Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1903-03-03

1909, " tIt 0tildLOi ADtl =, VIZ itN'
lust closed very successful term as
governor. and the Hon. Pondexter
Dunn, of Forrest City, then very
strong and popular member of the
,ver house of congress.
Senator Jones is not without rec
ord in the house The Forty seventh
congress which was the first in when
he served was a Republican body. AS
Congressman Jones was new mem
Der he got an unimDortant and obscure
assignment on committees, but the
Forty-eighth congress was largely
Democratic. as a result Of the election
of 1882. Mr. Jones became prominent
in the very beginning in that congress
in the race for the nomination for
speaker between Randall and Carlisle
Randall was an old Democratic leader
| in the house and a prOtectionist. The
| tariff issue was then fast becoming
prominent Mr.. Carlisle was strong
adherent of the policy of tariff for
revenue only. Mr. Jones was one OF
| Mr.. Carlisle's cOunselOrs and advis-
ers in that contest. Following Mr.
Carisles election Mr.. Jones was APP
pointed member Of the committee
on ways ard means This is an hon
or very seldom bestowed on a member
only entering on his second term. AS
a member of that committee senator
Jones did much in framing the first
Morrison tariff bill which was present
ed to TIE house in 1889. That bill
was defeated by the Randall Demo-
Gratis Republicans and protectionists-
During his second term in the house
Mr.. Jones was the Arkansas member
Of the Democratic congressional cam
paign committee He took an active
narr in the discussion of the tariff bill
and currency legislation in this ses-
sion The result OF his first term in
the senate was the establishing Of
SUM X }lt4eti I'LL Dis n SOp'I A1I44i44iA1'N
member and hard worker He was
assigned 10 tie committee on terri
tories and claims, and to some minor
committees. His first conspicuous
work in the senate, perhaps, was in
the discussion growing out OF the Nor
sil tariff bill, which passed the senate
in 1887. In the long fight made against
the Force bill by the minority in the
senate, Senator Jones, being a mem
Der Of the Democratic steering commit
tee was actively associated with Sena-
tors German, CockreIl, Blackburn. Gray
Walthall and others, This struggle IS
chara cterized by some as the greatest
minority fight ever made This com
mittee was carte blanche, having been
given power to act as they deemed
best and no obligation upon them to
report to the caucus.
Mr. Cleveland was elected upon
platform in which the tariff was the
principal plank. When the house sent
the Wilson tariff bill to the senate in
February, 1894, the situation in the
senate was this: The Democrats had
a majority of three; a loss of two votes
meant the defeat Of the measure. Hill
of New York at once announced his
opposition to any kind of tariff legisla-
ton at all This meant that the Demo
Gratis should hold every vote
It soon became apparent that num-
buer Of Eastern Democrats would not
support the Wilson tariff bill or any
other bill approaching the schedules
proposed by the Wilson measure. AS
has been said, the crisis for the Demo-
cratic party was at hand. Then it
was that Senator Jones took a copy Of
the bill and went to each beligerent
senator, and with him went over it,
page by page, and ascertaned the most
concessions that he would make in the
schedule as proposed by the Wilson
bill in order to sOlidify the entire
strength of the party in the senate on
final vote. Senator Jones. on account
OF being a member Of tho finance com
mittee which had tie bill in charge,
was in a position T. - before the SEN
ators who oppose ae bill, we'll equip
ped to gain a Ii, ming ear from them.
When he had interviewed each Of the
bel<Tent senators and had noted
what concessions they were willing to
make, caucus of the Democratic sena-
tors was called, which was attended