The San Francisco call., 1896-04-18

1
by the ad dmlnistration. Why all this harp
ing criticism? 1t would not secure votes
from the other party; it would not help
the party. "God knows" said Hill, "the
party has troubles enough of It's own with
out borrowing any,"
Allen intimated that the Democratic
party was on the way to destruction.
"The old party is not gone," retorted Hill
ut will live on and on. if true to itself.
The actions of few misguided cannot
destroy it. It has seen darker days than
these, and has gone through them to great
and glorious victories"
Hill, reviewing the recent bond sale,
showed that the vast majority OF the
money was subscribed by the people OF
New York State. He did not propose to
have these securities deprecated, if he
could help it. by any trumped-up charge
such as is now being agitated by few
Populists, unsupported by any other class
of people. The attack upon the admins
tration was unwise. silly and absurd and if
the investigation was had the administra-
| ton would come out of it, Hill asserted
without a stain. Why not pursue the
| manly policy and admit that he had to
sell bonds in order to keep up his reserve,
| but do not, he appealed. question the Sec
retary's honesty.
| Referring to Carlisle and deploring
the offensive language used by some of
| the silver men, Hill paid the Secretary
glowing tribute.
| In proof of the fact that the administra-
ton did nothing secretly Hill had the
| clerk read the message of the President of
February 8, 1895, announcing that the con-
dltlons were such that it was necessary to
issue bonds to the amount of $62, 100000.
1t Informed Congress exactly OF what was
contemplated and what would have to be
done. Congress was deaf to the Presidents s
appeals. 1t preferred to denounce syndi-
Gates and then play into their hands by
Withholding adequate legislation.
AS the hour of 3 o'clock approached Hill
reached a point in his remarks where he
was about to yield to motion to go into
executive session, when Gear laid before
the Senate the bill agreed upon by the
Committee on Pacific Railroads, of which
he is chairman, providing for the refund
ing of the debts of the Pacific bond-aided
railroads. This report led to a sensational
incident and prolonged debate for more
than an hour that was warm and personal.
Hill, who was willing to be interrupted,
yielded to Allen, who began to condemn
the action of the committee. It was, he
said, matter of common report that the
notorious Coils P. Huntington and lob
byists had been seeking to influence legis-
lation relative to these roads,"
| Allen called the attention of the Senate
| to the fact that no invitation had been is
sued to the people along the lines of these
roads or to their patrons to appear before
the committee and give the information of
which they were possessed. There had
been a studied effort on the part of the
committee to cut off these people and not
| get full and free expression of the public
| sentiment.
Gear retorted with warmth that Allen
had no right to impugn the chairman of
| the committee for not sending out notices
to every Tom, Dick and Harry all over
Gods country. The country had been
notified through the newspapers of the
hearing, and all who saw fit to come had
been heard. The committee has followed
the universal custom of both branches of
Congress in conducting the hearing.
This explanation did not appease the
Senator from Nebraska. Allen replied
the Pacific bond-aided roads, that ''em-
bodiment of corruption ITSELF" sitting in
the committee room like an autocrat,
lording it over the committee. and with
the lobbyists occupying seats there, but
not a single farmer who had been op-
pressed by the road not a single patron
of the line itself. He repeated that there
had been a studied and fixed purpose to
| lid 10 - +
| the committee.
Gear stated he had invited the Senator
to come before the com mittee, but he had
not done SO. He represented in part
Gear would not say misrepresentation
| State interested in those roads, and yet he
declined the committees invitation to be
present and give such testimony as he saw
fit. The Senator from Nebraska belonged
to class of people who sought to pull
down rather than build up. "I have
known him for thirty years and have
known all the parties with which he has
affiliated" said Gear, land now he turns
up here as what my friend. the Senator
from Mississippi would call Populist."
Allen was proceeding to give an account
of his political history, but prefaced his
remarks with an apology for his interfer-
ence in the exhibition" of the Senator
| from New York.
1.-THE what?'' asked Hill in astonish-
ment.
"Your speech, I should perhaps say"
replied Allen sarcastically.
| "Yes, that's better" replied Hill.
| Allen then went on to tell the Senate
how he had voted first for Lincoln, then
twice for Grant, whereupon Gear arose
and congratulated him on being right that
far in his political career.
Gear again congratulated Allen upon the
fact that he had been all right in at least
| four of the votes he had cast for the Pres
| idency. So far as Mr.. Weaver was con-
cerned, he was simply confscationist,
and believed in confiscating the railroads,
telegraphs, telephones and other great
works that belonged to private individuals
or corporations.
Allen replied with intense emphasis that
Mr.. Weaver was one of the most distin-
guished citizens of the United States and
he denied that he believed in the doctrine
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