Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-04
Two Speeches in the Senate in
That Line Today.
SENATORS BUTLER AND BLACKBURN
Both Array Themselves With the
Minority.
BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE Z.
THE SENATE.

As there were but seven Senators present
In the chamber this morning when prayer
was said, Mr.. Stewart (Nev.) thought that
the reading Of yesterdays journal should
have a larger audience He therefore called
attention to the fact that there was no
quorum present. The roll was called, and
forty-three Senators-just Quorum-re-
sponded. The journal was then read and
the morning business was proceeded with.
Mr.. Morgan (Ala) reported back from
the committee on foreign relations. with
out recommendation. the bill referred to 1t
making appropriations to enforce the Chi
nese exclusion act.
Mr.. Dolph (Oreg.), who had introduced the
bill, and who also is a member Of the COM
mittee on foreign relations, said that the
report was not unanimous. He himself was
in favor of making a favorable report
The bill was referred to the committee on
appropriations.
Another COmmissiOn Proposed.
Mr.. PETER CKan.) offered a resolution.
which went over till tomorrow. for the Gp-
pointment Of q select committee OF three
Senators to consider and report whether
any and what legislation Is necessary TO
improve the banking system Of the coun-
try, to the end that greater steadiness may
be maintained in currency circulatlon, tndt
there may be less interruption In business
secured against loss. and that the savings
Of the people may be safely kept.
Mr.. Morgan (Ala.) offered a resolution
instructing the judiciary committee to IN
Quire and report what provisions OF the
act Of January. 1887 (the free coinage acO.
are now In force. and to report by Dill or
otherwise.
Mr.. Allison Qowa) took exception to the
ferring the financial question to the judi
ciary committee.
Mr.. Morgan suggested that the judiciary
committee might report bill for the re-
vtval of the act of 1887 was necessary, or
that an amendment Of that act was neces-
sary, or that the act was now in force and
had been neglected and overslaughed by
the officers Of the United States govern
ment-had been allowed to fall into in
nocuous deseutude" After some further
discussion the resolution went over till to-
morrow.
Mr. Butler Against Repeal.
The silver purchase repeal bill was taken
up at 11:3O am. and Mr.. Butler Is. c. ad-
dressed the Senate in opposition. He began
by criticising some Of Mr.. Palmer's state
ments last evening-particularly the insist
| ing that the Senate should be put in a posi-
ton to govern itself. He would say to that
Senator that the minority was not at
tempting to coerce anybody. but ne thought
he might safely say that the minority did
not intend to be coerced by anybody. The
Senate was not a town meeting. 1t was
great deliberative body, intended to put
veto upon hasty. unwise and improper
legislation.
The Senator from Indiana (Mr. Turpie)
had spoken OF the Senate as being the
refuge of minorities In his (Mr: But
lers) judgment IT was the last refuge of
minorities in this country. This was not
| government of majorities-
matorities. 1t was government Of written
law, to which the majority in the Senate
was as amenable as the minority was:
to which the President of the United States
was as amenable as the humblest citizen
Of the republic.
What the Minority Represents.
The Senate was not a body where the
political hustler could crack his whip and
compel the minority to conform to the will
| Of the majority. 1t was a body in which
the minority could protect itself in pur-
suance and by virtue of the Constitution
and laws. The minority in the Senate on
the pending bill represented millions of
American citizens and billions of American
property. and were they to be told that
that minority must yield to the demands
of the majority because the majority had
concluded that the time for debate had
ended and that the time for the vote had
arrived? He heard it often asked: what
is to be done?"
Compromise Urged.
II reply, Mr.. President" he said with
strong emphasis. compromise Compro-
mise is the solution Of the struggle here
today. But" he added, I'VE are told that
compromise means defeat: means surrender
to the minority. Why. Mr.. President, the
very government under which We live is
the result Of compromise. There is not a
contested measure in this house or in the
other. which does not become law Of al
alb, as the result of a compromise. And
so feel inclined to protest against the as
| sumption Of Senators who have said that
the minority is defying the majority. OBJ
| structing legislation and causing delay un-
| necessarily"
Mr. Blackburn Also Against Repeal.
Mr.. Butler having spoken for nearly two
| hours and become much fatigued yielded
the floor without finishing his speech; and
then Mr.. Blackburn (KyD took the floor
| and made an argument against the repeal
| bill. He had voted. he said. against the
Sherman act but bad as that measure was.
unfair, uncandid he believed 1t to be.
still he did not believe that 1t was the cause
| of the country's financial woes or that its
| repeal would prove a panacea for them. He
would not, therefore. favor either the House
bill or the Senate substitute. but thought
that a compromise measure might be de-