate showing the number Of days that
member has been absent. No such certificate bear