Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1897-06-05
TIL Imam in THE SENATE
SENATORS DABBLING IN SUGAR
STOCK ANNOYED HIM.
Demanded an investigation and
That the Blame Be Fixed
Where 1t Belongs.

Washington, May 29.-After long pc
riod of silence, Senator Tillman of Soutl
Carolina startled the senate today by ;
speech no less dramatic in it's delivery
than sensational in it's allegations HI
preceded it by presenting resolution To-
the appointment of a special COMMITTEES
of five senators to investigate charges o.
speculation by senators while the tariff
bill was before the finance committee. II
advocating the resolution Senator Tillmar
threw aside the usual conventionalities d
the senate and with plainness of speech
seldom heard about the halls of congress
called on his associates to investigate tho
published charges of senatorial specula
ton, and if found true to purge the sen
ate of those who debauched it.
The Tillman resolution was referred to
the committee on contingent expenses Of
the senate.
Considerable progress was made on the
tariff bill, 13 pages being covered. Sew
eral votes We're taken during the day
but the finance committee had a liberal
majority in every instance. The demo
cratic members of the finance committee
made a strong effort to reduce the rates
on window glass, but their amendments
to this effect were defeated. The bill will
be considered tomorrow, the usual Satur-
day recess being abandoned.
The Tillman Matter.
Senator Tillman's resolution quotes tbs
senate resolution of May II, 1894, author
izing the original inquiry, and then. after
reciting the proceedings in the Chapman
and Havemeyer trials, proceeds:
Whereas, In the last 80 days sundry
newspaper correspondents have openly
charged senators with specializing in SUI
gar stocks while the sugar schedule is
under discussion, and also charged that
brokers in New York knew in advance aS
to what the senate finance committee
would report as to the schedule, all Of
which involves question of high privl-
lege, to wit, the right of the senate to
protect it's members from slander and TO
protect the body as a whole from those
open charges of corruption; therefore be 1t
Resolved, That a committee of five be
appointed with power to send for persons
and papers, to employ a stenographer,
and to administer oaths, to inquire into
the truth or falsity of the charges made
in May, 1894, and into the charges recent
ly made; and the scope of the investiga-
ton shall cover everything embraced in
the resolution of May II, 1894. as we'll as
the methods pursued by the American Su-
gar Refining Company, better known us
the sugar trust in controlling legislation
in its favor at the present time; and spe-
cially whether it has in any wise contrib
uted to or controlled the election of a
senator in this body at any time
The presiding office, Senator Frye.
promptly ruled that the resolution should
go to the committee on contingent eX-
penses, but Senator Tillman obtained con-
to lya Eve have
rived at a time'' he began, when the
senate can not longer afford to rest under
the damning accusations made aginst its
senators. If there are men here debaucn
ieg the senate, then we should be purged
of them; if these reports are slanuel, then
the press galleries should be purged. we
can not afford to lay back on our dignity
any longer and say we will not investl-
gate"
1t had been charged that President
Cleveland met the sugar magnates on a
yacht and discussed the details OF the
schedule of the then pending tariff bill
There was nothing to fasten that damn
ing accusation, Senator Tillman said, but
Senator Jones of Arkansas had recently
furnished evidence to the effect that the
president told him the trust should nave
a quarter of a cent a pound.
Senator Jones quickly arose and statec
that on two occasions Cleveland had sale
to him that he thought the quarter OF d
cent on raw sugar was necessary to the
American refineries, and that a one
eighth of a cent would drive the refnefs
out of business.
Proceeding, Senator Tlllman sald II
might be that Cleveland desired to carry
out bargain and if so the senate ough'
to find it out.
rroy of
man of the former sugar investigating
committee, interrupted. The statement
he said, that a sugar schedule had beer
made upon BenedictS yacht when the
president was on board with officers OF
the sugar trust was not true, ana It's
falsity had been established after the
committee had probed the statement tt
the bottom.
Continuing, Senator Tillman exclaimed
"Roth parties are involved, and one is as
deep in the mud as the other is IN inc
mire. You know of the reports agalns
certain members of the old finance com
mittee and now we have more damnns
accusations aginst the present commit
tee.'
Senator Pettus of Alabama interrupted
TO ask 'Tillman not to deal in generaitle:
hut to nut a mark on the senators %,
name.
.That is what / want an inquiry for-t'
mark these men," responded Senator iii
man. II do not want the Door man t
suffer while the millonaireS are turned
loose
After the protests from Senator Pet
tus that Senator TillmaE should NAM
at least one senator accused, Senator Till
man went on to state that when me fer
mer tariff bill was framed the finance
committee had left their committee room
and had taken quarters at the Arlington
hotel.
"rhe senator is grossly mistaken in
terrupted Senator Vest. The democratl
members of the finance committee did no
go to the Arlington hotel or anyWaer
else outside their committee room at tn
capitol
After the Republicans.
Senator Tillman said he was glad tn
democratic party was relieved to this eX
| tent. but added: Nov, no one denie
that for the last two months rooms a
the Arlington have been occupied hy tn
finance committee in easy touch with tn
telephone to New York and in easy reac
of the sugar trust. Why is it, he asked
that the sugar trust can always com
mand a specific instead of an ad valorer
duty? Why was it that they cleared s23
| 0OO. 900 in three years? 1t was the demo
cratic party who made 1t poSslple IN lo3
| And now," he proceeded. with the dis
graced and demoralized democratic part
out of power, and the republicans ]
charge of affairs, we have another damn
ing evidence of the sugar trusts power
Tillman said he would now present spe
cifications and he had read a number c
signed articles in the newspapers of Ne'
York. Chicago and elsewhere, making Va
rious charges against senators, some b
name The first article began: "Smit
ahead on Sugar. and spoke of the Ne
Jersey senator's selling 5000 shares of 81
gar short at a profit of $4,000. Smith wa
not in the chamber at the time. Anothe
article spoke of the large profits to SCI
ators, and stated that 5000 shares of sugs
stock had been handled the day before II
three senator's.
Senator Tillman said it was about tin
these specific charges, most of thel
signed with the names of their author
should be probed. There should be 7
mixture of the old investigation and tt
new one.
Let us not mix up the democratic shee
with the republican goats, but let
have a fumigation.'
1t was not time when senator's shou
sit here, apparently silenced by cowar
,f,0t oroS