The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-29
SENATE URGED
TO PURGE ITSELF.


where, making various charges against
article began: Smith ahead on sugar"
and spoke of the New Jersey senator
selling sugar to the extent Of 5000
shares short, at a profit Of $3,000
Mr.. Smith was not in the chamber at
the time Another article spoke of the
large profits to senators, and stated
that 5000 shares of sugar STOCK had
been handled the day before for three
senators. Mr. Tillman said it was
about time these specific charges, most
of them signed with the names Of their
authors, should pbe probed. There
should be no mixture Of the old inVes-
tigation and the new one. Let us
not mix UP the Democratic sheep with
the Republican goat" he said, "but
let's have fumigation." It was not
a time when senators should sit here,
apparently silenced by cowardice or
corruption. The Republicans had re-
ceived the recent campaign contribu-
tions from "the octopus he said, and
it should be brought to light before the
American people. If this gang of
thieves and robbers" were to have all
they wanted, then let the American
people realize what a glorious senate
represented them at Washington.
In conclusion, Mr.. Tillman reiterated
that if the senate is rotten to the bot
tom,'' it should be proved. If these
charges were false then the lies should
be laid bare. If the charges were true.
then, he said, the guilty senators
should be turned out and the senate
purged.
Mr. Aldrich Republican member of
the finance committee, and In charge
of the tariff bilD Immediately took the
floor as Mr.. Tillman closed. 1t had
been charged, or inferred, he said, that
the sugar trust dictated the sugar
schedule. But I desire to say in the
senate, to the senator (Tillman) and to
every man in the United States, that
no person connected with the sugar
trust at any time or at any place In
fuenced the framing of the sugar
schedule or received information as to
its character. I desire to make the
statement as broad as the English IAN
guage can make it, Mr. Aldrich said
that no living person outside Of the
members Of the committee had any in
formation as to the subject until thir-
ty-six hours before 1t was reported.
Then the senator from Nevada (Jones)
hao been shown the schedule. No hu-
mali being beyond this had received
the slightest information.
And any man who says So or inti-
mates So" added Mr.. Aldrich. de
serves to be denounced in way which
Mr.. Tllman interrupted to say that
he had not made the charges; he had
merely submitted public statements
with the authors names signed.
Mr.. Aldrich, proceeding, said the full
est investigation was courted; there
was nothing to conceal. No informa-
ton ever went from that committee
room to any telephone to any one. He
(Aldrich) had never bought or sold a
share Of sugar stock. It was easy for
correspondents to make such charges,
but they were absolutely false. With
out further debate the resolution was
referred to the committee on ~cont1n-
gent expenses, and, on motion of Mr.
Aldrich, the senate took up the tariff
bill.
Mr.. Vest opposed the proposed in
crease on soda ash from "A to $40 Of a
cent per pound as unfair to soda max
ers, and that it would not have been
made but for the fact that Mr.. Jones'
of Nevada, where the principal deposit
Of soda ash in the country is found,
is a member of the finance committee
Mr.. Stewart (Nev) favored the
amendment, and Messrs. Caffery, Wal
thall, Bacon, Chiffon, protested against
it. The amendment was agreed to
without division, but was reconsidered
and allowed to go over to permit Mr.
Gray to be heard on it.
There was only brief discussion Of
the remaining paragraphs in the chem
ical schedules Mr.. Jones stated that
while they were not accepted without
protest by the Democrats, those in
charge of the Democratic interests con-
sidered it unnecessary to consume, to
no avail, the time with the voting ma
jority apparently against them.
The next schedule, relating to earths,
earthenware and glassware, was enter
ed upon. Mr.. Jones (Ark.) objected in
vigorous speech to the rate fixed on
window glass. 1t was Of universal con-
sumption and was in the hands Of
trusts, two associations controlling
practically the business in this country,
and dividing the territory and fixing
rates. Among all the iniquities of the
BILL" said he, land their name is
legion, the glass schedule is the most
monstrous." Mr.. Sewell Rep., N. J.)
challenged Mr.. Jones' statements, say
ing there were individual glass makers
in his state, outside of any trust, and
struggling for existence against foreign
competition. Mr.. Mills (Tex.) said the
glass rates we're enormous and un-
justifiable, running from liz to 1853 per
cent. It was far beyond anything
imagined when the country first began
to foster infant industries. 1t was not
duty but a bounty to wealth, he de-
clared. Mr.. Jones amendment to re-
duce the rate on window glass from
IN to 1-cent per pound, was disagreed
to, yeas, 18; nays, %.
The vote was on party lines, the
Democrats for and the Republicans
against the amendment. Messrs. Nc
Emery Dem., La.); Stewart Pop., New,
and Jones Pop., New voted with the
Republicans, and Messrs Heitfeld and
Pettigrew with the Democrats. The
committee rate Of w cents was then
agreed to.
Mr. Jones (Ark.) offered another
amendment reducing the rate on win
dow glass above 10x15 inches square,
and under 16x20 from 1h to " cents
per pound. The amendment was dis
agreed to-18 to 81. All of the commit
tee amendments as to window glass,
were agreed to.
On cylinder and crown glass, Mr..
Jones' amendment substituting the
present rate Of ~ cents for the pro-
posed rate Of cents per square foot,
was defeated. Yeas, 20; nays, 27. The
committee amendments on cyclinder
and crown glass were then agreed to.
At 8 o'clock Mr.. Aldrich yielded to
urgent requests from Democratic SEN
atcrs, that the bill be laid aside. Mr..
Vest remarked in this connection, that
more progress had been made in three
days than in three weeks during the
Wilson bill. The senate then went