Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-27
occupy the position which he is charged
with having ahused

Every man who knows anything about
tariff legislation knows perfectly well that
for many years the practice has been that
the majority members of the committee on
ways and means in the House of Represent
atives frst made the tariff bill, and only
submit 1t to the fun committee after they
have completed It. The minority Is then
permitted to read It and to criticise It; but
they are not permitted to change 1t. The
majority being responsible for the bill.
make It to suit themselves. and take their
responsibility before the country. The same
course of procedure is followed In the SEN
ate. and neither Senator Aldrich nor any
other republican senator was permitted to
even see the amendments to the Wilson
tariff bill, which were agreed upon by the
democratic majority, until after they had
finished their work.
7 do not complain that all men do not
understand how tariff bills are made. be-
cause many good men have not taken the
trouble to inform themselves In that re-
spect; but when a man assumes to ex-
bill was made he imposes upon himself
the double duty Of learning the truth and
telling 1t.
Calls Phillips Vicious.
Coming to the article In the last issue
OF this magazine. in which he assails my
reputation and public services. he Is
guilty of even more vicious misrepre-
sensations. II possible. than those he made
In respect to Senator German While he
ought to have examined the official list
Of the Senate committees before attempt
ing to name the chairman of the most i'm
portant one. he may not have done so.
and his Misrepresentation. though mex
cusable, may not have been Intentional.
No such extenuation, however, can be
offered for his Misrepresentation in respect
to me- because he read the record which
he distinctly misrepresents In some partic-
uiars and deliberately suppresses in others.
His first accusation against me relates to
q matter which was thoroughly investi-
gated by the very legislature which elected
me to the Senate, and it was shown to be
so entirely unjust and absurd that the de-
cent men among my most implacabie enc
mics in Texas no longer discuss 1t. In Or
der that the Senate and the country may
understand how palpably and how grossly
he has misrepresented that episode i must
be pardoned while briefly recall it
I'm 1897 or 1898 a foreign corporation
then transacting business in our state was
convicted of violating that section OF our
antitrust law which prohibits exclusive
contracts, and its permit was revoked In
the spring of 1900 that Judgment was af-
firned by the Supreme Court of the United
States. and the officers of that corporation
then sought to settle with the state by
offering to pay whatever penalty might be
considered a proper punishment, provided
that they could continue their business In
Texas.
IT was asked to intercede in their behalf,
and upon the distinct and positive assur-
ance that the company was an Independent
one and not controlled by any trust / adj
vised our state officials to permit 1t. upon
the payment of a fine commensurate with
it's offense. to continue its business in Texas
The attorney general. who was a college
mate of mine and true man in every sense
submitted to me the Judgment of the court
and expressed the opinion that he could
not, under the terms of the judgment, con-
sent to such a settlement.
After carefully examining the judgment
concurred in his opinion and advised that
the only lawful course was to dissolve the
offending corpora ton and organize a new
one; but thatt advice was given upon the
understanding that when the new corpora
came into the state 1t should obey our
laws Immediately after that conversation
| returned to Washington and knew abso-
lutely nothing further about the transac-
ton until read an attack upon the attor-
ney general In respect to it, when imme-
diately and without the slightest hesitation
l defended him and avowed my RESPONSE
blfty by stating what I had advised
AS so often happens In the bitterness OF
political strife, the circumstance was seized
was charged that l had received fee
ranging from $4,000 to $500. 600 according
to the ina gination Of the relator.
FINALLY one man, who was more reckless
than the rest and who happened to be a
member of the Texas legislature intro
duced a resolution directing an inquiry into
my connection with the case. Every friend
of mine in that legislature with a single
exception, would have voted against that
resolution except for my earnest insistence.
They contended. and they were right that
there was nothing In the matter which
called for an investigation. They pointed
out the fact that 1t was not even contended
that the matter was connected In the re-
hottest degree with the legislation of Con-
gress. and could not. therefore. by any pos
slbflity involve my official or personal in
tegrity. To all of this my answer was that
IL the resolution were defeated the Hes
would multiply. and some honest men
would be mtsled into the belief that an In
quiry would have revealed some miscon-
duct on my part; and at last my friends i'll
the legislature yielded to my view of the
matter and voted for the investigation. A
committee was appointed consisting of four
gentlemen who had supported In my
race for the Senate and three who had sup
portad NV opnooapt