The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-24

freslQent or the United StateS: IL piaceu
this body IN a position where ! must tell
the story as 1t occurred. The limit Of en-
ddrance has been reached"
Mr.. German proceeded TO detail tne MS
Senate, and the manner in which, to meet
the objections and secure the support or
certain disaffected Democrats, the changes
had been agreed upon he stated emPha,- ,-
ically that during the progress or this work
Messrs Vest and Jones had frequent con-
ferences with Secretary Carlisle, and Often
times with Mr. Cleveland himself. No ma
teTial sacrifice of principle was made. Inc
result was, as he declared on previous oc-
casion, a Democratic measure which, in
his opinion, leaned toward the radical tar
iff-reform sentiment, and which he thought
would receive the support OF R ReToGSFatdd hoSieved
then, as he did now, that he had authority
for that statement.
He charged directly ---at every one or the
Senate amendments had been seen by Sec
retary Carlisle and scanned by him before
they were agreed upon. He drew from his
tary Carlisle on April 80, in whlcn the sec,
retary of the Treasury gave the same OH
his sweeping Endorsement. After the read
ing of the Carlisle interview, Mr.. German
led UP to one of the most dramatic cpl
sodes of the day (the summoning or Messrs
Vest Jones and Harris as witnesses to his
statement that the President approved the
Senate compromise) by making the follow
ing remarks:
tary of the Treasury. That statement from
him has probably a wonderful erect. III
softened the hard places with which we met
when we came to confer and TO act IL
was accepted. 1t did much to enable us TO
bring together forty-three Senators in this
body. / repeat that but for il do not be-
lieve we ever should have succeeded in get
ting together. But it did not stop there 1t
was not alone with the Secretary or the
Treasury, who necessarily speaks for the
President In matters concerning ing ,lore+ ms ae+
of what we proposed to do Nothing was
concealed from him. The papers announced
on the day following the interview with Mr.
Carlisle that the President himself con-
Cured with his great Secretary.
DECEIVED BY CLEVELAND.
$50 we understood, and If it be not true
then forty-three Senators on this side of
the chamber have been misled. Every prom
inent amendment to the bill was as we'll
known to him as to me. While neither the
President nor his Secretary was In love
with all the provisions OF these amend
ments-aye, sir, 1 may say in fairness that
there were many of them to which they
were opposed, as the Senator from Mis-
souri, and the Senator from Arkansas and
the distinguished chairman of the commit
tee on finance were opposed to many OF
them, and as 1t was compromise meas meas
ure, it was not satisfactory TO a. single soil
tary human being on this side or the cham
Der in all its details-but / assert that as
whole the structure as presented ana
tory, and was recognized as the best that
it was possible to pass through this body,
and that from ON no anafteb ngn bs or i1w
net nor by any member of this body, was
it ever suggested or intimated that there
any violation of Democratic principles
in anything we did.
Now Mr.. President, this Is very broad
statement. 1 call upon the two gentlemen
who had the immediate control of the bill,
the Senator from Missouri (Alr. VesD and
the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Jones),
and L ask them If they have a statement
which varies a hairs breadth from the
truth and it is due TO the Senate, IL is due
to themselves, it is due to me- 1t is due TO
the country, that the truth shall be known.
Let the people have the truth. / pause for
a reply from my friend from Missouri
Mr. Vest began by saying that he had
not himself seen the President since the
repeal of the Sherman law last summer,
had had frequent conversations. Mr. Car
Isle had repeatedly and distinctly stated to
him that the greatest possible calamity
any BILL He had distinctly stated to him
that no difference in rates should be al
lowed TO stand in the way of the consum-
nation of some scheme of tariff reform.
His colleague. Mr. Jones had seen both
Mr. Carlisle and Mr.. Cleveland, and they
c. :able TO them The bill did not suit
him Vest) He knew it must have the
and he asked Mr.. Jones If the President
would throw the weight of his influence
II fdSr Of it. had Mr. said T9nfs fs
willing, to do anything to pass the bill
through Congress"
must go go Behind nd us,' % Mr.. Vest e said sht mr.
Jones replied that he was" "Thereupon,"
said Mr. Vest. i gave up my personal
Presidents letter the first intimation
TO me that he was against u.s."
When Mr.. Vest sat down Mr.: Jones. of
Arkansas, who was in charge of the bill i'm
the Senate, took the floor. He was as pale
as death. He realized. he said. when the
bill came to the Senate that it could not be
passed in Its then form, and he had gone
TO work with infinite labor and pains to in
terview every Democratic Senator. He as
certained every objection they held and had
carefully noted them. He had talked with
Mr.. Carlisle about his plan and the Presi-
dent indorsed it as wise. Then he Jones)
prepared the amendments in consultation
thoroughly informed as to the situation.
and he Oones) had said to him: L will not
go one step further If the administration
is not behind me- ="
a LIE OUT SOMEWHERE.
81 requested him to explain everything to
the President" said Mr.. Jones' II saw the
President. He told me Mr. Carlisle had ex-
planned all and he (Cleveland) said he
thought we were doing the wise and proper
thing. Among the amendments thus pre-
pared were those placing coal and iron on
the uuIldDIe llSl. Ontu L read Mr.. CleVe-
lands letter to Mr. Wilson l believed he
cordially approved of our action.
Il had expressed TO him the opinion that
il must either be this modified bill or none
at all, and he replied that in the alternative
he favored the modified measure"
As Senator Jones sat down Mr.. German
arose to resume, but Mr.. Villas interpOsed
In your interview with the President"
asked Mr. Villas, were the subjects of coal
and iron ever mentioned?"
Yes, replied Mr.. Jones, with explosive
vehemence, "at every conversation between
the President and myself coal and iron
There was burst of applause from the
gallery which the presiding officer had
great difficulty in checking
And" continued Mr. Jones, with meas
dent never once uttered one solitary word
against going ahead with coal and iron in
the bill as then in the Senate"
one more question" said Mr. Villas Did
not the PRESIDENT express the hope at all
times that iron and coal should be on the
free list?'' ~ ~
AT all times, yes,' said Mr.. Jones. "Rut
III was the expression OF a hope that the
circumstances would permit its realization -
Mr.. German then referred 70 the state
ment in to-day's Washington Post nur-
porting to come from Senator Harris and
asked the Tennessee statesman to give hIG
version of the understanding with The
President. MIR. Harris, who had come down
from the presiding officers chair for the
purpose, then took the floor and said:
Il have had very little to do with the
Senate amendments TO the tariff bill as a
member of the finance committee bnt
nave been continuously in conference with
the Democratic members of this COMMITTEE
and considered. The amendments in the
form of concessions TO Senator's vyho varo