Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1899-05-25

eral from New York City, voted with
Bland to reverse an anti.s:lve rrul-
ing in Committee Of the Whole,
with the understanding that their
votes would count against the Force
bill in the Senate.
So
On January 26, 1891, the Senate
refused TO continue the considera-
tion of the Force bill, and took up
sn appropriation bill. Five Re-
publicans voted with the Democrats,
and the hldeous monstrosity was
forever pot to sleep. 1t was bat
| Itla ro1al il politics-one that re-
quired careful consideration, un-
daunted pluck and exquisite man
agement to win. The strain Of the
fight was simply terrific. Ii Was
months before German recovered
from its effects. The minority had
outmanoeuvred aud defeated the
majority. In all this fight he new
er lost his savoir fsire. The nation
at large-especially the South
owes him debt of gratitude which
ought not to be repudiated.
The Force bill was made one of
the two leading issues in the next
Presidential campaign-the McKin-
ley bill being the other. The De.
mocracy was on the attack and the
Republicanism on the defensive.
General Harrison was defeated and
Grover Cleveland was reelected.
Not only was the Force hill killed,
but the old Federal Election law
was repealed, and the Democracy,
with large majority in the House
and a slender one in the Senate,
began to formulate tariff bill. II
appeared under the name of the
Wilson bill, and was perfected in
the House by an il.come tax amend
ment.
The bill then went to the Senate.
Here for weeks it hung trembling
in the balance. German again ap-
peared as the man in the gap.
While Hill denounced the income
tax. German supported it. The
arduous work Of allaying animosi-
ties, jealousies and resentments was
resumed. 1t seemed to be almost
impossible to reconcile the conflict
ing interests, yet, by working night
and day, yielding here, insisting
there. and compromising on every
opportunity, German returned the
bill to the House rechristened and
so changed that the original father
failed to recognize his offspring.
The House recognized the fact that
it was the only tariff bill that could
be passed, and finally accepted the
measure as it came from the SEN
ate.
The Administration clearly re-.
cognized the triumph of German
when it allowed the bill to become
a law without the Presidents sig
nature. The sagacity of the Mary
land Senator had been again de-
monstrated. With the income tax
it was universally conceded that
the bill would have provided suf-
ficient revenue for all the expenses
of the Government. No one, how
ever, could foresee the action of the
Supreme Court. This court, after
following the precedents established
by itself, declared the bill consti-
tutional, and within six weeks re-
versed its own decision.
In the Senate German was o man
of action, ever in action. His in
fuence was felt whenever questions
! OF national importance were under
consider alton. His knowledge Of
parliamentary law had grown cor
respondipgly with his term of serv-
ice. No man had more thorough
knowledge Of the executive depart
ments, for he had studied them
from the day he entered Congress
as q page.
But the character of the man was
more distinctly shown during the
war with Spain. Partisan feeling
was sunk in patriotism. Like a
true American, he upheld the Pres
ident in carrying on the war. With
other patriotic Democrats he voted
for the issue Of bonds. The Chi
cago platform had denounced such
| issues In time of peace, clearly in