Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-10-12

wAsHIxeroS. D. c., Oct. ll--lSpecial J
Among the shrewdess members Of the sen
ate is Mr. Brice Of Ohio. As is well known
Mr. Brice has large financial interests il
New YoJk and intimate relations with
prominent bankers and inanciers. He is
moreover. . keen. practical man Of busi
ness and perhaps the closest and most an
aIytical student OF human nature in th,
senate He has not been playing an i'm
rortant pant in the silver battle, being con
tent to remain in the back ground and watci
the proceedings He has been for repeal 81
the time, and more or less impatient. a.
every one else has been. over the long delay
In conversation with your correspondent
today Senator Brice said:
This question would have been settled
long before this If there had been an actua
majority for unconditional repeal wei
managed By competent and Determined
leaders. have always contended and still
say that it is possible for majority to dC
anything IL wishes to do in this senate
Notwithstanding the absence OF rule
which directly force a vote. the majority
always has rsled in this body and always
will rule. Some time may he necessary Il
accomplish its purpose. but whenever ma
joriiy sets oGt 10 secure certain Legislation
il will arrive al its destination in the end
The trouble in this whole matter has beer
that there never WAS q majority N the sen
ate for unconditional repeal There ha,
been merely a simulated majority, and d
simulated majority could never hope toac
compiish anything in the face Of deter
mined opposition.
Nv hen the senate met last August, ther.
was a majority against repeal, but in the
course Of two or three weeks this Wa:
changed TO nominal majority In favor oi
repeal But these changes were only OF
classification and not of the heart. From
first to last fully one-third of the men who
have been classed for repeal have not actual
iy been in favor of It and were only too glad
TO escape the responsibility Of meeting the
issue or facing a vote. These men in the
nature Of things have INDUCED in more oil
less talk Of compromise and have, inten-
tionally OF unintentionally, given comfort
and moral support to the opposition
II Cnder such circumstances the minority
had a perfect right to consume as much
time as possible in wha, seemed TO be le-
ultimate debate, waiting for conditions 70
change or for some accident that would
give them either a total or partial vic
tory. That is just what has happened, and
it is precisely what was foreseen many
weeks ago by men who understood the situ.
alton. The country has been largely fooled
by the claims and predictions of people
who ought to have known better, and who
should not have permitted themselves to be
the inst lmputs of iecpntiour ~
President Cleveland's Mistake.
Senator Brice is not the only man who
has perceived the true inwariness Of the
senate situation. 1t was another senator,
who does not care TO have his name printed
who said TO your correspondents:
Mr.. Cleveland made great mistake
when be failed to call congress together
last spring II we had met last April or
May, our session would have carried US in
TO the very center of the financial storm,
and had we been considering the repeal bill
in June aud July ne power on earth could
have prevented us from passing it. There
is no longer panic in the country. While
times are so hard while liquidation is going
on and there is great deal of grinding and
friction in the commercial and financial
world. the panicky feeling has wholly dis
appeared.
Last summer we would have repealed
the purchase clause Of the Sherman law
without much delay and for the purpose
of affording the country temporary relief.
Now it is not temporary relief that the
country wants. 1t is n permanent finan-
cial policy, not for month or two. but
for series of years. To fix upon and put
in the statute books permanent financial
policy for country like ours is too impor-
tant task to be hastily undertaken or to
be accomplished under pressure. These
are the thoughts that have been going
through the minds of senators, and these
are the reasons why they have paused to
deliberate even while many newspapers
were vociferously demanding immediate
action and reviling the senate rs impoteut
and imbecile because it did not act speed
lily.
1T is the opinion of the most conserva-
tive senators that unconditional repeal Of
the Sherman law would leave state of
feeling both in the house and senate that
would prevent any other legislation on the
currency for years to come. The sore would
be so deep and long that it could not he re
opened. Therefore the best thing to do is
we are at it, it would be better not only TO
repeal or amend the Sherman law, but pro
vide for gold reserve and other means of
maintaining public confidence in the fu-
ture"
A Democratic Senator on the President.
A senator who has given close attention
to the inner workings of the repeal battle
tells your correspondent that large source
Of trouble throughout the session has been
the lack Of understanding between the
president and leading members of the sen
ate According to this senator, there has
been considerable irritation over the at
tempt of the president to dictate to con
gress what it should do, but more irrita-
ton over the fact that after attempting
such interference the president has failed
to discuss matters with senators and has
left them more or less in the dark as to
what was expected of them.
This senator declares that Mr.. Cleveland
Is so constituted he cannot discuss a matter
with any one who does not agree with him.
Whereas two ordinary men can sit down
together. and though not agreeing are able
to talk and gain mutual benefit and light.
such procedure is impossible with the
president. II man does not agree with
him, there can be no conversation. The
whole talk comes to an end as soon as the
disagreement appears. The senator who is
responsible for this analysis of Mr.. Cleve-
land speaks from personal knowledge.
He adds that il the president had pos
sessed the quality of frankness and Of easy,
comfortable conversation IL would have
been small matter to call senators into
consultation and reach an adjustment OF
all differences satisfactory in the main to
both sides But the president has not
done this and has made two or three sena-
tors the instruments of his communication
to the remainder This is not n satisfac-
tory method and has not worked well In
this instance. The senators who make
these criticisms upon Mr.. Cieveland's con
duct are Democrats. and prominent ones at
that; therefore. if they are mistaken, the
responsibility is theirs and not mine.
RECEIPTS AND QUOTATIONS
Showing What IS Being Done st the Brighter
and Wsiertown Live Stock Markeis.