The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-07-25


the president approved the COMPROMISED,
ny making the following remarks:
oucn was the declaration of the Secre-
,ary OF the treasury. That statement from
MN mad probably a wonderful effect. 1t
Softened the hard places with which we
met when we came to confer and to act.
II was accepted. 1t did much to enable.us
10 prlng together 43 senators in this body.
repeat that but for it I do not believe
we ever should have succeeded in getting
together. But it did not stop there 1t was
NOT alone with the secretary of the treas
ury, VINO necessarily speaks for the presi-
ueht IN matters concerning his department.
me president was not ignorant of what
proposed TO do Nothing concealed
from MIN. The papers announced on the
DAY Following the interview with Mr. Car
hsie mat the president himself concurred
win ms great secretary. So we under
stood, and If it is not true, then 43 senator's
on this side of the chamber have been mis-
Ieu. Every prominent amendment to the
bill was as
WELL. KNOWN TO HIM
as to me. While neither the president nor
MS secretary were in love with all the pro-
VISIONS OF these amendments, sir, may say
IN fairness that there were many OF them
10 which they were opposed, as the senator
from Missouri, the senator from Arkansas
ana the distinguished chairman of the COM
ini,tee on hnance. We're opposed TO many of
.tienl' ana as 1t was compromise measure,
human being on this side of the chamber
IN all its Details but | assert that as a
Wfole, the structure was L, esented and
scanned by these gentlemen. and was sat
lsfactory and was recognized as the best
that II was possible to pass through this
body, and that from no quarter high or
low, neither from the president, through
his cabinet, nor by any member of this
BODY, was it ever suggested init
ma ted that there was any violation of
in n
Now, Mr.. President, this is a very broad
statement l call upon the two gentlemen
VINO mad immediate control of the BILL the
senator from Missouri (NIr. Vest, and the
ask them if they have made a state
lhena which varies a hairs breadth
from the TRUTH and it is due
to the senate it is due to them
selves, it is due to me, to the country. that
the truth shall be known. Let the people
have the truth l pause for a reply from
my friend from Missouri"
Mr.. Vest arose He began by saying
that he had not himself seen the president
since the repeal of the Sherman law last
summer, but with the secretary of the
treasury he had frequent conversations.
Mr.. Carlisle had repeatedly and distinctly
stated to him that the
GREATEST POSSIBLE CALAMITY
that could happen would be the failure
of any bill. He had distinctly stated to
allowed to stand in the way of the con-
summation of some change of tariff reform.
HIS colleague, Mr.. Jones, had seen both
Mr. Carlisle and Mr.. Cleveland and they
had both declared that the bill
ceptable to them. The bill did not suit
him VesD. He knew it must have the
support of the administration to pass it,
and he asked Mr.. Jones if the president
would throw the weight of his influence in
favor of it. Mr. Jones reported that the
president had said to him: Il ann willing
to do anything to pass the bill through
congress-
IF we go into this fight, the president
must be behind u.s. Mr. Vest had said.
Mr. Jones replied that he was. There
upon,' Mr.. Vest said II gave up my per-
sonal opinions and resolved to support it.
The presidents letter the first init
nation to me that he was against us
Wher Mr. Vest sat down, Mr.. Jones, of
Arkansas, who was in charge of the bill
| in 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 form then and he had
| gone to work, with infinite labor and pains,
| to interview every Democratic senator.
| He ascertained every objection they held
and had carefully noted them. He had
! talked with Mr.. Carlisle about his plan
! and the president Endorsed it as wise
| Then he Gones prepared the amendments
| in consultation with Mr.. Carlisle The
1
the situation, and he Gones) said to him,
| Il will not go step further if the
| administration is not behind me-"
Il requested him to explain everything
| to the president and" Mr.. Jones said 81
| saw the president He told me Mr. Car
| Isle had explained all and he (Cleveland)
| said he thought we were doing the wise
| and proper thing. Among the amendments
| thus prepared were those placing coal and
| iron on the dutiable list. Until 1 read Mr.
| CLEVELANDS LETTER
to Mr.. wilson, said Mr.. Jones emphati-
calIy, II believed he cordially approved of
our action. 1 had expressed to him the
| opinion that it 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 interrupted
| with series Of questions to Mr.. Jones'
In your interviews with the president"
asked Mr.. Villas, were the subjects of coal
| and iron ever mentioned?"
| Yes replied Mr.. Jones. with explosive
vehemence. Eat every conversation between
| the president and myself coal and iron
| were specifically mentioned"
There burst of applause from the
! gallery which the presiding officer had diff
| Guilty in checking.
and" continued Mr.. Jones, with meas
ured emphasis each word, 1.-The president
! never once
UTTERED ONE SOLITARY WORD
| against going ahead with coal and iron in
| the bill in the senate"
lone 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, "but
| it was the expression of a hope that the
circumstances would permit it's realiza-
ton
| Senator German next summoned Senator
| Harris who left the presiding officers
| chair for the purpose as a witness Senator
| Harris stated that in conversations with
| Mr.. Cleveland he Harris) had been led to
conclude that the president favored the
| passing of the compromise senate bill, not
because he approved it, but because it was
| the best that could be secured.
Mr.. German then resumed: "Now, Mr..
| President, my distinguished friend, the
| chairman of this committee, the senator
| from Indiana, has had intimate connec-
| ton, of course, with this measure through
out. 1 happen to know that he is not
! feeling very well today, and expects him
| self to make his statement before the
| close of the discussion. Therefore, 1 shall
| not ask him today to give the country the
| benefit of his statement, SO that all the
| truth in connection with this matter may
| go to the people
| traordinary proceeding for a Democrat
| elected to the highest place in the govern
ment, to join with the commune to traduce
| the senate of the United States, to blacken
| the character of senators who are hon
| orabe as they dare to be- who are as
patriotic they ever can be, who have
| done much to their party as the
men who are now the beneficiaries of your
labor and mine, to taunt and jeer at us
| hnfn hn hA o6x- of