Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1894-08-09
THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
Mr.. =. B. Cook Makes an Explanation
Regarding the IT. Charles
Resolutions.

Resolutions.
To the Editor Of the Ledger.
MEXICO, Mo-, Aug. An the repor:
of the proceedings of the Democratic
Congressional Convention at St.
Charles, published in yesterdays
LEDGER, the statement is made that
Estate Committeeman Cook was op-
posed to the resolutions and advised
the convention against the adoption
of any resolution indorsing President
Cleveland or in condemnation of the
Senate BILL"
| | assume that the LEDGER has no
desire to create an erroneous impress
sion and therefore desire to correct
your account of the meeting.
The Congressional Convention was
called together to consider plans for
the effective organization OF the party
in this district with the view of aiding
the party nominee, Mr.. Clark, in his
canvass for reelection. AT the request
of the chairman of the committee
was.present to make such suggestions
as in my judgment were for the party's
good.
1t was the opinion of niIfe out of
every ten Democrats present that that
clause of the original resolution as in
troduced by Mr.. Robertson which de-
clares that the Senate bill is in favor
of monopolies and trusts would, in the
event of the final passage of the Sem
ate bill, be used by Republican and
Populist speakers as a club with which
to hammer Democrats over the head
in the present canvass. suppose, as
is not improbable, the Gorman-Brice-
Hill-Smith contingent in the Senate
makes it impossible to pass the House
bill and it becomes necessary to take
the Senate bill or let the Mckinley law
remain in force. 1t is generally agreed
that under these conditions the Sem
ate bill will have to be accepted, dis
tasteful as it is. In that event the
Democratic nominee for Congress in
this district would be placed in the
attitude of having voted for bill that
twas in favor of the monopolies and
trusts" and the Republican and Pop
ulist speakers and papers would point
to Mr.. Robertson's resolution-ha6 it
been adopted-as conclusive evidence
of Democractic perfidy. The Repub-
licans and Populists would not, of
course, explain that Mr.. Clark had
only voted for the bill because it was
either that or a continuation of the
robber Mckinley law.
The question raised by Mr.. Robert
sons resolution, and which was avoid
ed by the Cunningham substitute, was
not whether Democrats prefer the VIII
son bill to the Senate abortion, but
whether the Democrats of the Ninth
District should make an unfortunate
condition of party affairs worse by hav-
ing the Congressional Committee Of
ficially supply the Republicans and
Populists with campaign thunder.
The Congressional Committee, all of
when are strong friends of Mr.. Clark
and strong advocates of the House
bill, voted, with only two exceptions,
against the adoption of the Robertson
resolution and for the substitute.
distinctly stated to the Committee
that went much further than Mr..
Cleveland in my advocacy of tariff re-
form; that was not only for free raw
material, but was tor free sugar and
an income tax. This was the senti-
ment of all the committeeman who
voted for the substitute and against
the original resolution.
Mr.. Clark has faithfully reflected the
sentiment of his constituents OH this
question and 1t was his record that
merited, as it received, the special en-
dorsement of the committee.
AS between the President and the
half dozen Senators who are masquer-
aiding as Democrats, but who are as
rank protectionists as Mckinley, Reed
or Sherman, the Missouri DenlOera-
cy are unitedly with the President.
The only objection Missouri Democrats
have to the position of the President
is, that he does not stand with the
| House in its advocacy of free sugar
and income tax.
| III Mr.. Cleveland's own language,
however, it is a condition and not a
theory that confronts us.
II seems to ME that it is the duty Of
Democrats in Congress to agree upon
the very best bill that can be passed
and pass it at once. Further delay is
injurious to both the country and the
party. If, as Governor Boies said in
his speech to the Iowa Democrats, the
bill does not come up to the pledge of
the party, We will not lay down our
arms, but will help to keep the wheels
of reform in motion until all that has
been promised is faithfully performed
:. Il. Cook.