The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1894-08-02
THE TARIFF BILL.

from New York MIR. Hill, who had
openly and manfully opposed the
measure, there was only 43 demo-
cratic votes to be depended on.
Senators had voted for the bill at q
sacrifice of the state interests--almost
of principle.
Never before had there been such
a condition of sacrifice. When the
radical, destructive bill came from
the house it had been asserted that It
could not be passed by the senate
with the odious income tax attached.
When the bill went into conference,
although majority of the democratic
conferees had been southern men,
justice had been done by them to
every section. To resent the calum-
nies that had been heaped on the
conferees he would give plain, un-
vanished statement, putting the
responsibility wherever it belonged.
He would say now, as he would tell
every democratic senator privately,
that no matter at what sacrifice to
state interests, the paramount duty
OF every democrat was to keep the
party in power.
Mr.. German made reference to
President Cleveland's letter to Chair
man Wilson as the most unusual, the
most unwise letter ever penned by
president of the United States. On
account of this letter, he was forced
to talk of private party matters in
public. The honor of his fellow
senators also made him make the
statement he would make.
Telling of the tariff bill conference,
Mr.. German said every democratic
senator had been consulted with
a view to reconciling their views.
Two of the democratic leaders
had conferred with the president,
knowing that the bill would not
pass without the hearty co-opera
tion of the executive branch of
the government. What the pen
had said gave him the right to make
the statement, as he did at the
time, that the senate bill would
receive the Endorsement of demo-
cratic house and democratic presi-
dent.
The great secretary of the treas
ury, himself great tariff reformer,
who had seen every amendment pro-
posed, or that was to be proposed,
knowing the condition that con-
fronted his party, and wanting
to let the country know how matters
stood, published prepared state
ment on April 80, 1894. This
statement was an interview with
Mr. Carli.l about the tariff bill,
in which he said the bill would
be passed without difficulty. That
statement, said Mr.. German, had
probably wonderful effect. But
It did not stop there. The president
was not ignorant of what the senate
proposed to do. Forty three demo-
cratic senators understood and
believed this.
The daily papers stated that the
4 .,,;t III
tary of the treasury. 1t was known
that he was not satisfied with the
measure. The same could be said
OF every democratic senator, for
"a compromise measure would not be
satisfactory in every particular to
everybody. 1t was believed that
every cabinet officer, every dem
osratic senator and the president
himself were satisfied with the
compromise bill as the best that
could be presented.
Mr.. German called on Mr.. Vest
(dem.) of Missouri to verify this
DrOAu btdtChChp'
Amid intense silence Mr.. Vest,
somewhat hesitatingly, arose and
told what he knew OF the matter.
Mr.. Vest said Secretary Carlisle had
told him that the greatest calamity
that could happen to the democratic
party and to the country would be
the failure to pass d tariff bill. SEN
ator Jones had seen the president
and Secretary Carlisle and both had
told him that the bill as propos ID to
be amended would be perfectly
satisfactory to them, the president
concluding with these words: 81
am willing to do or say anything to
pass this bill through congress-"
81 told Senator JONES'" said Mr..
Vest, "that If we go into this fight
we must have the president behind
u.s." MIR. Jones assured him that
this was a fact, and he (Mr. Vest)
gave up his personal opinions; and
for the first time, whom he heard OF
the president's letter to Chairman
Wilson, he learned that the president
was against them.
Mr.. Jones (dem. of Arkansas)
explained he understood the presi
dent and Secretary Carlisle were
satisfied with the amended bill until
he heard the Wilson letter read. He
understood the president to express
himself positively in this connection
and Secretary Carlisle also.
Mr.. Villas (dem.) OF Wisconsin
asked II in every conversation the