The Irish standard., 1896-02-01

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Stnited the. SOC at Chicago Twas the
feeling that the war. was over. that the
day had come when all sectionalisIn
should he obliterated and that Grant was
the only candidate by which this enc
could be attained
Was there any time during the con
Vent1on, senator" l asked. when Gen
Grant could have been nominated"
Yes, | think So" was. the reply. "Had
certain events occurred Just five minutes
sooner nothing could have prevented it.
What those things were I do not wish to
say, as the men most closely connected
with them are still diving, and it would
not be fair to them"
IS SHoW about -B1aine's chances of nom
nation senator2 You were at the Cincin-
natl convention of 1876, where he came
so near getting the nomination that al
terward went to Hayes -
Blaine would have been the choice OF
that convention" said Senator Gamer
ON, chad his friends trusted the PENN
sylvania delegation When We met in
state convention the unit rule WIS adop-
ted and the delegation was instructed. to
vote for Hantrarft. When we got to Gin
cinuati, however, through the influence
Of Mr.. Mcpherson and Blaine's friends,
this instruction was set aside, and the
different delegates We're permitted to
vote as they pleased. Blaine had a ma
iorjty Of the members OF the delegation,
and had this not been done the vote Of
the state as whole would have gone
to MIN after the first few ballots. AS. it
was however, the unit rule was set aside
and the friends of Blaine rather Offer
sively gave the Pennsylvania delegation
10 understand that they could nominate
their candidate without its aid. This
angered some Of the delegates and it was
on this account that, in announcing the
change CT vote, gave out the number OF
the Hayes votes first.
The announcement was made at a time
when 1t required only a hair to turn the
tide in the favor Of Blaine or Hayes. A
rush followed the announcement and
Hayes became the candidate There were
more Blaine delegates than Hayes in our
delegation, and had ( announced the
Blaine votes first I have not much doubt
but that the rush would, have been for
him and he would have been the candi-
date"
be president?' I asked. r.
No was TIE reply. "I nave not. 1t
is q great office. but the duties are ardtl-
Senator Cameron, you have been in
the senate nearly 20 years You have had
a good chance to Judge it's efficiency.
DO yon think congress is a good medl-
I'm OF leeslatjon? Do the people get
what they want out Of it?'
II think so,'' replied Senator Cameron.
st is a little slow, perhaps, but it gets
there after time. Congress is better
than people suppose it to be. Some OF
the best work done by the bodies does not
get into the newspapers. The business
of congress is not done on the floor Of
the house and senate. but in the COM
mittee rooms. We are more and more
nearing the day when the best OF our
government work must be done by bus
mess brains-by thinking rather than by
speechmaking The great men Of con-
gress. in the eyes of the people, are those
who can ably discuss points OF order,
VINO can spend hours in telling why a
bill should be brought in through the
right wing of the capitol rather than
through the left wing, and not as to the
value Of the bill itself. The questions of
the day are practical questions and they
require thought rather than speeches.
We want to know how our commerce may
be increased and how Our financial and
material condition may be bettered
rather than to show how loud the Amer
lean eagle screams or to boast Of the
vast extent of country coyered by his
pinions." =
"Speaking of American commerce,
senator, what do you think would be the
best way to increase it?'
II favor the French system, replied
Senator Cameron II would have the:
government pay a bounty, both fer the
building and running Of American yes
sells, so much a ton FOR their construction
and so much a mile Tor every ton trans
ported All vessels SO favored would
have to be built in America and manned
by American seanen. They would be
subject to the control Of the navy in time
of war, and they would be built after
such plans that they would be of great as
sistance to our naval forces
our shipping?" ...,
"Cerbainly it would" was the reply
cit would cause the investment of mill
lions of dollars worth of capital in Amer
lean ships. Our ships so called could I'M
derbid the ships of Great Britain aud
other countries as to our carrying trade,
and the result would be a fleet Of Amer
lean merchant ships equal to that pos
scssed by any nation in the world. Such
ships would furnish cheaper transport
tation for all parts Of the country. Ships
would be built on the Pacific coast to en-
gage In trade with Asia. There would
be cotton ships built on the Gulf of Mex
leo, and the millions OF dollars which
we pay in freight charges to the English
would go to the pockets Of the Amer
ican people,
Glow much do we pay England in
freight charges?' L asked.
II think the amount is nearly $500, 000,-
900 a year.
do The English pay much in subsidies
to their ships??"
Yes England was paying some time
ago nearly $4,000,O0Q year in bounties
TO it's merchant marine. italy pays about
So, 100000 a year. France has been pay.
ing more. than $1,000. 900 a year to French
ships sailing under the Trench flag, and
according to figures which l made when
l investigated the subject not long ago
the nations.of Europe pay the enormous
sum of S25,00O000 every year in subsidies.
to their shipping
'In speaking of the navy, senator. it
was through your bill that the first fast
cruisers were built?' -
Yes replied Senator Cameron, II in
troduced that bill during the first term
Of President Cleveland. L saw that the
only way to get the people to take an in
terest in the navy was to show them we
could have the fastest and best warships
in the world We are, you know natur-,
aI1 u o,,f 4l,1 H.