New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-21
SENATOR wASHBU
IBY TELEGRAPH TO The TBIBUKzy

=, the Judiciary Committee who oppose the Hatch bill
as unconstitutional and demagOgic, and the ferceness
~ his attack upon the pending bill measured only
bv the intensity OF his welknown repugnance to what
he considers any form Of legislative qnackery. The
bill. he contended. fraud upon Its face. being
Is in no legitimate revenue measure, and he de-
nonnced the whole scheme IL embodied defining
certain form Of gambling and then proposing TO have
a. conducted under a Government license. Mr.. Vest
was especially his Democratic friends. Messrs
Pugh George and Coke who have brought In
substitute for the Hatch bill which attempts TO avoid
certain constitutional" difficulties in the original
measure by of verbal and other suberuges and
indlrections No Democrat Mr. Vest argued. could
vote TO put in force the fragrant class legislation OF
the Hatch option licensing scheme without stul'iylhe
himself and all the underlying principles of the Demo
cratic party No other speech was made and the Oil
went again I'LL tomorrow.
Mr.. Vest declared the bill to be Of the most
pernicious measures that had come before Congress
during the fourteen years of his service. lie knew
the aggressive and almost overpowering sentiment
in some portions of the country in It's favor lie Knew
that explanations would be required In every nrn'e
community in the country why opposition was mace
TO the bill. he would rather explain his vote ID
every township in Missouri from till the Novem'
Der election than put himself on record In favor OF
bin about the unconstitutOnalty and vicious ten
dency of which he had not the slightest doubt
II be could for 1t he would support class Iees-
lstton as rule: for he had seen no bill before lhe
senate which in It's web and wcof contained $" inuch
OF the essence OF class legislation and nothing else as
this bill did The bill proposed 10 use, under frandu-
lent pretext the taxing power OF the "OVerhmer' u
enable the farmers Of the United States to charge tn
consumers more for their products than they otherwise
could Whenever Congress undertook 10 enter "'h'ii
tine lines of State and TO regulate the domestic habits
OF lis people and to preserve their health 10 ahe
poce regulations in relation to traffic. gambling, etc.
and .nm ed ar
fundamental doctrines OF constitutional government.
This bin proposed under the fraudulent preteN OF
collecting revenue to police every state In the country
The first section. he said. defined pure and simple
gambling trsnsactiOn But what, he asked, wonid be
thought Of the Legislature which FIRST denounced
gambling transaction and then voted to license IL
What would be thought Of the public morality OF
country whose Legislature would go into such trans
action? As to its effect the farmers the bill, he
said held ont a false and etterng hope which could
never be realized The first eleven sections OF the Dill
were devoted to options and futures. The rest was
leather and prunclla.'
Mr. Gray asted Mr. Washburn whether, II he mot a
farmer undertook to sell article which he possessed
10 h. delivered in future would be required under this
bill before he could do to take out license 10 pay
s. for 1t and submit his books TO the scrutiny OF an
internal revenue collector; and was all the business
Of the country TO be In the Ike si'uauoh'
Mr.. Washburn-Certanly.
Mr. Vest went on with his argument against the Dill
He knew what was said about opposing the farmers
and wandering to tie money power OF the country
But If his record did not sustain him against all! euoh
suspicion then he wanted 10 leave public Lire. "ho
he asked at the bottom OF this appeal lot cIis'
legislation Who had employed lawyers and gone be
fore A committee OF Congress TO make learned argu
ucnts In favor OF the bill They were the agents OF
rhe milling syndicate at Minneapolis, who had eShed
before one Of committee that the dealing IN options
decreased the price of wheat TO the producers ana
pork packers whose interest II was to have the IA"
msteIsl-hogs-as cheap psSsIbe and these men,
the Iburys and the WhittakerS, were now ehervescne
with love Of the farmer nd yet who he asked mao
ever seen manufactures Rho did not want his m"
material a. cheap as he could get It,
MIR Vest produced and fe~d a letter written by Mr..
Whitaker 10 friend asking him 70 SEM hisn'
messages to the southcrS senators on te 'uuo'ar'
Committee-Messrs Pugh, 'Coke, Vest ana "eoFso
nrclnr them not to oppose the measure Tho ~fei
I've il a. mis- op,nion that surely little stretching
~ the Constitution at this time will do no harnl ahd
quite the reverse "a great beneht.'
The effect OF the measure Clr vest oecIdresl "ou
be 10 increase the Price Of the necesSareS Vi no ~
he believed that the bill violated the spirit ana io.o
~ the Constitution No Senator would defend gambling
mr. say thai puts and calls constituted legiuna'e
commerce but when they were told that because
,bousand bushels of passed through hity MINUS
I'm day that constituted gambling. he denied H. IL
might a. well be said that the Sloo'VVo'oOo vi
5000 900 600 that passed through the Newfork Clear
ing House showed that all the banks In No"-ho'A
were engaged In wholesome gambling
Mr. CulIom asked Mr.. Waehburn whether he wouid
no willing In section 10 the words honr ana
mill feed inserted after the word wheat" MI
Washburn explained that there had only been put ih.o
file BIZ those articles that were dealt In Oh b"aus
Of trade in the way of gambling. selling short nour
was not such article, a. every miller hn Ills OWN
brands and those brands sold at varying prices
concerned he had no ODJcctiOn W
having the words flour and meal feed Inserted, as
I, seemed 70 worry great many people That tne
bill did not apply 10 hof 1871, .
Mr. vest resumed the floor and went on WIFI bis
argument. .,..
nil trading In futures to foreign countries-ihto
Cnao. Great Britain Belgium and France. AS
=, question asked by Mr.. Washburn about what
,ntere,. milers could have iD the DiH Mr. vest
suggested that their interest consisted III destroy
ing competition and breaking down the wheat market
Mr. Washburn denied that 1t was tue interest OF
nillers 70 have wheat cheap and asked what az
vantage the bill would give to them WHICH IL "oHa
not gdve TO other buyers
Mr. Vest-The only competition which the miIlers
have In the wheat market and the pork packers IN
the pork market is In the exchanges where men
are purchasing for future delivery
Mr. Washburn, replying to Mr.. Vests assertion tha'
II WAS the Interest Of milers to have low price
for wheat, Ccnled liItt tldI "dS Uh0 ''''' ~ 49,
not Oh. interest of any manufacturer and hSappeaed
10 Mr.. Adnch to verify tile statement to have
low price raw material. HIS interest was u
have "A high price and firm price.
Mr. Vest asked Mr.. Washburn whether 1t was true
hat an English syndicate had bought the large
milling and eevatiag interests in Minnesota and th'
Dakotas.
Mr.. Washburn-les
Mr.. Nest-When that purchase madel
Mr. Washburs-IWO or three years ago.
Mr.. Vest-Englishmen made tlrat purchase and paid
q large price
Mr.. Washbuin-They paid fair price.
Mr. Notwithstanding this system Of options