The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-23

CORMAN REPLIES
Presidents Letter an lnfa-
nous Calumny on Senate.
Exciting Scenes in the Senate Today
Over the Presidents Letter.

business had been completed, Mr.. Voor-
hees called up the conference report.
senator German was Immediately on
his feet and after briefly reviewing the
attitude OF the Senate toward the House
bill said that changes had boon made
merely to make the passage OF q tarin Dill
possible.
Then he delivered his defiance.
1.-The infamous calumnies heaped upon
the Democrats of the Senate forced from
bis lips" he said, SO plain unvarnished
statement of the facts"
she would speak, % hesaid, "with malice
toward none, but he would look his col
lesgu 60 and the people in the eye and tell
the truth"
In patriotism, the Democrats Of the
Senate had gone to work to save the
country and keep their party In power
when suddenly in the midst OF the strug-
gle, came the Presidents letter.
cit was the most uncalled for, the most
extraordinary, the most unwise, COM
munication," said be in bitter tones,
..that ever came from a President OF the
United States. 1t placed this body In
position where its members must see to
It that the dignity and honor OF this
chamber be preserved. 1t places me-.
said Mr.. German" in a position where 1
must tell the story as it occurred.
"The limit OF endurance has been
Mr.. German then proceeded to detail
the history of the tariff bill after IL reached
the Senate and the ann In which to
meet the objections and secure the sup
port Of certain disaffected Democrats
the changes had been agreed upon.
ing the progress Of this work Messrs
Vest and Jones had frequent conferences
with Secretary Carlisle and oftentimes
with Mr.. Cleveland himself.
He charged directly that every one OF the
Senate amendments had been seen by
Secretary Carlisle and canned by him
before they were agreed upon. He drew
from his desk and had read an interview
with Secretary Carlisle on April 80, in
which the Secretary of the Treasury gave
the same bill his sweeping endorsement.
"'That interview" said Mr.. German,
"did much to aid the Democrats of the
Senate In getting together"
He did not believe that the Democrats
would ever have gotten together had 1t
not been for that interview.
President Satisfied With IL.
Oh the morning following the publlca-
tion OF that interview the papers an
nounced that the Prerident was in entire
accord with his great Secretary OF the
Treasury. IL this was not true the AZ
Democratic senator's on this side OF the
chamber had been misled. There was no
suggestion anywhere either from the
President or the Secretary of the Treasury
that the bill as modified was a violation
ofDemocratic principle"
With dramatic emphasis Mr.. German
called upon Messrs. Vest Jones and Voor-
hees to bear testimony as to whether his
statements had varied a hairs breadth
from the truth.
"Let the people have the TRUTH" said
he, as he paused.
Vest Confirms His Statement.
Mr.. Vest arose. He began by saying
that he had not himself seen the Presi-
dent since the repeal OF. the Sherman law,
but with the Secretary of the Treasury
he had frequent conversations. Mr.. Car
Isle had repeatedly and distinctly stated
to him that no difference in rates should
be allowed to staBd in the way of the
contamination OF some scheme of tariff
reform.
His colleague, Mr.. Jones, had seen both
Mr.. Carlisle and Mr.. Cleveland and they
had both declared that the bill was
acceptable to them.
The bill did not suit him (vest). He
knew it must have the support of the adj
ministration to pass il and he asked Mr..
Jones IL the President would throw the
weight Of his influence in favor of it.
Mr.. Jones replied that the President
had said to him:
~ am willing to do anything TO pass the
bill through Congress-"
'If we go into this fight, the President
must be behind u.s." j said.
MIR. Jones replied that he was.
"Thereupon" said Mr.. Vest, ~ gave up
my personal orinions n resolved TO
support il. The Presidents letter was the
first intimation TO me that he was against
u.s."
Jones Speaks Out.
When Mr.. Vest sat down Mr.. Jones
fDem., Ark. }, Who was in charge of the
bill in the Senate, took the floor. He
was as pale as death, but showed no signs
of nervousness. He realized, he said, when
Tho hill eamn IN tho Ganafa that ~ ,.nplI
not be passed as IL was, so he, with inf
mite labor and pains, had interviewed
every Democratic Senator and ascertaincd
every objection held. Then he
with Mr.. Carlisle. The Secretary was
thoroughly informed as to the situation.
and he (Jones) had said TO him: AZ
will not go one step further il the
administration is not behind me-" / re-
guested him to explain everything to the
President.
Cleveland Approved.
1 saw the President. He old me Mr..
Carlisle had, explained all, and be (Cleve-
iand), said he thought 70 were doing the
wise and proper thing.
Among the amendments thus prepared
were those placing coal and iron on the
dutiable list.
Until l read Mr.. Cleveland's letter to
MI. Wilson," said Mr.. Jones cmphati-
eF ~ oHBACNN0 wv
action.
As Senator Jones sat down Mr.. German
arose to resume, but MIR. Villas i%nterposed
with q series of questions TO Mr.. Jones.
Coal and Iron Schedules Approved.
"In your interviews with the President"
asked Mr.. Villas, "were the subjects OF
coal and iron ever mentioned?"
Eyes" replied MIR. Jones with oxplo-
give vehemence, lat every conversation
between the President and himself coal
and iron were specifically mentioned"
There was a burst OF applause from the
gallery which the presiding officer had
difficulty in checking.
"And," continued Mr.. Jones, with
measured emphasis on each word. "the
President never once uttered one solitary
word against going ahead with coal aud
iron la the bill AZ then in the Senate"
Zone more question:" said Mr. Vilss.
"Did not the President express the hops
Vt ell times that iron and coal should he
an tha free list YO