The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-05-13
A SOLEMN WARNING.
SENATOR VEST DENOUNCES The
DOMINATION OF oFFIcEHoLDERs.

Unless the Chicago Convention Is Untram-
! melled by the Power of Federal Patron
age, He Win Not Regard it as Democrat
ic-Investigation Ordered.
| WASHINGTON, May by the decis'
i've vote of 81 to 6, tile Senate today
inaugurated an investigation, to be
conducted by the Senate Committee
on Finance, into the facts and circum.
stances connected with the sale OF
United States bonds by the Secretary
of the Treasury during the last three
years. The six adverse votes were
cast by Senator Caffery of Louisiana,
Faulkner of West Virginia, Gray of
Delaware, Hill of New York, Mitch.
ell of Wisconsin and Palmer of Illi-
nois, all Democrats. The resolutions
directing the investigation is very ex-
plicit.
The debate had been animated, and
at times sensational, throughout the
early hours of the day. Mr.. Palmer's
deposition to the resolution and his
reference to 'snap conventions
brought on a heated colloquy with
Mr.. Vest and Mr.. Cockrell.
II suppose this resolution" said
Mr.. Palmer, "because I regard it as
an illegitimate means of procuring
material to affect and intiame the
public mind"
The Senator went on to say that he
did not suppose any Senator, EXCEPT
possibly the Senator from South Da-
kota Pettigrew,) questioned the inte-
gritty of the Secretary of the Treasury.
The Secretary's Judgment. perhaps,
might be disputed; the correctness of
his acts might be questioned, but there
was no question of integrity involved.
Mr.. Palmer reviewed the platform ut
terances of the parties. Citing the old
adage, "the world do move," Mr.. Pal.
mer said the country had moved since
the platform declarations of 1892 and
| it was evident that the financial planks
at Minneapolis and Chicago would
not satisfy the people in the coming
elections. In mentioning Mr.. Cleve.
lands return to the White House in
1898, Mr.. Palmer said the President
had called to his aid 'that able states
man, that pure and honest man, j.. G.
Carlisle"
Mr.. Palmer asked if free silver
would bring about a fifty cent, sixty
cent, seventy cent, eighty cent or
ninety cent dollar.
Mr.. Butler, Pop. of North Carolina)
said he would answer the question by
reading from a speech by Senator
Hill, known as the Elmira speech.
He was proceeding to read at much
length Mr.. Hills early views on the
metals, when Mr.. Palmer refused to
yield no longer, saying: Il asked a
plain, distinct question. to which {!
have received a great amount OF
wind, and I decline to yield further. "
At another point Mr.. Palmer refer.
red to the cowardice of candidates for
the Presidency and for Congress in
not being specific in their financial
views, and in this connection the Sen
ator had an article read from the desk
arraigning Governor Mckinley for
his "Janus-faced" attitude on finance.
"And vet" added Mr.. Palmer, ''all
indications point to the fact that the
subject of that criticism will be the
Republican candidate for the Presi-
dency."
A Senator across the aisle whisper
ed to Mr.. Palmer the substance of the
bulletins from the indianapolis con-
vention. whereupon Mr.. Palmer add
ed: ''In fact I understand that the
opposition to him has broken down."
Mr.. Palmer was drawn into hot
colloquy with the two Missouri Sena-
tors, Mr.. Vest and Mr.. Cockrell. The
former wanted to know what Mr.. Pal.
mer meant by reference to "snap
conventions" favoriug silver.
II mean," replied Mr.. Palmer, "the
conventions held last year in Missou-
ri and Illinois"
"What was the snap feature of the
Illinois convention2"
IAN unnecessary convention is a
snap convention" declared Mr.. Pal
mer. These conventions were called
to commit the Democracy in advance
to the free silver dogma"
Mr. ICockrell answered sharply that
the Missouri convention was one Of
the most representative gatherings
ever held. 1t was called because the
lRemocracy was being misrepresented
and an attempt made to commit 1t to
gold.
Mr.. Vest declared that the Missouri
convention was response to the peo
pie. The people led and, added Mr..
Vest, "the people assembled in con-
ventions and any man who tries to
stop them will be crushed. Manhood
and decency will no longer permit us
to stand here and be accused of ad-
vocating 'unsound money and of as
sembling snap conventions"
At this point Mr.. Vest branched Oft
into sensational recital of personal
history. He spoke of the order just
made public by which this admins.
tration extended civil service reform.
II was one of the tenets of this school
that the patronage of the government
shall not be used to influence politics.
Mr.. Vest went on to tell of the Presi-
dents removal of United States Dis
trict Attorney Benton of Missouri.
When he (Mr. Vest first read this
announcement he started Immediately
for Washington and asked His Ex-
cellency" what had led to the perpe-
tration of this outrage, the removal
of man of unimpeachable character
and ability. The President brought
out newspaper paragraph, charging
Colonel Benton with pernicious &C.