The National tribune., 1894-07-26
MONDAY, July %.

hoNDA cOb1
In the Senate, discussion on the tariff con-
ference report was resumed. Mr.. German
began with a sensational speech in which he
charged that both the President and Secretary
Carlisle were not only aware of the concessions
made in the bill to procure its passage, but that
Mr.. Carlisle had been consulted at every STEP
and that Mr.. Cleveland had given his full
sanction to all that was done.
Never, in the course of my lfe," said Mr.
German, have l ever thought the provoca-
tion was sufficient, the abuse and msrepresenta-
tion violent enough, or the aspersion of char
acter sufficient to induce me to talk of private
matters in public. but the limit of endurance
has been reached. 1t is not my honor; it is
the honor Of many of my fellows which ini-
pels me TO make the statement which now
make. Mr.. President, you know (Ar. Faulk-
ner. Of West Virginia, in the chair, and all the
43 Democrats here know, that when we ascer-
tanned the fact that the Wilson bill, as such,
could not pass; when we ascertained the fact
that the first amended BILL as reported by my
distinguished friend from Indiana (Mr. Voor-
hees) could not pass this body that it could
not receive 43 votes, we counseled again. . y
Every Democratic Senator was seen and was
talked to. His views and suggestions were
ascertained and memorandum was made of
every amendment proposed.
"Then those of us-and am one-responsi-
BILE TO greater extent because of official connec
tion with the party organization, said to them:
with the slim majority in the Senate. with
the diversity of views, with the excitement in
the public mind, which is phenomenal. grow
ing out Of the great industrial revolution il
will be impossible to gather together on the
basis which the bill suggests 43 votes in the
Senate to pass it, unless we have the co-opera-
tion of the Executive branch Of the Govern
ment, its hearty good will, and its earnest sup
port of what we are to do
These two gentlemen not only conferred
with the Executive branch, as they had a right
to do, but they conferred with their fellows in
the other House, who were responsible and
active in framing the original measure which
came to this body. So when we were informed
land there can be no mistake as to the informa-
ton) that this thorough cooperation, this
hearty support, which we knew to be necessary
to the passage of the measure, and the nnifica-
tion of our party was had, as we were assured,
we went on TO secure the passage of the bill"
The statement of Secretary Carlisle of April
20 sent to the press organizations for publica-
tion was read.
Messrs. Vest, Jones and Villas were called
upon as witnesses to the truth of the statements
Mr. German made concerning the knowledge
President Cleveland and Secretary Carlisle had
of the compromise tariff bill, and each of those
Senators related his own story.
Mr. Vest said: q wish to say that / have
never spoken to the President upon this sub
ject, nor have seen him since he did me the
honor to send for me during the pendency of
what was known as the bill repeating the pur-
chasing clause of the Sherman act The Secre-
tary OF the Treasury was frequently in our
committee room and distinctly gave us to un-
derstand that the greatest possible calamity
which could come to the Democratic party and
to the country would be the failure to pass
bill to take the place of the Mckinley act upon
the statute book. He often consulted with us in
regard to the details, and distinctly impressed
upon me and the other members Of the COM
mittee his opinion that no difference OF opin-
ion in regard to rates or duties should pro-
vent the great contamination Of passing
tariff bill during the present session of Con-
gress"
Mr.. Vest described how Senator Jones had
brought him the 300 amendments to the bill
many of which he vigorously resisted, and con-
tinued:
"Senator Jones appealed to me to withdraw
my objection, and in argument upon the ques-
tion stated that the Secretary of the Treasury
had passed upon every one Of the amendments
and agreed to them; that he had also seen the
President of the United States. who had told
him that the bill as proposed to be amended
would be acceptable to him, and had concluded
his conversation with him in these words as far
as | remember: am willing to do or say any
thing that will pass this bill through Congress-
"Then l said: This is to receive the sup
port of the Administration? Let US distinctly
understand each other. If we 60 into this fight
it will be q close one, and we must have the
President and his Administration with u.s."
Senator Jones added his corroboration. He
substantated all that Mr.. Vest had said, and
gave some more details of his conferences with
Secretary Carlisle aud the President. Mr..
Jones was asked if anything had been said to
the President about coal and iron
"ln every conversation / had with the Pres
}lxv~ "a
iron ore were mentioned. In every one of these
conversations the President said that he ear.
nestly desired and hoped that, in the progress
of the compromise, free coal and free iron ore
could be brought out of it. But nowhere in no
solitary word, was coal and iron ore ON the
dutiable list complained Of"
Mr.. Harris said that he had had two conver-
sations with the President on the subject of the
bill and its general management And while
he would not undertake to reproduce the Ian
guage of the President in any one of these in