The Helena independent., 1894-07-27
Villas SCORES GORMAN.
And Pays Glowing Tribute 10 the
President OF the United
States
The Latter's oficiai and Private
Conduct Ably Defended
and Eulogizod.
nis Record on tho Tariff Question Rs-
cited aud His consiatesoy Afiirrnsd
and Demonstrated.

Wno was poatmhhtef Qenofhl hnc lAtof sec
retaTy the interior during Mr.. CisysIand's
fret administration, replied to-day 70 Sen
ator Germans attack upon tho president.
For two hours he held the floor amid the
wfspt attention OF the senate and gslisfisa.
delivering his acathinR rebuko Of the
Maryland senator.
Villas said he would speak ss q personal
as we'll AZ political friend OF the prssl-
dent He rsjoieod In the honor OF Mr..
Clevsland's friendship. II was pride 10
him. One Of the greatest pleasures that
had come 10 him was the intimate assooia-
tion with that lofty and distinguished man.
IL was his honest testimony 10 his charao-
ter that never al any moment. In any temp
tstion, political or personal, had he failed
TO see In Cleveland the pure white light OF
upright purpose. For such q man he saw
10 10 say some words-not In defense (hs
need nons), but In correction OF q dlscol-
ora,ion OF facts by which Mr.. Cleveland
had been placed in q false light before the
country. He would mako this statement
In behalf OF the truth of history.
"what were the points OF the accusa-
tiop." inquired Mr.. Villas, "in the remark
able assault to which l have alludedr' He
regretted, he said. that NJ. German was
first accusation. he proceeded. was that the
president was open 10 the charge Of du-
plicity. That was based upon letter in
which Mr.. Cleveland expressed the hope
that iron and coal would 20 on the free list
in tho tariff bill. The second was that the
executive bad encroaohed on the preroQa-
tives of congress, and the third, thai the
president had traduoed the senate. These
charges we're true or false. not az matter
OF argument. but as a matter of fact.
with regard TO coal and iron, let us ex-
anime the facts" said NJ. Wins, land
desire to say here that / am under deep OBJ
legation 10 the senator from New York. who
never In his public career made such an
able exposition of any subject as be did on
Tuesday last"
Mr.. Villas thsn reviewed al length the
pfosldsnts position In favor Of free raw
mntefials, his letter of 1887 and other public
utteranoes mp 10 his message 10 conRress at
the opening Of the present session. Con
stnntly, Mr.. Villas declared. Mr.. Cleveland
haS insisted upon this principle. IL was
everywhere proclaimed by bis suppo ofters
to be the frat step In tbs entran nohisemeut
OF labor from the thra,dom OF unju,tiltaxa-
tion. could IL be possible" he asked.
"thas any one supposed hs had abandoned
the principle that lay NJ the base Of any
scheme OF tariff reform2 What was the
principle addueed in support of this
allegation and ohanQs OF hearth"
Mr.. Gormaa himself had no personal
testimony TO offer. He called on Mr.. Vest
who offered a conversation. n.-hoarsay testi-
mony. that would have been excluded from
any court OF Justice. Tbs distinguished
senator from Arkansas. whose labor in be-
half Of the bill had earned SO much respect
from his colleagues, testified that he had
personally talked with the president about
tho senate bill Did Mr.. Jones claim that
all tho details Of the bill had been laid be-
fore Mr.. Clevslandp Necessarily not. Only
the general principles on which the amend
ments were made.
In regard 10 those two amendments upon
which the specifications OF M. Gofman's
charge had been founded. the testimony o I
Mr.. Jonos was clear that the president,
whenever coal and iron orc we're mentioned.
expressed the hope that they would go on
the free list. Was there any one DESTROYS
of doing open and free justice 10 the presi-
den, who. after reading Mr.. Jones' own
hthtcmtut, WOulu uot SAY tuht MT. Siovo-
land had never faltered In his ufgont de-
mand for free coal and iron? Without
duplioity. but with the opsnness and bold.
meas that always characterized him, Mr..
Cleveland had expressed to the chairman
OF the ways and means committee the hope
that the result he desired should be aecsm-
plished In conference. He had a right 20
soy IL, after his conversation As detailed by
Senator Jones, he had q right SO insist aud
urge II by any proper msans.
But ID was said the presidents letter con-
stituted an snoroschment upon the prerog.
atives Of the senate. His riRh, TO send II
Of tho letter. "Was tho language that OF
a man who sought to reach beyond his
powerT' he asksd. "Was 10 not rather the
honest outpourins Of = genuine democratic
address In support of principles the presi-
dent had SO nobly carried through two try
ing presidential oontests2"
Mr.. Villas then quoted and ranged along
eide OF NJ. Cleveland's utierance the state
mont OF Mr.. German tha, the senate bill
could not psss II IL did dot have the hearty
support OF Mr.. Cleveland. Az the very
time tho president was Writing his letter 20
Mr.. Wilson, the senator from Maryland
aud his eo-vorksrs were appealing TO Mr..
Cleveland 10 induce him 10 support them
in an effort TO qualify the enactment, OF
democratic principles, instead OF crJstaliz-
in q them into law.
How utterly vAnton is this CRY Of iutsr-
ference. beoauss he has eeen 10 10 throw the
weight OF his inhusuoS With the house In
favor OF democratic principles. Because
he refused 30 stand with them they make
his action ground Of complaint here, aud
in horror ery out Againa, executive inter
ference
Villas referred 10 the fac, that President
Washington came 70 the senate chamber 40.
companied by his secretary 10 urge in per-
son the ratification of u treaty he bad me-
gotiated. Pfeaident Jaekson'a course In
making his views felt by cong ola was also
referred 10. Mr.. Villas aaid he was oontont
TO leave 10 fair minded men whether the
president had wautonly onoTohchei upon
thu rights Of oougrsss.
The charge was made that the senate had
been tTadueed. Extracts from the letter 20
NJ. Wilson TO show that the presidents
10 plainly state his aspirations towards
tafin reform. The president had stated
that abandonment OF that great party
principle would DO peIfdy and diahonor.
No one would question that such al aban-
donment OF principles vonld be dishonot0-
BILE. The ahaft Was not aimed NJ anf son
atot II Was not a personal accusation, 10
was nos an accusation Ievsllsd a. the sem
atof from Maryland, OF the senator from
Missouri. or the senator from Arkansas or
against Any senator.
The president underetood the situation
Ia the senate. lie knew tho uaunoh ad-
hstenee 10 tarih reform OF the senator from
lexsA ths senator from Delaware and tho
two asnAtors from ATkansAA The preai j.
dents letter wAa wholly impeFsonaL yilaa
ahid the yieSa OF The senator from Mafy-
land could maan ouly one thing, Ia was
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