The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-07-24
STATEMENT BY JONES
The Arkansas Senator Tells of a Con-
versatiDn He Had With Presi-
dent Cleveland.
FAVORED ANY COMPROMISE
BY Which the Tariff Bill Could De
Put Through the Senate---Corrob-
Grated by Harris.

WAsHlE0Tos, July 24.--At 1876 the
coi1ferees' report was laid before the sem
ate and Nh. Gorman arose and addressed
the senate, speaking from carefully pre-
pared note
In Response to an appeal from Mr..
Gortnan, Mr.. Jones of Arkansas related
conversation had by him with Presi.
dent Cleveland before he proposed the
Jones amendments to the tariff bill in
the senate. He said he told the presi-
dent he would not go one step further
with the compromise measure until be
was assured that it would have the pres
ident's support. The president told him,
he said, that he would
Favor Almost Any Compromise
to secure the passage of the bill. Great
applause from the galleries greeted the
close of Mn. Joues' statement.
AIr. Villas asked whether President
Cleveland had not expressed his desire
for free coal and iron. Mr.. Jones replied
that he had, but urged that the senate
get the compromise bill through.
Mr.. Harris OF Tennessee yielded the
chair to take the floor and corroborate
the statement Of Mr.. Jones as to the
assertions made by President Cleveland
In the interview at which he also was
present. Mr. German then resumed his
speech. I.
DetaiIsd the History of the Bill.
Mr.. Gorsnan proceeded to detail the
history Of the tariff bill after 1t reached
the senate, and the manner in which, to
meet the objections and secure the sup.
port.of certain disaffected Democrats, the
changes had been agreed upon. he
stated enphatically that during the
progress of this work, Messrs. Vest and
Jones had frequent conferences with
Secretary Carlisle, and often times with
Mr.. Cleveland himself. No material
sacrifice Of pxiaeiple was made. The
result was M Declared ON q previous
occasion. i IEaocFasic measure which
| hi hls opinion, leaned towards the radi
cal tariff reform sentiment, and which
he thought would receive the support oi
q Democratic house, senate and presi
dent. He believed then, as he believed
now, that he had authority for thai
statement. He charged directly thai
everyone Of the senate amendments had
been seen by Secretary Carlisle and
scanned by him before they were agreed
upon. He drew from his desk and had
read an interview with Secretary Car
Isle on April 80, in which the secretary
of the treasury gave the bill his sweep
ing endorsement.
Softened the Hard Places.
That interview, said Mr.. German
softencd the hard places for those wins
were trying to 20 harmonic differences
It did much to aid the Democrats of this
senate iii getting together. He did not
believe that the Democrats would evel
have gotten together had it not been fol
that interview. The secretary of tbs
treasury rally spoke in a great mea
sure for th1 asident I'm matters relat
ing to his department. On the morning
following the publication of the inter
view. the papers announced that the
president was in entire accord with his
great secretary of the treasury. II thai
was not true, then the AZ Democratic
senators ON this side of the chamber had
been misled. As compromise Mr.
Gorman asserted that the the bill al
completed was satisfactory to not d
single, solitary human being in all its
details, but as a whole the structure pre-
sented as scanned by the secretary Of
the treasury and the president, al
looked at by MS was acceptable as the !
Isest Rill That Could BE Passed.
There was no suggestion anywhere
either from the president or the secre
tary of the treasury, that the bill al
modified was d violation of the Demo
cratic principles. With dramatic EN-
phasis, Mr.. German called upon Messrs
Vest, Jones and Voorhees, to bear testi
mony as To whether his statements had
varied hairs breadth from the truth
Let the people have the truth, 2 said
be, as he paused.
Mr.. Vest arose. He began by saying
that he Ind not himself seen the Apresi
dent since the repeal Of the Sherman Law
last suIGmer, but with the secretary Of
the treasury he had frequent converse.
tions 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
him that no difference in rates should be
allowed to stand In the way of the con.
summation Of some change of tariff re-
forsn. The bill did not suit him, Vest.
Ee knew " must have thesnpport of the
administration to pass it, and he asked
Jones il the president would throw the
weight of his influence in favor Of It.
Mr. Jones reported that the president
had said to him:
81 am willing to do anything to pass
the bill through congress. I
..iT we go INTO inns iignr enc p:ess.
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