New-York tribune., 1891-09-17
FLOWERS RECORDINCONGRESS
WHERE HE STANDS on COINAGE AND THE
TARIFF.
HE VOTES WITH FREE-co1NAGE MEN-PAIRED
WITH An OPPONENT OF FREE co1NAGE-As
STRONG A FREE-TRADER AS MILLs-Hs
UNFRIENDLY ATTITUDE TOWARD
FARMERS AND MANU-
FACTURERS.
tBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUSE.l


tBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUEEl
Washington, Sept. 1G.-Mr. Flowers nomination for
Governor OF New-York on a Platform which denounces
the existing tariff and attempts to mask fer the time
being the real position Of the Democratic party the
subject Of silver coinage by setting up demagOgca
and mpracticable scheme, which II Is hoped may
hoOdwlnk the friends Of honest money and not anger
disgust the advocates OF free and unlimited silver
coinage in the south and West well as Mr.. Flowers
consuming ambition to be the Presidential candidate OF
his party next year, make IL nat only important but
necessary TO recall his record as Representative In
Congress.
In the last Congress his attitude On the coinage ques
ton was generally regarded rs that Of trimmer. II
is true that he cast vote in the House against the
free and unlimited coinage Of a 4121-2 grain silver
dollar. and then, after securing a pair with his col
league, Mr. Belden. who and is unalteraby OPP
posed to free and unlimited silver coinage he shook
the dust OF Washington from his feet and stayed away
until after the compromise bill was passed. So far
be remembered ascertalned, Mr.. Flower did
not lift his voice and utter sentence in the last Con-
gress against free and unlimited silver coinage on It's
first passage through the House he voted against the
act which virtually absobs the product Of the silver
mines of the United States adds it to the monetary
circulation, and he paired against the adoption Of
the conference report which resulted In the enactment
Of the law of July IA, 1s00
On January 81, 1901, the question of free and un-
limited silver coinage was again brought to the test
Of vote In the House a resolution offered by Mr.
Bland, Of Missouri to discharge the Committee on
Coinage, Weights and Measures from the further con-
sderaon Of the bill then pending in that committee
and to make the a continuing special ofder7
with extensive privileges. Mr. Bland's resolution
ruled out of order by Speaker Reed Bland ap-
pealed from the decision; Major Mckinley moved TO
lay the appeal on the table, the yeas and nays were
called, and Mr.. Flower voted with Mr. Bland and all
the other extreme free silver In the House. In
Guiding several Republicans from silver" States in
the negative. His last recorded vote in Congress.
therefore, that question, I'm favor Of free and
unlimited silver coinage-if Bland and his followers
boasted, and as probably true at that time,
e-coinage bill would have been carried through the
House. provided it could have been brought to q
vote.
Mr. Flowers vote that occasion a strange
one for a man to cast who was welded to n silver
dollar {" of the intrinsic value of any other dollar
of the United States7 and the same remark IS true
with the single exception before noted of his votes
in the first session Of the last Congress. In fact his
attitude equivocal as the coinage plank in the
platform upon which he was placed by Tammany Hall
to-day.
As to the tariff Mr.. Flower stands precisely where
Roger O. Mills the "C0rsicana CObden' and his
followers stand. AS member Of the XLVIIth Con
gress he opposed and voted against the tariff Of 1888
He was a member Of the Ways and Means Committee
of the last Congress- and constant in his attend
ance at The hearings granted by that committee The
representatives Of the worhngnen, farmers tobacco
growers and the growers of vegetables and seeds as
well as OF the almost countless manufacturing and
mining industries OF the Empire state whp appeared
before the committee viii remember well his attitude
Ibis open Indifference not to thiny discussed hos
tuy, the interests and industries which they
represented. From first to last. he hand In glove
with Mills and the other Southern and Western Free
Trade Democrats Who composed the minority Of the
utrnitt ba nd nrO-
vision for the protection Of the farmers Of NewYork
who raise barley, hops tobacco. hay, field and garden
Seeds potatoes and other vegetables. and other field
and garden crops and produce butter cheese and
At the hearings referred to- the farmers OF Central
Northern and Western NewYork the tobacco growers
of Southern and Central NewYOrk; the truck farmers
and market gardeners Of Long Island, and the fruit
growers, wool growers and nurScrymcn of the state
all represented, either by delegates by strong
ard urgent petitions and memorials and to all appeals
from those interests Mr.. Flower deaf he
to the representatives of labor and the manufacturing
industries
When the bill came before the House all his in
nuence was eXerted against it. There was not an
item which he did not attack with voice or vote or
both. lie denounced the abolition Of the duty on
sugar-a provision which has been Of inesmabe bene
fit TO the of that produccyen fcrcely
than he did increase Of per cent on the dutieS
on silk umbrellas. In one OF his speeches against
instance increased the taxes to the to the
advantage of the rich" In later speech. delivered
in the House September -. 1890. lie brought in
list Of articles the rates Of duty which were
raised. Among them silks. Dushes. vclvetS. !
Brussels and AubussOn carpets iewelry, silk umbrellas
and cigarettes What picture he could have drawn
If he had tried of the poor man. whose taxes had
been increased. to the advantage of the rch7 Here
is what he might have said
Rising from his Gree breakfast table, the laborDg
man, the mechanic the amcr-who Free Traders declare
to be poorest poor mcn-rlses from his plush chair
taxed 65 per cent sadly dofs his silk dresslng-eown
saxed per cent of his velvet slippers taxed 70
per strides his Aubusson Brussels carpet
taxed so 90 per sezes his SILK umbrella taxed
per cent? lights Havana cigar taxed $50 per cent?
or on imported cigarette taxed l75 per cent? and
forth TO his daily toll in field, or quarry, shop.
That would have been correct and truthful as
of the pictures which he did draw in that debate
Speaking of the tobacco schedule, for example he said
II will throw many persons out Of employment and sac
tlhce large interests the greed OF few growers OF
kind Of tobacco that do not like TO purchase and
IS extremely doubtful II II will result in benefit TO
even this small class OF people.
Mr. Flower OF course also opposed and voted against
the provisions reducing the internal tax smoking |
and manufactured tobacco from cents pound to
9 cents; repeating all statutes imposing restrictions |
OF any kind upon farmers and growers Of tobacco IN
regard TO the sale OF their leaf tobacco ana aboshng
all special taxes upon Wholesale and retail dealers IN
leaf tobacco dealers in tobacco manufacturers OF
tobacco and cigars and peders OF tobacco-a provision
which relieved more than 100000 persons from The
payment Of such special taxes.
As is the habit OF FreeTidc statesmen, Mr.. Flower
took advantage OF every opportunity to don the mantle
Of prophet and utter prophecies. lie declared that
the effect Of the legislation would be to raise the prices
to the American consumer. OF all, nearly a the
necessaries aud comforts well as the luNuiies oil
life false prophecy that as experience ha- already
shown. But he went further In a speech against the
bill in tie House. NAV o. 100, he pgUphcsci saying
II ID becomes law IN its present shape it Will destroy
many industries throw ont 0i employment the men
engaged IN some, and work red dlctOn Of wages IN
nearly all. 1t will tend 20 restrict trade in nearly
every seaport town, and 10 drive American commerce
from the ocean,
The visions Of deserted wharves and empty aud
dsmanted warehouses In our seaport towns grew more
distinct 10 Mr. Flower time passed. and, IN speech
delivered In the House ON september 81 deR1Gnc.nS
this cyclCnic- -stonewau BILL he spoke Of the he
publican majority and Of the bill In this strain:
They have ATTEMPTED restrict trade tx IL 20
that tho coast States cannot nbde Win any foreign