The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-02


vantage OF the opportunity afforded by
the special order setting apart the after
noon In the Senate for eulogies on the
late Arthur Pue German, Senator from
Maryland. TO bring W some of the politi-
cal events in which the dead man played
a prominent part.
There were many tributes from Repub-
lican Senators, too. among them Messrs.
/ Hale and Frye Of Maine, Aldrich of
Rhode Island. and Cullom Of Illinois.
who spoke of the personal worth and
public services Of the late Senator Mr..
Rayner. once the late Senator's political
enemy. was particularly eloquent. and
/ Senator William Plnkney Whyte, be-
tween whom and Mr. German a political
/ feud existed for many years. took occa-
! sion to explain that the differences were
! political. not personal
! II remained for Senator Blackburn. OF
/ Kentucky, who succeeded Mr. German as
/ chairman Of the Democratic caucus, and
/ Mr. TiIlnan. Of South Carolina. to delve
/ into Democratic history and unfold Sc
crets concerning the Wilson-Gorman tar
/ III bill. and, as they explained for the
/ sake Of the truth Of history" TO accuse
/ ex-President Cleveland of the grossest
bad faith in his political dealings with
/ the dead Senator from Maryland
The attendance In the galleries was un-
/ usually large for such an occasion. and
/ on the floor more than a quorum Of Sen
/ ators remained throughout the eulogies,
/ which lasted for three hours. In the
! Senators gallery was the family of the
( late Senator. among them his son and
namesake, Arthur ?. German, jr., State
/ senator Of Maryland, while on the
/ floor sat the Hon. Henry Gassaway Da-
/ Wis, OF West Virginia. a relative of Mr.
| German He was an interested listener
1 TO the cold recital Of political history.
Blackburn Charges Injustice.
After paying tribute 20 Mr. German.
Senator Blackburn, with great delibera-
/ tion and measured sentences. said.
one purpose, and only one, prompts me
to speak here and that is TO protest
against the injustice 10 which he was sub
jected on one memorable occasion in his
life, where he was made the victim or
unfair criticism; where, because of the
conspicuous position that he held and the
3
was sought by others who deserved it
more 10 fasten upon him responsibilities
that Were not his own
When the Wilson German tariff bin
came from the House and was TO super
sede the Mckinley measure. Mr. German
was. indeed, q potential factor in this
chamber His action upon that occasion
his course in connection with that impor-
tant measure, have been made the occa-
sion OF unfair censure and unmerited
criticism.
THAT bill, while Il might. and by many
was believed 10, be a decided Improvement
upon the taxing measure that il supplant-
ed. failed as IS known Of all men, to
meet the expectation of the country, or
the reasonable demands made BIZ Mr..
Germans party. For that failure il was
sought to fasten upon the Maryland Sena-
tor degree Of responsibility that did not
honestly belong 10 him, and here, in order
TO vindicate the truth Of history, I enter
an earnest and solemn protest against
that injustice surviving, as he has gene
Other men OF his party, higher in de
clsion and in power than he was then.
who sought to relieve themselves Of criti-
Cism by undertaking TO fasten upon him a
burden that did not belong to him. should
answer at the bar of history. instead OF
the dead Marylander.
Testimony of Colleagues.
THE records Of this Congress show that
when summoned to testify as witnesses
upon this floor his co-laborers upon the
Senate Committee on Finance, most of
them now dead. IS is the Maryland Sena-
tor-Voorhees, of Indiana, the chairman
Of that committee. Harris, Of Tennessee:
Vest, of Missouri, and Jones Of Arkansas
bore willing witness 20 the fact that there
never was a modification made Of that
measure; there never was a step taken in /
revision, in remodeling; there never was
an alteration proposed or carried into eff |
feet by the conference Of this side of the
chamber upon that tax bill that was not
uuhesitatingly approved and indorsed, |
pleaded for and demanded by those higher |
in authority than Mr.. German or myself, !
who afterward saw fit to denounce it and |
brand 1t with the brand of perfidy
He bore the unjust accusation pa |
tiently. That splendid serenity and poise /
which has been 50 happily described by |
his colleagues here did not desert him |
In that hour Of his triumph ana in the |
hours of his disasters and defeat, he was |
always the same self-contained. the even |
poised, undisturbed mistaken man."
As soon as Mr.. Blackburn had concluded |
Mr.. Ttlman took the floor. He was more |
direct and specific, and as he proceeded to |
unfold the details Of the campaign of 1892 /
some of his Democratic colleagues moved |
nervously in their seats. After tribute /
to Mr.. Germans leadership, Mr.. TiTlman |
continued:
GuiItIess of Party Perfdy.
There is another incident of his career /
that had as much or more than any other
act Of his life to do with making him for
the time being unpopular with the I'M /
thinking masses and causing him 10 be-
come the object of most bitter and vindic-
tive criticism, I mean the charge which.
though not made in direct words. was IN
mstakably aimed at him. of being guilty
of party perfdy and party dishonor' I'm
regard to the WiIson-Gorman tariff bill
1t happens that I can bear personal testi-
mOny.
In October. 1882, ] visited New York
on business. and remained IN the city
a week or more. ] was at that time
governor Of South Carolina. Naturally.
I felt most keen interest In the result
OF the approaching Presidential election.
I visited the Democratic HEADQUARTERS
and had opportunity To talk with so,,,. /