The record-union., 1896-03-20

Roads, and Report Bill to Settle
All Matters.
| WASHINGTON, March 19-At the
Hotel Page an important conference
was held tonight between the silver
Republican Senators who voted against
| the consideration of the tariff bill in
| the Senate and a large number of rep
resentative men from Philadelphia, who
favor the linking together of protec-
tion and bimetallism.
| The authoritative statements issued
| by the conference after its secret ses-
sion is looked upon by politicians as the
| first note of warning on the part of the
Republican Senators from Western
States against the adoption of single
gold standard plank in the ST. Louis
platform.
The conference was the result of the
| following correspondence between Will
lam Wilhelm and the sextet of silver
| Senators named in the circular:
"Pottsville Pa.), March l6, 1895.
Senators Jones, Teller, Dubois, Car
| ter, Mantle and Cannon-Gentlemen
1t has been my good fortune to meet
/ Messrs. James Dobson, Charles Heber
| Clarke and B. E. Defenderf of the city
| of Philadelphia. They and their in
dustrial friends are anxious to confer
with you relative to the present de-
| preston and the remedy for existing
! financial and industrial troubles. II
! you are willing to meet the Eastern
men of the enterprise, then please ad-
wise the afore- e-mentioned gentlemen, so
/ that a conference can be arranged be-
| tween you and them and their friends.
Inclosed find list of Philadelphia man
| ufacturers who am assured will take
pleasure in meeting you. Yours sim
! cerely, VIM. WILHELM.
United States Senate, Washington.
March Is, 1896.
James Dobson, Philadelphia-Dear
Sir: Accepting the suggestion made to
us by letter by William Wilhelm of
Pennsylvania, that it would be well to
have a conference between representa-
tives of industrial interests of the coun-
try and ourselves, we shall be pleased
to confer with yourself and such men
of enterprise as you may choose to in
| vite to meet with us at an early date
at Washington
! (Signed), H. M. Teller, E. T. Dubois,
Lee Mantle, t. H. Carter, F. ]. Can
non, j. P. Jones.
All of the above Senators were pres
ent at the conference tonight, as were
! Congressmen Hartman of Montana, AL
len of Utah and Wilson of Idaho, and
also the ssollewing named representa-
tives of manufacturers: James Dobson,
manufacturer of carpets; George Camp
bell, woolens; James Pollock, carpets;
S. B. Vreeman, lumber; Frank Caven,
silk; c. H. Hardy, yarns; George w.
| Elkins, street railways; Alexander
| Crow, carpets; Henry a. Frye, gro
ceries; Henry Holmes, carpets; r. w.
Scott. knit goods; James Brown, wool
ems: Howland Crof, worsteds; Charles
M Mcleod, yarns; James Defenderf,
yarns; John Fisler, wire; Robert Daw-
man. carpets; Robert w. Scott, knit
goods, Charles H. Clarke, surgical ap-
pliances: Theodore r. Miller, uphol-
stery; Richard Campion, yarns; Joseph
Bromley, rugs; Joseph r. James, wool
ems; James Foster, dyes; James Phil
lips, worsteds; C. d. Fierstone, bug
gies; and R. e. Defenderf, electrical ap-
pliances.
The conference was organized by
choosing Senator Dubois as Chairman
and Wilhelm of Pennsylvania as Sec
retary
For three hours and a half. behind
closed doors, the conference proceeded
involving the uniting of bimetall1sm
and protection as a national issue. Re-
marks were made by Senators Teller
Jones of Nevada, Carter, Mantle and
Cannon.
President Dorman, from the Manu-
facturers' Club of Philadelphia ex-
pressed the opinion that the tariff du-
ties could not be made high enough to
protect our manufacturers if our coun-
try remained on gold basis.
James Dobson, the great carpet man
ufacturer. came out unqualifiedly for
free coinage, by international agree
ment, if possible; otherwise by inde-
pendent action He believed that inde-
pendent action would induce interna-
tional action. Free coinage might Gre
ate temporary disturbances, but it was
the quickest way to perform relief to
mills all over the country, which were
suffering.
Henry A. Frye Of Philadelphia said
that the sooner we took independent
action for bimetallism the better it
would be. He declared for protection
and bimetallism.
Charles H. Clarke, editor of the Man
ufacturer'' of Philadelphia, said he had
labored in season and out of season to
convince the manufacturers that pro-
lection would only prove effective with
the restoration of silver. That he was
happy to have so many representatives
of the industrial interests of the coun-
try meet the Senators who had voted
against the Dingley bills to personally
verify his declaration.
Richard Campion declared himself
in favor of the restoration of silver, but
thought that the cause of bimetallism
was not to be advanced by the defeat
of the revenue measure.
Several opinions were expressed of
regret at the loss of the Dingley meas
IRE, but no opinion antagonistic to the
restoration of silver was uttered.
The Senators present defined their
position in such manner as to make it
plain to the manufacturers that there
could be no protective tariff legisla-
tion either at this session of Congress
or the next. without the rehabilitation
cf silver. Bimetallism and protection
constituted indivisible issues before the
country.
Some of the manufacturers them
selves Endorsed the position as being
and political conditions. The issue was
clearly defined, but no attempt at or
ganization was made. The intensity
of the interest shown demonstrated q
determination to rescue the country, If