Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-08

said that 1t was customary to send bills
and resolutions to committees to secure
information, and no information was needed
l in this case
How long will you debate this question"
| asked Mr. Vest. looking over the republican
! and the democratic sides of the chamber.
| when the country Is in the condition 1t u
| now? If a blizzard should come upon US
| now, and such blizzard Is threatened.
| what would be the result to the seaboard
| cities. and throughout the country? There
| would be suffering. disease and death. and
| in the meantime the committee would be
| considering some constitutional method to
| give relief to the people.
II have served long enough in this Senate
| to know that the senator from Rhode Is
| land. Mr. Aldrich when he desires to de-
| stroy bill or resolution, is very adroit In
arguing against it,
| Mr.. Vest Explains.
| Mr.. Vest then explained why he voted
| against free coal in 1904 He said that
| President Cleveland had recommended free
coal. and the democrats Of the Senate. IA
| vored it. except in four or five Instances.
These four or five men, he said. had the
| power to prevent the passage OF the bill:
| and they demanded. they help us up"
| said Mr. Vest, and demanded that this
! duty be placed on coal. That was a COM
| promise. Mr.. Hill. desiring to defeat the
| bill, voted for free coal. He and other
4 democrats FOleQ LOT the Quly On coal u
| carry out the agreement they made with
| the four or five democrats whose vote for
| the bill as whole could be secured In no
other way.
| said Mr.. Vest. What does it matter how
| any one voted in 1894? Is that question to
| interfere now with giving immediate relief
| to the people who are suffering for fuel?
| The question is what shall We do now?
| Shall we spend our time sending this meas
| ure to the committee and having 1t delayed
| there to no purpose?
Mr.. Vest maintained that while the Con-
| stitution provided that the House should
| originate measures of revenue, that provi
| sion did not apply to a bill reducing revenue.
| He also referred to Mr.. Aldrich's denial
| that Mr.. Dingley had said that the duties
| of the Dingley bill were placed higher
| than they should have been in order to
| form basis for the making Of reciprocity
| treaties with foreign nations. He said he
based that statement on an editorial in the
| Washington Post. and sent to the desk a
! clipping from that paper of last September.
| which was read. This article referred to
statement of the editor of the Philadel-
phia Bulletin that Mr.. Dingley had made
| the remark credited to him.
Senator Ha1e's Vigorous Denial.
| Senator Hale made a vigorous denial Of
| this statement in relation to Mr.. ~Dingley.
| He said that 1t was curious that the state
ment should be brought out nearly four
| years dlttT DluSlcy uedlA, although
Mr.. Dngley himself had lived year after
the passage Of that bill. He was satisfied
] that the statement was false. He knew Mr..
| Dingley too we'll to believe 1t.
| Senator Hoar then made an extended ar
| gument showing that all bills affecting
revenue must. under the Constitution, Origi-
| nate in the House of Representatives.
| Senator Morgan then gave notice Of his
| intention to discuss Mr.. Hoar's remarks
upon the constitutional question involved.
Why He Took the Initiative.
Senator Vest resuming the floor. said that
| if a bill had been introduced carrying out the
| intent of the pending resolution. it would
| have died in a pigeon hole in the commit
tee on finance. 1t was his purpose in Of
| fering the resolution to call the attention
! of the country to the existing grave situa-
| tion When a republican President. had
| called upon Congress to take the duty of
| coal, and when a coal famine OF the most
! terrible proportions was affecting the en-
| tire Atlantic seabOard, and Congress con-
| tinued its course Of inaction, he felt that
| even a poor democrat could draw the atten-
| ton of Congress to the situation. The
| famine had reached a point where the cost
| of coal was beyond the pockets of the poor
| of the seaboard cities. Still no action had
| been taken by Congress. 1t seemed to him
| matter Of sheer duty that some one
should take the initiative and incite the
Senate to action. He believed that the Sem
/
J ing had been shown to the contrary except
the opinions OF public men.
Mr. Vest paid a high tribute to the late
| Gov Dingley, and referred to him as pure
| man and a frank and honest statesman,
| In recalling the memory of Gov. Dingley he
said he. realized the truth OF the remark
| of Mr.. Garfield about Mr.. Thurman. that
| the sweetest fruit often hung over the party
| wall" f.r'.- gG&4sTr -.
The Alleged Statement.
Mr.. Vest, returning to the subject of Gov.
Dingley's alleged statement that the tariff
rates of the Dingley bill had been marked
| up In order to afford basis for trading in
reciprocity treaties, said he had correspond
ed with the editor of the Philadelphia Bull
letin. knowing that paper to be stanch
| republican sheet. .-.-. -.-. --.-
! Senator Vest caused to be read at the
clerks desk a letter from the editor of the
Bulletin under date Of January 6. saying
| that the statement attributed to Governor
| Dingley was made to a member Of the Bull
| letin staff in the course of a private CONVEX
| sation with Mr.. Dingley in March, 1897, in
| Mr.. Dingley's hotel in Washington, while
| Mr.. Dingley was engaged in planning the
| tariff bill that bears his name.
| Turning to another branch Of the subject,
| Mr.. Vest contended that there Is no ques-
| ton that a duty is levied on anthracite coal,
| that court decisions had decided that. He
| caused TO De READ some correspondence
| showing that one method Of ascertaining
| the carbon strength OF coal which governs
| the rate of duty is in vogue at one Atlantic
| port and an entirely different method in use
| at other ports.
| Senator Hale arose in defense Of Governor
| Dingley. He deplored the Introduction of a
| private letter which imputed to Governor
| Dingley motives wholly at variance with
| his public attitude and which put him under
| the charge of insincerity. No man who was
I entitled to the reputation for character
| which Governor Dingley possessed could
| ever do what was charged against him,
| that Is. to mark UP his goods in order to
enable him to lower the price In the course
| of barter.
| Senator Tillman remarked that the fact
| that number Of reciprocity treaties are
| now pending in the Senate involving the
very reduction in Dingley rates which 1t
| was alleged Mr.. Dingley had in view SEEM
| ed to him proof that the policy attributed
| to Mr.. Dingley's party was being exempli-
| fled.
Senator Hale. proceeding, said that it was
| strange that nothing had ever been heard
| OF this statement until nearly five years
after it was alleged to have been made
| He declared that all Of the circumstances
| branded the anonymous maker of the
| statement as a falSi6er