Evening star., 1897-06-03
THE SUGAR SCANDAL
Mr.. Tillman Wanted the Senate to
Take Action.
WANTS TEE SENATORS EIcULPATED
Mr.. Ga||inger Thought Each Could
Speak for Himself.
T A r F E BILL KEN UF

Z A r F E BILL TAKEN UP
Before going on with the tariff bill to-
day the Senate passed a bill for a public
building at San Angelo, Texas, to cost
100000
MI Vest (AIo.) offered a resolution re-
citing that the skeletons Of American SOL
diers killed at Buena Vista in 1S47 were
now exhumed and asking the State De-
partment to Investigate the subject and
report the facts to Congress A letter
was read in this connection from Consul
General Critteaden, saying the matter
should receive the attention of the au-
thorities at Washington. clipping was
inciosed stating that the bones of Ameri-
can soldiers were bleaching in the sun.
The resolution was then agreed to.
Mr. Tillman Is. Co then came forward
with another phase of the proposed sugar
Investigation. closing with q motion to
discharge the committee on contingent
expenses from further consideration Of the
resolution recently offered by him to in
vestigate the alleged speculation in sugar
stocks
The motion contemplated an immediate
vote by the Senate on the sugar investiga-
tion resolution.
Mr.. T1llman spoke in his usual vehement
style, which attracted much attention and
drew crowds to the galleries. He began
by presenting clipping from Haverhill.
N. H., newspaper, referring to the recent
speech of Mr.. Tillman and adding a query
as to whether the proposed sugar inquiry
would be supplemented by an inquiry into
the charges Of ex-senator Butler in con-
nection with Mr.. Tillman's administration
OF the South Carolina dispensary law.
Mr.. Tillman Defends Himself.
The charges against him were stale, Mr..
Tillman said. He had met them before, and
he read an open letter written to the people
of South Carolina, characterizing the
charges as ISLANDERS. This was an attempt
to divert attention from the sugar scandal,
the senator declared, but the attempt would
fail. He had come from the plough to the
governorshiD Of South Carolina, over the
PROSTATE forms of those constituting the
old regime. and 1t had won him many enc
mics.
All the crimes in the decalogue had been
charged against him. He had appealed to
his people. and they had sustained HIM,
sending him to the Senate after heated
canvass, In which Mr.. Butler had sought
to "hy-blow" his cTillman's) character
Now the same old eggs were brought for
ward. If any man desired to look into his
character, then, said Mr.. Tillman, he court
ed the fullest inquiry And any other sena-
tor, against whom there was the breath of
scandal, should have the charges probed
to the bottom and the scandal dispelled
He had made no charges against the sena-
tor from New Jersey Mr.. Smith, he de-
ciared, but had merely submitted the pub
lis he'd charges now before the public, and
since the committee had made no report on
the resolution. Mr.. Tillman said he would
row move to discharge the committee from
further consideration of the resolution.
SO that he added, with rising infection,
senators can now put themselves on rec
ord as TO whether they want these charges
investigated"
Mr.. Tillman dropped into his chair. but
was quickly on his feet again. He had, he
said, approached the chairman (Jones of
Nevada) of the committee on contingent
expenses, and had been told by him that
ne was ready to report the resolution. but
members of the committee Jones of Ar
ka1 sas and Galfinger of New Hampshirs).
Attitude of the COMMITTEES.
Mr.. Gallinger then secured recopn,t,on
for statement Of the attitude of the COM
mittee. he being the senior member. in the
absence OF the chairman, Mr. Jones of
Nevada
Every man in public life feels the sting
Of false charges" he said, land must the
Senate pause every time such accusations
are brought, to spend its time and the
money of the United States in pursuing
these charges?" If this was to be the case
then there would never be tariff bill or
any other bill.
1t was for every senator to act as he
saw fit on these floating charges, but not
Tor the senate as body to take cogniz-
ance OF them. AS for himself, Mr.. Gal
linger said, he would decline to enter into
an inquiry as to the character Of the SEN
ator from South Carolina or Of any other
member of the Senate He protested
against this effort to relieve the Committee.
which was proceeding with all due speed.
in considering question of this import
ance. In its own good time, and after the
resolution had been carefully examined,
there would be report to the Senate Mr.
Gallinger stated.
Here Mr.. Vest suggested that there was
precedent for ignoring charges against
the personal character of senator. He
referred to the attitude Of Senator Thur
man when an investigation was proposed
against one of his associates. He had held
that the courts were open for private re-
dress, and it was not for the Senate to
undertake to right a private wrong. There
had been no dissenting voice from this
position, Mr.: Vest asserted. and it was
not for the Senate to put aside its public
business to attend to the private character
Of senators.
MIR. Tfllman Explains.
Mr. Tillman was again on his feet. The
newspapers were trying to make a fire in
his rear, he said. while he was engaged
in a fire in front. His resolution simply
sought to determine whether the finance
committee was the creature of the sugar
trust, whether senators were the tools
and paid agents of the sugar trust" or
whether they were here performing their
duties as honorable men.
Mr.. Gallinger. proceeding, said the peo-
pie of each senator's state must pass upon
his character. The people of South Caro-
lima had passed on the character Of the
senator from South Carolina, and that
was sufficient vindication without an ap-
peal to the Senate. Intimati0ns and vague
charges had been made against the men,
bers of the finance committee and against
the senator from New Jersey (Smtth), Mr..
Gallinger said. Those who knewsthese SEN
atcrs needed no investigation to show
that the charges were false. But since
they had been made the senator from
Rhode Island (Aldrich), a leading member
of the finance committee. had risen and
had made a complete and sweeping denial
to the Senate. So that. declared the senas
tor. with the word Of Nelson w. Aldrich
against that of the correspondent Of any
newspaper. which was the Senate to ac-
cept? Was there to be a moments hesita-
ton in accepting the statement Of Mr.. Al
drich?
ssNon Honofor A1drlcl, o-A A.