Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-07-25
HILL DEFENDS CLEVELAND
He Says the Presidents Letter Means
War to- che Knife on the
Senate RIII

washington, IL. ", July ZU.-CrOWUS
such as had not thronged the Senate in
months packed the galleries today. The
House and the President had yesterday
thrown down the gauntlet to the Senate
Oh the tariff question and pitched bat
tie was expected. An ominOus hush was
upon the chamber when the president pro
TEN. (Mr. Harris of TENNESSEE raped the
Senate to order
Senator Blackburn Of Kentucky, in a
pink negligee shirt, stood watch i'll hand
while the chaplain delivered his invoca-
ton, looking like judge at Kentucky
Derby. The conservatives Democrats,
Mr.. Brice, in an immaculate suit Of white
flannel; Mr.. German in Il sedate suit of
blue, and MI Smith in a long, black
fTOck coat, sat grouped together Oh the
Democratic side Mr.. Hill, sitting far
back, chatted meIrily with Gen. Dan
Slckles, the One-legged veteran of Gettys-
burg. Senators sherman, Aldrich, ALI
son, Hale and Chandler, the leaders on
the Republican side, appeared amused at
the storm which threatened across the
political aisle. The preliminary routine
business was transacted in a perfunctOry
way.
Senator Voorhees,, the tall sycamore Of
the Wabash, chairman of the finance COM
mittee, arose and called up the conference
report on the tariff bill. Without a word
of explanation he yielded the floor to
Senator Smith of New Jersey, who arose
and read carefully-prepared speech.
Mr.. Smith had hoped, he said, when
the bill passed the Senate two weeks ago
that it had been perfected. But the events
OF the last tWenty-fOur hours had con-
fronted the Democratic party with the
possibility Of the failure Of all tariff legis-
latlOn at this session. If so the RESPONSE
bility must be placed where it belonged.
He criticised the President for "yiolat-
ing" the principles of his party in at
tempting to interfere with the preroga-
tives of the Legislative branch of the gov
ernment but declared that he should new
er be inundated by threats from the
press or by the utterances of his party
associates at the other end of the capitol
who had been SO uprOariOuSly applauded
He called attention to the differences be-
tween the situation in the House and the
Senate. He reviewed the events in the
House which eliminated in the passage of
a bill with the loss of II Democratic votes
in that body In the Senate all changed
Every Democratic vote was needed to
pass bill, if it was to be passed as
party measure, and the members of
the finance committee went heroically
to work to harmonic the differences eX-
listing on the Democratic side. They had
accomplished that purpose, to their ever
lasting credit, be it said. He had been
one of t.\se who had stood out for con-
cessions III the interests of his constitu-
position then, and made none now. He
then proceeded to deliver Il glowing eulo-
gy of the tariff bill as it passed the Sen
ate, which, unlike the House bill, he de-
clared, contained no menace to the indus
tries Of the country, and had not been
framed by men from sparselysettled dis
tricts who knew nothing of the great
commercial interests of the United
States. He asserted that the trainers of
the House bill and large proportion of
the Democratic party were not tariff re-
formers. they were free traders
Mr.. Hill said: "A theory as we'll as
condition now confronts US. The theory
of the Democratic party is that in the
enactment of tariff legislation free raw
materials should always be an essential
and conspicuous element. 1t is our creed
that the materials which enter into our
manufactures should be freed from the
burden of tariff taxation. The best in
tereStS of the manufacturers as well as
the consumers of the land demand the
recognition Of this wise discrimination
We are committed to this side of the
question and we cannot retreat and we
cannot retract. We are hOnorably bound
to redeem our professions and our prom
Uses. Justice, good faith and a decent re-
gard for public sentiment all require this
course. Until recently | had supposed
that there was no dispute upon this ques-
tion of principle, but that every Demo
crat worthy of the name was willing to
cOncede that If there was one thing more
than another to which the Democratic
party was committed. it was in favor of
the doctrine of absolute free raw mate
rials. The true and honest construction
of every Democratic national platform
for twelve years past irrevOcably commits
US to this just and reasonable principle"
Mr.. Hill read the Democratic national
platform of 1892 and continued: ITO re-
peal the Mckinley law in form simply;
to re-enact it in effect is keeping this
promise to the letter, but breaking it in
spirit. The platform pointed with pride
and deliberately approved the measures
for free iron ore, free lead ORE free coal
and free wool which were pending in Con-
gresS at the time of the convention The
Democratic position was SO plain and is
so clear that he who runs may read. If
any Democratic orator in any part of the
country, forgetting the interests of the
whole land and subscribing the supposed
interests of a locality promised the peo-
pie of any state or section that there
would be any exception made to the en-
forcement of the general principle of free
raw materials when the Democrats
should obtain power, he exceeded his
authority and miSinterpreted our posi-
ton.
ut is said by some in justification or ex-
cuSe for the present action that the PreSi-
dents letter of acceptance in 1892 modi-
fed the extreme demands of our platform.
1t is true that some portions of his let
ter may tend to bear that construction
1t was not that bold, ringing and explicit
declaration in favor of the platform
which his party had right to expect,
but was regarded by many as timid, eau
tious and conservative; but whether this
criticism is or is not wel-founded the
fact remains that he had no power or au-
thoFity to change or alter one line or
sentence or provision of the national plat
form which had been deliberately adopt
ed in the national convention duly as
sembled. No President can be above his
party; no President can dictate to his par
ty; no President can change his party
platform.
But no matter what idea it may be
claimed was intended to be conveyed in
his letter of acceptance in mitigation or
modification of the platform, there can
be no doubt as to the Presidents posi-
ton at this time upon this essential prin-
ciple of free raw materials. Let me read
from that remarkable letter of the Presi-
dents which yesterday was submitted to
the House of Representatives 1t ex-
presses better than / can hope to do the
true, sound and logical position OF the
Democratic party upon this question.
After reading extracts from this letter,
Mr. IIilI cOntiOno6.