The record-union., 1894-07-25
Special to the REcoRD-uN1os.
Tariff Bill,


matte scene occurred il the Senate to-
day, but President Cleveland, instead OF
being, as on yesterday, the object OF at
tack by the leader of his party, was de-
tended with vigor and vim. MIR. Cleve-
lands champion to-day was his old
political rival and enemy, Senator David
Bennett Hill of New York. The New
York Senator spoke almost two hours TO
breathless galleries and a full Senate.
Several times the presiding officer was
unable to restrain the enthusiasm his re-
marks evoked, notably when Hill de-
clared that personal considerations would
not prevent him from defending the
President when he was unjustly attacked.
He defended Mr.. Cleveland's letter, his
right to send it and the sentiments II con-
tanned, and made strong point against
his adversaries when he pointed out that
they criticised the President for siding
with the House, when they admitted
they had used their influence to induce
him to interpose in behalf of the Senate
amendments to the tariff bill.
He took up Gorman's argument, and
met it point by point in manner salts
factory to himself at least, and concluded
with piece of satire that stung those on
the floor and tickled the galleries. Mr..
German on yesterday compared Mr.. HUI
10 Iago. To-day MIR. Hill hkened those
who had Joined III the assault on Mr..
Cleveland to the conspirators who stab
bed Caesar to death at the foot OF
Pompeirs statue in the Roman Senate.
Mr.. German he characterized as the lean
and hungry Cassius; Mr.. Jones, Marcus
Brutus, the honest Brutus OF the Senate;
Mr.. Vest, who struck the first blow on
Friday, as Casca; Mr.. VOORHEES, as IRE
bonius, "testy but earnest" and Mr..
Harris as Metellus Climber. They had
struck down the President, Hill SAID, not
that they loved Cleveland less, but that
they loved the Senate compromise more.
'.Aud yet" he concluded, and every
word rang out like a hammer on an
anvil, II can say with Antony, they are
all honorable men,"
Caffery, who followed Hill with a brief
speech, also gave TO the country his share
of the secrets OF the political prison
house. He detailed the manner in which
the sugar schedule had been prepared,
insisting that il was made by and IN the
interest OF the sugar trust. He then gave
way in order TO give the democrats a
charce to caucus.
Altogether it was very exciting day,
and the indications are that others as in
teresting will follow.
Every seat in the galleries was taken
when the Senate met. Villas, who was
expected to defend the President against
Yesterday, was on hand early. So was
Senator Hill, who was also billed for a
speech.
AT 1928 O'Clock Harris, manager of
the tariff bill. called up the conference
report.
Hill was at once recognized. He agreed,
he said with German, that the Demo-
cratic party was in the midst OF a great
crisis. The House had passed tariff bill,
which, aside from the income-tax feature,
seemed to meet with general approval.
AS it passed the Senate, however, after
long and weary months of debate, it vio-
lated the pledges of the party. The
House conferrees were confronted with
the fact that the Senate had not made a
bill worthy of Democratic support. They
rejected the duty on coal and iron ore.
His motion that the Senate recede from
coal and iron duties was in the line of
agreement, 1t would do no good TO OBJ
stInately adhere to the position tax en-
when the bill was passed.
"Do you see any signs of yielding on
the part of the House," he asked, ad-
dressing his Democratic colleagues.
''backed by the public press of the coun-
try. by the Democratic masses and the
President of the United States as it un-
doubtedly is? The House will never
WELD on those two points. Then, let the
Senate yield, and see whether it does not
lead to an agreement"
He was not, he said, talking about
ViIas' motion to recede from the differ
ential in favor of the sugar trust, but a
concession must and should be made if
the bill was to become a law.
Hill said he SVmDatliZod with the
71resident's letter to Chairman Wilson.
lis sentiments were his. The President
violated no clause of the Constitution
when he sent that letter. 1t was private
communication. No Democratic Senator
on the floor could controvert the position
taken by Mr.. Cleveland. He saw that to
place duty on coal and iron would be TO
violate the platform declarations of his
party and would place the party, whose
success he desired, in q false and inde-
fensible position. The Democrats of the
country were in sympathy with Mr..
Cleveland. Democratic clubs and conven-
tions all over the country had indorsed
the Wilson bill in reference to free raw
materials. On the other hand, the Senate
bill had been received everywhere with
signs of disapproyal.
Hill then proceeded in impassioned
tones TO say that in the last half century
the Senate Chamber had witnessed great
scenes and great debates, but yesterday,
in the presence of a great crowd, con-
spicuous Senatorial leader of the Demo-
cratic party had summoned Senator after
Senator, with the formality of a judicial
proceeding, to put the President OF the
United States on trial for impeachment.
Those Senators detailed a private con-
yersation with the President. They ad-
United that the President at all times
urged free raw materials. Yet they in
1erred. or concluded. or supposed that he
wanted the Senate bill; and in view of the
apprehension for the Presidents wishes
il was but natural he should write an
honest, frank, manly letter to Chairman
Wilson. Surely the President could
never have said anything TO these Sena-
tors which bound hlm irrevocably to the
Senate bill, as they would have it under
stood.
II have known him long and we'll -
continued Hill, land whatever NAV have
been our differences, one thing I know
well or him, he considers public ones
tions slowly, deliberately, honestly and
Sincerely. He says but little. He weighs
ali carefully.
s.The President did not indulge in idle
md random comment" added Hill
jsThese Senators had, therefore, discussed
a subject in general terms. They had
hot read the matured and well weighed
opinion of the President. He had not at
tempted to pass II deliberate Judgment
on propositions they presented to him. y
Hill defended himself against the re-
ferences of German and other Senators
concerning his position in the tariff bill
lie referred to his past speeches in the
line of tariff reform. In them he never