The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-13
Mir Pueh's RecoIlections.

Washington, Nov. 12.-(Special. .)-An in teresting phase of the German boom mas been the discussion on the part the Mary land Senator took in the consideration and passage of the Wilson tarin bill III 1894.
 Senator Butler of South Carolina, has recently given to The Louisville Courier Journal his recollections of the event.
 Hon. James L. Pugh of this city, who was in the Senate at the time from Ala hama. makes the following statement or what he remembers of the occasion:
 "A caucus of Democratic Senators was called by Senator German, the standing chairman of the caucus, to meet in the marble room of the Senate. When the caucus met, the chairman explained that the object of the meeting was to consider the Wilson tariff bill and to decide what action the Democratic Senators would take when that bill came up for consider VV ation fn the Senate. -.-'s'- ''-
 ..The State or Alabama Is the second coal and iron State in the Union. The Wilson bill put coal and iron on the free list I represented Alabama in part in the Senate. and I was the first Senator to address the caucus and make known my opposition to the Wilson bill by ofrerlng an amendment to put coal and iron on the dutiable list My amendment was de- fealeQ Dy d yCd oiAu AAoJ '~N~' upon l notified the caucus that Woulo move my amendment in the Senate. -4-
 senator Ramson moved that the vote on my amendment be reconsidered, which was done. While my amendment was nending the Senators were consulting ana discussing generally the best thing to be done under existing conditions. Senator White of Louisiana, now on the supreme bench of the United States. entered the
 1@ net Q c. vressiye speech against free sugar in the Wilscn bill. Sepator White had been nominated for Supreme Court Judge by president Cleveland, and had but few days before the meeting of the caucus been confirmed by the Senate.
 Voorhees, Was Vehement.
 "Senator Voorhees, of Indiana, answered Senator White in a speech that was equally violent and aggressive, and l re- member that Senator Voorhees, told Sen ator White that he was fortunate in hav- ing received his commission as Judge be- fore making his speech to the caucus.
 ''The caucus was thrown into great ex- citement and it being manifest that no final action could be had at that meet ing. on motion by some Senator. com mittee was appointed, as stated by Sem ator Butler, to confer with the Senate Finance Committee and get the most sat isfactory report possible.
 'The Finance Committee reported the bill to the Senate with the same amend ments It was impossible to pass the Wilson bill through the Senate as it came from the House. I stated to the Demo- cratic caucus that I would not support the bill with coal and iron on the free list My action in the caucus was made public, and I received a telegram from Birmingham, Ala, signed by leading men of both parties, assuring me of their ap- proval and that the people of Birming ham owed me debt of everlasting grat- itude,
 Tt was we'll known that Senators Mur- phy of New York. Smith and McPherSon of New Jersey and Bryce of Ohio, would not support the Wilson bill as it came from the House.
 Senator German made no motion in the Democratic caucus and is no more respon- sihle for the defeat of the Wilson bill than many other Democratic Senators.
 When the Senate and House bill was in the conference committee. it was as certained that 1t was impossible to pass any tariff bill before the Congress ad- journed, on the 4th of March, unless the conference committee of the two houses agred to report the Senate bill.
 President Cleveland was fully advised of this fact and sent word to the con ference committee that some tariff pill must be passed before Congress ad- journed.