The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-27
A LIGHT WEIGHT.

Senator Frank Cannon supplements
his second vote on the tariff bill by as
long an explanation as he did his first
vote, or rather his pair with Black
burn, which amounted to the same
thing as a vote on the question. Mr.
Cannon's explanation of his being
paired with Blackburn on the former
vote in favor of tariff as against silver
was, that while he was a firm believer
in the idea that free coinage of silver
and protective tariff belong together:
that protection cannot long stand
without coinage; yet he did not believe
it best to make the issue on the pres
ent tariff bill, which in addition to CIV
ing some needed protection to the
west, which was practically left with
out any under the Wilson bill, would
of course in his opinion, provide suff1ci-
ent revenues for the government, and
thus leave the present administration
without its present excuse to issue
bonds. That was on the 18th of the
present month On the 10Th inst, when
a vote was taken on precisely the same
question Mr.. Cannon reversed himself
and voted against the tariff. Evidently
he is willing now that the west shall
go without its protection; he now evil
IDENTIFY thinks that the issue of no pro
lection without free coinage ought to
be made on the present tariff bill, in
stead of waiting for the general tariff
legislation to be introduced two years
hence If the Republican party succeed
in getting control of all the depart
ments of the government; end is will
ing that the present administration
shall continue to enjoy all its present
excuse for issuing bonds. Now what
is the senator's excuse for this sudden
reversion of himself? He says that
since being paired with Senator Black
burn on the vote Of the 18th against
silver and in favor of tariff, the SEN
ate's free silver substitute for the
house bond bill has been defeated in
the house, and therefore he votes
against taking up the tariff bill, as he
is mot ready to help protection to
march to power over the grave of
slaughtered silver!" ooh granny, what
a long tail our cat has gotp' Does Mr..
Cannon think people will believe he
thinks there was any more doubt about
the fate of the free coinage substi-
lutte in the house before the vote was
taken upon it on the 18th than there
has been since it was 50 overwheln-
ingly defeated? To ask the people to
believe that is to ask them to believe
Mr.. Cannon to be even a shallower
man than we can think him to be.
Not for one moment has there been
any doubt in any part Of the country,
nor can we think there has been any
doubt in the mind of Mr.. Cannon, as to
what the fate of the silver substitute |
for the bond bill in the house would |
be. And for him to think that people |
will take seriously his statement that |
the defeat of the free silver bill in the !
house has so changed everything that |
it now becomes consistent for him to
reverse his vote, is to express the opin- /
ion that the people who will listen to |
this explanation are fools, or that the /
himself has taken leave of his |
senses, and has become absolutely daft. I
Everybody from the start has known !
that neither the house bond bill nor
the house tariff bill has had even the
ghost of a show of becoming law.
Those bills were buncomb legislation
from the start. Conceived and carried
as far as they have gone purely for
political effect, and for a senator, usu-
ally supposed to be a grave and rever-
end man of some depth of under
and weight OF character to
practically vote on both sides Of such
legislation and send to his constitu-
ents long-winded explanations of his
votes on these bills is to
proclaim but too clearly the light weight
both as to intellect and character
which Utah has sent to the senate of
The United States in the person of
Frank ]. Cannon.