The morning call., 1893-11-05

times l left school for the winter aud took
turn at teaching. 1t didn't costso much
to 10 to college at that time as now. l re-
member L paid 81 80 a week for my room
and board. and other things were propor-
tionatelY cheap. After leaving school |
went back to Bloomington and studied
law, and when | started to practice | had
S25 worth of books and very little else.
My frs: law case was before justice Of
the peace, and my fee was So. This seems
very little now, but il paid my board bill
for two weeks, and it was two months be-
tore / got another case. l managed. how
ever, to make more than my expenses dur
ing my first year at the law. and had [
continued to practice from that time to
this l would be much better off in pocket
than l am"
when did you first become interested
in polltics?"
81 can't remember when I was not in
terested in politics." replied the Vice
President II remember the political
campaigns of Kentucky, and l may at
| that time have had an ambition TO be
| Kentucky legislator. | don't know. My
| first work in politics was in the campaign
OF 1858. when Douglas and Lincoln were
running against each other for the United
| States Senate. | was friend OF Douglas
| during that campaign. and spoke in his
| favor. | remember the discussion and ar
guments OF that time as though they
had been uttered in the Senate yes
terday. The great question was the
power of Congress over slavery in the
territories and the wisdom of the repeal
of the Missouri compromise. l was an
earnest advocate of the election of Stephen
A. Douglas, and 1 then fully believed his
position to be correct one. Subsequent
events have clearly demonstrated that the
repeal of the Missouri compromise was far
from being wise measure. The Lincoln
Douglas campaign, however, was one of
the greatest of our history. The speeches
which Lincoln made during it had no
doubt much to do with his being elevated
to the Presidency"
"What did you think Of Abraham Lin
coin ?"
81 admired him then, and l now con-
slider him one of the greatest men and
greatest Presidents we have ever had. l
feel proud that knew him, and the fact
that he belonged to a different party from
me does not warp ms judgment of his
character. l venerate his memory as do
that of Washington. Washington belonged
to different party from mine. He was,
you know, a Federalst, and the Demo-
cratic party was not really born until the
days of Jefferson's Presidency"
The conversation then turned to the
United States Senate, and L asked the Vice.
President whether there was not some way
in which he could control its debates and
prevent such situation as has been in
existence greater part of the fall. He
replied:
81 receive mum bers of letters asking me
that question. Some men want to know
why do not stop the silver discussion.
Editors send me marked copies of news
papers directing me how to act. They do
not understand my position. My power is
clearly outlined in the institution and in
hQ n Nv
prevails there is made up of laws and pre-
cedents which extend over eighty-seven
years of legislative procedure. These are
no more TO be changed by me than are the
laws 10 be changed by Judge Of a court.
Suppose Judge should say, L don't be-
lievs that law is right, and l won't allow
that statute TO enter into this caseY 1t
would be the same if l should attempt to
act in the Senate irrespective of law. To
do otherwise would be revolutionary. l
took an oath to administer the laws of the
Senate and have to act according to them
and to nothing else.
Again." the Vice-President went on,
sit is question as to whether the people
are not unreasonable in their demands
upon the Senate. These men represent
great States, and they have to do what
they honestly believe to be right for both
their own people and the Union. be-
leve they are honest. The Senate is a
conservative body. and it is fair that the
minority should have a show. It's. as
Senator Turpie calls it, the asylum of the
minority and one of the safeguards OF
legislation lies in that fact. 1t is large
body. There are eighty-eight Senator'S
and each has the right to speak, and when
great questions like those we are now dis
cussing come before it it needs the COM
bined wisdom of the whole to decide
them"
sis not the Senate rather social club
than hard-worKing legislative body, Mr..
PRESIDENT" / asked.
NO" replied General Stevenson. "It
has its social elements. it is true, and most
of the men composing 1t are men of great
social qualities. But the Senate is body
of business working men. II is made UP
of broad-gaugti men. nearly every one Of
whom has made himself great name In
his own State, and all of whom are men Of
strength and character. There are Sena-
tors ON both sides of the chamber who
would havesmade great regulations in al
most any field, and as to the general
average don't believe there is stronger
body of public men in the world to-day
than the Senate of the United States"
"How does the Senate of to-day COM
pare with those of our past histOry?'
Il think it is equal to anv we have ever
had." replied the Vice-President. 1--WE
may have no giants like Calhoun, Webster
or Clay. but the average is higher, the
men are broader, better educated, and the
| range OF subjects which they have to dis
| cuss is wider and deeper than those which
taxed the Senate OF the past. Tho Ques.