Birmingham age-herald., 1894-07-25


 which could be properly made of 1t. As to the interviews with the president, as re- hearsed yesterday by senators, MT. Hill
 remarked that these senators had "hadg- ered'' the president with their "conces- sions'' and had strven to get him to sup
 port them. They had known how weak and tame their bill would seem to the American people if it did not have the
 1ction and approval of the democratic p sjdent.
 Alluding to the fact that MT. German had read yesterday paragraph of Wash ington s farewell address, MT. Hill said
 that the address had been "quoted in vain
 when senators, instead of relying on their own reserved rights and acting their own judgment, and taking their own steps lndepen dent of anybody else, sought the White House and asked the interposton of the president oftheir party. [Applau 3e. l It came with poor grace from senators who asked suggestions, aid and help from the president to turn round and have read to the senate Washington farewell address to show that the president ought not to make any suggestions pending legislation iu the form and manner that Mr. Cleveland had done.''
 Then MT. Hill alluded to the sswonderful and unusual spectacle which senators wit
 messed yesterday, when conversations with the president were detailed for the avowed purpose of placing the president in false position before the senate and country.'
 He was no defender of the president ordi- narily. He had received no favor at the presidents hands. He had his grievances.
 He differed with the president on party politics, espee ially as to matters in his own state. But be thought that in this particu- lar It was his duty, and he was broad minded and liberal enough to defend the president when he was unjustly attacked.
 lRsnewed and continued applduse.]
 Coming again to the session of yesterday MT. Hill said: "Great scenes have taken place in this chamber for the last half csn- tury or more; great speeches have been made; fierce personal denunciations have been heard; encounters have taken place; great debates have been heard. Yesterday with crowded floors and crowded galleries, we witnessed the conceded leader of the democratic side of this chamber, whom 1 personally respect aud honor, call wit nesses, one after another, on the question of what the president had said to them about the details of the tariff bill. A stran- ger came into the senate chamber yester- day. He looked at the presiding officer and heard those witnesses called and he asked a bystander whether that was the chief jus tice of the United States presiding, and whether 1t was court of impeachment, trying the president of the United States It was pertinent inquiry under the cir cumstances.
 Again reyerting to the presidents letter, MT. Hill described it as 'an honest and manly letter to the chairman of the com mittee on ways and means, telling him of his doubts and fears in regard to the bill.'
 He had not intended, MT. Hill asserted, to dictate to either branch of congress. The letter could not be construed into dic- tation. It was suggestion, an expostula- tion, a warning to his party friends not to persist in the senate bill.
 As to the interviews with the president, which had been detailed yesterday, MT. Hill asserted that there was nothing in them which ought to lead senators to be- lleve that he was irretrievably bound to the senate bill. He (HilD had known the pres- ident for many years. He was man who said little in conversation. He was a good listener. He formed his conclusions slowly, deliberately, honestly and sincerely. He permitted his party friends to disclose their plans and purposes. And it was certain to his (Hill's) mind that the president did not bind himself to the provisions of the senate bill, and that he did not approve them. The senator from Maryland had referred yesterday to him (HilD as an opponent of the bill. He would let that be, so far as it applied to the bill in its present shape. The democratic masses were against it. The president Of the United States was against good company. Laughter
 MT. Hill touched upon that part of MT. Gorman's speech referring to the promises made in the last campaign to protect the interests of the sugar planters of Louisiana, and said if that was proper ground for urging the adoption of the sugar schedule in the senate bill 1t would make the people desire more than ever the provisions of the house bill, placing sugar on the free list. He believed that If the duty on sugar was defensible at all it should be defended on the principle of it being requisite for reve- nue.
 Coming back again to the interviews of the senators with the president, MT. Hill told them that it was not right to be run ming to the White House seeking instruc- tions, and he added amid much laughter: ''I suggest to my friends that they do as l did-keep away from the White House.' The idea of the president of the United States overreached the old politician, who had been through many a campaign; that he was too sharp for them; and they had come away with different sort of impress sion from the ideas which he had, Is ab- surd. And then when the president wants ocratic masses just what the bill is, and what he wants it to be, they say they were overreached by this ambitious president. [ Laughter.
 Coming again to the question of the pro- posed duties on coal and iron ore, MT. Hill said that it had been suggested by MT. German that there were some great inter- ests somewhere demanding free coal and free iron ore. He (HilD did not know where those interests wore and he pre- sented petition of citizens of Baltimore | asking for free iron ore. He did not know | what interests were seeking for free coal. | He had yet to hear any senator suggest | taat the president of the United States, in | making these recommendations, had de- | sired to subserve the interest of any mo- | nopoly or of any individual. He believed | that the president had made these recom- | because they were for the best | interests of the country.
 MT. German asked MT. Hill whether, if | the senate would recede from every amend | ment which it had placed on the house | bill, and would let that bill stand with free | sugar, free coal, free iron ore and free wool, he would still vote for the Wilson |