The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-08-02
Villas DEFENSE.
The Wisconsin Senator Comes to
President Cleveland's Rescue.
He Defends the Executives Act In An At
tempt to Hasten Legislation on the Tar
in Bill, and incidentally He Attacks
Senator German, of Maryland.

WASHINGTON, July Ex-senator Villas ad-
dressed the senate Thursday in defense of the
president
The Wisconsin senator began his speech by
saying that an extraordinary scene occurred
on Monday last in the senate. democratic
senator, said he, saw At to attack the presi-
dent, and without precedent he thought. or II
there was q precedent it was one that ought to
be Stunned instead Of followed. II was per-
sonal assault upon the president and his char
acter. He had hoped he said, that the re-
marks Of Mr.. German and those who Joined
with him on that occasion would have ap-
peared in the Record before he (Mr. Vilas) re-
piled. But he went on sarcastically, he pre-
sumed the engagements OF the Maryland sena-
tor were SO pressing that he had no time to re-
wise them. Mr.. Villas considered II his duty TO
reply to that assault.
He would speak as the personal as we'll as
the political friend of the president He re-
joiced in the honor Of Mr. Cleveland's friend
ship 1t was pride to him. OF the rewards,
few and stinsed, that come to public men, one
of the greatest that had come to him was the
intimate association with this lofty and distin-
guished man. 1t was his honest testimony to
his character that never at any moment, IN any
temptation, political or personal, had he failed
TO see in Mr.. Cleveland the pure white light OF
an upright purpose. For such man he saw Mt
to say some words, not In defense (he needed
OF facts by which Mr.. Cleveland had been
placed in false light before the country. He
would make this statement In behalf Of the
truth Of history. What were the points Of
accusation" inquired Mr.. Villas 'in the re-
markable assault to which have alludedr
He regretted, he said, that Mr. German was
absent from the senate chamber.
The first accusation, he proceeded was that
the president was open to the charge Of du-
plicity. That was based upon letter In which
Mr.. Cleveland expressed the hope that iron
and coal would go on the free list in the tariff
bill. The second was that the executive had
BY that letter encroached on the prerogatives
Of congress: and, third that the president had
traduced the senate. Those charges were true
or false; not as matter Of argument, but as
matter Of fact. with regard to coal and iron
ore let us examine the facts" said Mr.. Villas,
"And desire to say here that 1 am under deep
obligation to the senator from New York. who
never In his public career made such an able
exposition Of any subject as he did on Tuesday
last
Mr. Villas then reviewed at length the presi-
dents position in favor Of free raw materials,
his letter of 1887 and other public utterances
up to his message to congress at the opening
Of the present session Constantly, Mr.. Villas
declared, Mr.. Cleveland had insisted upon
this principle. 1t was everywhere proclaimed
by his supporters to be the first step in the
enfranchisement of labor from the thralldom
Of unjust taxation. Could it be possible, he
asked that any supposed he had aban-
doned the principle that lay at the base Of any
scheme of tariff reform?
What was the proof adduced in support Of
this alleged change Of heart? Mr. German
himself had no personal testimony to offer.
He called on Mr.. Vest, who offered conversa-
tion--hearsay testimony that would have been
excluded from any court of justice. He had
no personal testimony. The distinguished
senator from Arkansas, whose labor in behalf
| of this bill had earned so much respect from
his colleagues, testified that he had personally
| talked with the president about the senate
| bill. Did Mr.. Jones claim that all the details
of the bill had been laid before Mr.. Cleveiandi
| Necessarily not Only the general principles
| on which the amendments were made.
With regard to those two amendments upon
| which the specifications of Mr.. Germans
charges had been founded the testimony of Mr..
Jones was clear that the president whenever
coal and iron ore were mentioned expressed
| the hope that they would go on the free list.
| Was there anyone desirous of doing open and
| free justice to the president who. after read
| ing Mr. Jones own statement, would not say
that Mr. Cleveland had never faltered In his
urgent demand for free coal and free iron ore:
The president knew, too, each house would
| have a voice, and therefore, not with du-
| plicity, but with openness and boldness that
| always characterized him, Mr. Cleveland had
| expressed to the chairman of the ways and
| means committee the hope that the result he
| desired should be accomplished in confer
| ence
He had a right to say II after his converse
| ton, as detailed by Senator Jones; he had a
| right to insist and urge it by any proper
means. But it was said that the presidents
| letter constituted an encroachment upon the
| prerogative of congress. His right to write
| and send It was denied. Mr.. Villas quoted the
| text of the letter. Was that the language Of q
| man who sought to reach beyond his power!
1,zn n,1,- ther a1,<h hov,a
| pouring Of genuine democrat, addressing his
| fellow democrats in support of principles he
| had so nobly carried through two trying presi-
| Dental contests
Mr.. Villas then quoted and ranged alongside
| Of Mr. Clevelands utterance the statement of
| Mr.. German that the senate bill could not pass
| II it did not have the hearty support OF Mr.
| Cleveland.
| "At the very time when the president was
| writing his letter to Mr.. Wilson," Mr.. Villas
| went on dramatically, 1.-The senator from
| Maryland and his coadjutors were appealing tc
| Mr. Cleveland to induce him to support them
in an effort to qualify the enactment of demo-
| cratic principles instead of crystallizing them
| into law. Iow utterly wanton is this cry of in
| reference now. Because he has seen it tC
| throw the weight of his influence with the
house in favor of democratic principles be-
| cause he refused to stand with them, they
made his action a ground of complaint here
| and IN horror cry out against executive inter.
| ference"
Mr. Villas referred to the fact that President
| Washington came to the same chamber, ac'
| compnnied by his secretary, to urge in person
| the ratification of u treaty he had negotiated
| President Jackson's course in making his views
| felt by congress was also referred to. Mr. VI
las said he was content to leave to fair-mindet
men whether the president had wantonly en-
| croached upon the rights of congress. Tht
charge was made that the senate had been ira
| duced
Extracts from the letter to Mr.. Wilson wer,
| read to show that the presidents purpos,
| was not to trgduce the senate, but to plainl,
state his aspirations toward tariff reform. Tn,
| president had stated that the abandonment
of that great party principle would be perfd,
| and dishonor.
The presidents letter was wholly imper
| sonal.
Mr.. Villas said the views of the senator from
Maryland (Gorman) could mean only on,
thing. 1t was an effort to array democrats to
| gether in spirit of resentment and thus carr,
| out the compromise of tarif reform. The viii
son bill had passed amid public acclamation
| The people accepted 1t as the honest execution