Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-19
A FAM lily FIGHT.
Democratic Senators Get Into Con-
troversy on the Floor.
SILVER MEN GROW SARCASTIC.
Mr.. TeIIer's Criticisms Of President
Cleveland.
CAUCUS OR CONFERENCE?

The refusal yesterday of the repeal DEM
ocrats to go into caucus with the silver men
of their own party and there settle their
differences by majority rule excited still
greater bitterness than had existed before.
This manifested itself in sarcastic taunts
and challenges exchanged between demo-
cratic Senators on the floor Of the Senate
during the afternoon. By securing the sig
natures Of twenty-three silver democrats to
a call for a caucus 1t was demonstrated that
the silver men were in the majority with the
party constructively in power. though there
be a majority against them in the whole
Senate.
This gave them an opportunity to turn
tables on the repeal democrats and to taunt
them with the accusation that they were not
willing to abide by the majority rule within
their own party.
The features Of the debate. after The
stars report closed, were the criticism of
the administration by Mr.. Teller. and a little
family fight between Messrs. Daniel. Mills
and HILL. Mr.. Teller charged the President
with usurpation in using his influence upon
Senators to bring about legislation and in
making known through letters and inter-
views pending the consideration of the SUBJ
ject In the Senate that he was greatly dis
satisfied with the course Of the Senate. Mr..
Mcpherson took exceptions to Mr.. Teller's
criticism. and asked where he found the
alleged interviews and letters.
ME-. Teller and the President.
Mr.. Teller replied by quoting sentences
from President Cleveland's letter to Gov
Northen Of Georgia and said that the Sen
ator who would rise and declare that, in
his judgment, the President had not at
tempted to interfere in legislation would be
a brave man. The Senator from New Jersey
would not deny 1t.
Mr.. McPherson-'T do deny it,
Mr.. Teller-"The Senator shows himself
Drawer than most men. / will not say any
tnlng offensive TO the Senator. / assume
that he means it. Outside OF the chamber
might make some further remarks. laugh
| teri l am afraid that We have reached a
point In partisan zeal and partisan preju-
dlce where whatever Is acceptable to the
PRESIDENT Is acceptable to a great number
OF people In this country. 1t would not be
polite for me to say. and would not be in
order to say, Acceptable to Senator's
MI. Teller went on to speak Of the out
| side influences that were set in operation
to force action in the Senate. He men,
| TONED the 'rumor as to the march of a
large body Of unemployed men to Washing
ton-a march which had not been made
and the fact Of chambers of commerce
coming to Washington. They had come
ana gone. he said and the Senate was still
debating whether the government of the
United States should arrange its own finan-
cial system or whether the government of
Great Britain should do so.
Quoting again from Mr.. Cleve1ands let
| ter to Gov. Northern, Mr.. Teller picked out
the sentence where the President says he
| Is "astonished" at the non-action of the
Senate. mo doubt" said Mr. Teller, "he
Is astonished. He believed that when Con-
command would be readily complied with
He would not have so thought II he had
been a student Of the history Of this body.
He would not have so thought II he had
been familiar with the doings Of this SEN
ate. as some Of us are"
Mr.. Teller referred to the fact that al
though the Queen of England and the
Prince Of Wales were known to be opposed
vent,1red to EXPRESS that opinion. II either
Of them had done so the whole constitu-
ttonal form Of the government Of Great
Britain would be changed in a fortnight.
| Mr.. Daniels Speech.
Mr.. Daniel took the floor. and delivered
a speech chiefly in reply to Mr.. Mills,
though dealing skillful thrusts in several
directions, which was remarkable for the
courtesy Of its forms and delivery and the
bitterness Of its sarcasm and reproach. He
laid down two or three propositions as to
the situation which were paradoxical. He
replied to the charge that the minority were
causing delay with a countercharge that
the majority, in trying to prevent legiti-
mate discussion, had interrupted debate
and diverted the discussion from the main
question (Which they seemed not TO want
the silver men to discuss) to outside Ques-
tons of changing the usual and proper
form of the journal, changing the rules OF
the Senate or making some revolutionary
innovation upon the practices or the Sen
ate, when they knew that these questions
would take more time for settlement than
would the financial question. He said. too
that Senators who were always complain.
ing because the silver men insisted upon
presenting their arguments to the Senate
were themselves the very ones to make
long speeches on the other side and to in
terrupt other Senators in the course OF their
arguments.
He contended that the propositions made
by Mr. Hill and Mr.. Mills and advocated
by others to violently and suddenly change
the rules were revolutionary. To Mr.. Mills
argument that the Senate always and at
any time had a right to change its rules he
replied that there was no question OF the
right Of the Senate so to do il the methods
for Changing the rules which were laid
down in the rules themselves were followed.
He argued an alalogy between the chang
ing of the rules of the Senate and the
amendment of the Constitution. To amend
the Constitution without resorting to the
methods provided in the instrument itself
would be revolutionary, and the change of
the rules of the Senate irregularly would be
equally a revolution. He was surprised
at Mr. Mills, follower of Jefferson, occupy
ing such an attitude as he did on this
question of violating the rules of the Sem
ate
Mr.. Daniel proclaimed the fact that q
majority Of the democrats were willing to
20 into caucus of the party and abide by
the result, but that some Of the repealers
refused to abide by the conclusions of a
majority Of their party. Yet these same
men were clamorous on the subject of the
right Of a majority to control. He declared
that the silver men were not only a ma
jority of the democrats Of the Senate but
that a majority Of the Senate itself were
opposed to the unconditional repeal Of the
Sherman law.
BY an exchange Of questions between Mr.
Daniel and Mr.. Aldrich the admission was
brought from the latter that there had
been only an apparent majority for the
force bill in the Senate Of the Fifty-frst
Congress, and Mr.. Daniel said that the
situation today was exactly similar to that
the majority for unconditional repeal was
only apparent and did not exist in fact.
He referred to Mr.. Mills statement yes.
teriay that he would not vote for any com.
promise, and he asked that Senator whether
he was ready to submit the question to a
majority of democratic Senators. Was he
ready to go into conclave with them and
abide by the result?
Mr. Daniel paused for a reply" but he
did not get one, although Mr. Mills occu.
pied a seat Immediately in front of him.
IT can ask questions of others, but can