Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-07-28
SENATOR GORMAN

That the Limit of Senatorial Endurance
Has Been Reached.
WASHINGTON, July 23.-Not for many
n year has the senate chamber nor has
it in historic "reminiscences presented
a more stirring spectacle than that
which took place there to-day. The
that Senator German was
to take up the gauntlet thrown down
by President Cleveland at the feet of
democratic senator's attracted to the
capitol large part of the visitors and
people Of leisure who take delight in
the comments of political gladiators.
Mr.. German was in his best fighting
trim. Never did he acquit himself of
task in connection with his sena-
torial duties in manner. 1t an inn
pressive manner the Maryland senator
told of closed factories and suffering
mechanics and said further suspense
would be destructive. 1t would
be destructive to the democra-
tic party, which now controlled
every branch of the government, and
he hoped the situation would be met as
became American senator's and as be-
came patriotic citizens. Mr. German
said the democrats had only forty-four
votes for the bill, and, excepting the
distinguished senator from New York
(Mr HilD, who had openly and man
fully opposed the measure, there was
only forty-three democratic votes to be
depended on. Senators had voted for |
the bill at a sacrifice of state interests |
almost OF principle. Never before had |
there been such condition of sac |
rifice. 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 a ma
jority of the democratic conferees had
been southern men, justice had been
done by them to every section To re-
sent the caluminies that had been
| heaped on the conferees, he would give
| plain, unvarnished 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
| 7Mr. German made reference to Presi-
dent Cleveland's letter to Chairman
Wilson as the most unusual, the most
unwise letter ever penned by presi-
dent 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.
Mr.. German said every democraticsen-
ator had been consulted with 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 cooperation of the execu-
tive branch of the government. What
the president 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 secretary of the treasury,
himself tariff reformer, who had seen
every statement that was proposed, or
was to be proposed, knowing the condi-
ton that confronted his party and
wanting to let the country know
how matters stood, published n
prepared statement on April 30,
1894. This statement was an
interview with Mr.. Carlisle about the
tariff bill, in which he said that the
bill would be passed without difficulty.
That statement, siad Mr.. German, had
probably a wonderful effect But it
did not stop there. The president was
not ignorant of what the senate pro-
posed to do. Forty-threc democratic
senators understood and believed this.
The daily papers stated that the
; president concurred with his secretary
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 COM
promise measure would not be salts
: factory in every particular to every
body. 1t was believed that every cab
met officer, every democratic senator
and the president himself were salts
fed with the compromise bill as the
best that could be presented.
: Senator German threw down the
gauntlet President Cleveland and in
sinuated that the latter was seeking tc
blacken the character of senator's
Men in high place, said Mr.. German
had sought to blacken the character Of
: senators. These men were guilty o.
= dishonor "The limit of endurance ha.
been reached, said he. There
is no power however great
the president, with all hi!
patronage-that would keep me silent
= longer. He hurled this at the presi
dent, he said, and at those who chirpet
: as he talked, that their insinuation'
were infamous. 1t was destructive tc
J the country that men of high position
! should seek to blacken those who bat
!, tied for their rights were towards in
high places dared not show their heads
n Mr.. German had read (by Mr.. Cock
II relD statement by Secretary Carlisle
l. furnished to the United Press and pub
} )ished in the Washington Post of Apri
I 80, favoring the passage OF com
promise measure.
u That interview or statement, Mr.
;, German said, had had wonderful ef
< feet. 1t had softened the hard places
L and when democratic senators came t
l confer that compromise was accepted
a. While not sparing the president TO
what seemed to suggest ingratitude t
the men who had stood by him in tn
:. "filth and slime" of his first campaign
and who had given their time and Ii
. Dor and wealth to secure his secon
=. election (referring in this connectio
- to Senator Brice, Of Ohio, esp
=, - cially), he directed his effor'
~ ~ principally to sustaining the prop
- sition that the compromise bill as fixe
- up by Senators Jones and Vest, an
-. as finally passed by the senate, hs
=, been submitted on several occasions
~, the secretary Of the treasury and tn
~ president, and had received the assel
and annYoyal of both of them.