Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1896-03-05
THE CARTER cOLLoQUY.
The Montana Senator Replies to the Attacks
Of His Colleagues.

day of dramatic action, OF impetuous
debate and OF stormy colloquy. The
speech of Senator Carter of Montana,
one of the five Republican senators
who voted against proceeding with
the tariff bill, was the main formal
event of the day. There was added
interest in the speech. owing to SEN
the republican national committee
Senator Carter closed at 2:l5 O'Clock
and was greeted with hearty ap-
plause from the crowd i'm the CALLER
les and congratulations from num-
Der of his colleagues.
senator Hoar immediately arose to
question Senator Carter. The Mas
sachuseetts senator prefacea his
question by referring to his long con-
tinucd support of protection to wool.
even when representatives of western
wool-growing states voted for free
wool. senator Hoar took up the
charge of Senator Carter that east
ern republicans had been false to the
platform of l>92. Did the Montana
senator mean, asked Mr.. Hoar, that
the construction placed on the plat
form by President Harrison was
false and elusivea
The senator tCarter) had referred
to republican senators joining Presi-
dent Cleveland. but Senator Hoar
called attention to the overw helming
majority which the New England
states had given against Cleveland's
party. He closed with Il question
addressed specifically to senator
Carter. namely; II ask that senator
whether we are to understand him
to say that il he fails to- convince his
republican associates he then pro-
poses to say to us, 'You shall not
pass any protective tariff bill unless
you surrender your convictions to
us If a protective tariff bill is here
after presented, fair and just on
industries of the west, does the sena-
tor mean to say that he will not let
that bill pass unless we surrender our
convictions to- him?
Senator Carter secured the floor as
soon as Senator Hoar closed. and
amid impressive silence began a
measured and deliberate reply, After
expressing his sense of honor at being
thus addressed by the veteran Sena-
tor Hoar, Senator Carter added that
republicans who believed that the
party platform might be carried to
it's full fruition by the direct act of
congress, were not wholly satisfied
with the administration and the pur-
pose of Harrison, but they did feel,
and were led to feel by his constant
efforts. that the administration was
honestly seeking to give expression
to republican opinion on the finan-
cial question. He further stated that
the Interpretation placed upon the
Minneapolis platform, by the repub-
licans of the east, would want them
to wipe out the last vestige Of legis.
lation favorable to silver. With such
a construction of the Minneapolis
platIOTIu tue eilttT TepuDHCdus weTt
at war and would continue to he at
war.
At this point Senator Gear inter.
jected the question:: Does not the
senator know that the Minneapolis
platform was drawn largely by two
senators ON this tioor. one from Ne
vada. senator Iones, and the Other
from Coioratlo. Senator Teller. and
that they We're satisfied with tina,
platform?"
"Admitted." responded Carter. ':hui
neither of these gentlemen under
stand. with "a knowledge of the Eng
Iish language and what it ordinarily
means, that the platform could b,
construed into the total obliteratioI
of all legislation on thentatute hook,
i'm favor of silver"
senator Gear-But the senator
from Colorado thought he couls
carry Colorado for the republican
ticket on that platform.
Senator Carter-Yes. and that h
did on the reputation Of the republi