New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-20
MORE UNWRITTEN HISTORY.

The Washington Star suggests that we
"tripped" little in our history when we COM
mented recently on the fairly successful effort
Of the Cleveland administration to shift respon-
sibility for the "perfidy'' of the Wison-(Iormau
Tariff bill from It's shoulders TO those OF
Senator Arthur z. German. In euloges on Mr..
German delivered two weeks ago in the Senate
both Mr.. Blackburn and Mr.. Tilman reopened
the controversy which ragged so violently In 1894
and 1895. and both declared emphatically that
Mr.. German was unjustly assailed III the cee-
brated Catchngs letter as the author of legs,
atlon which the administration had approved
and even demanded but which 1t found
venient afterward to disavow with no little show
of moral indignation. We referred TO Mr.. Black
burn an especially competent witness, be-
cause he had been for many years Mr.. Germans
lieutenant in party management in the Senate,
and also, at the time the Wlson-GOrman
Tariff bill was considered, political and per
sonal friend of Mr.. Carlisle, Mr.. Cleveland's
Secretary Of the Treasury His testimony
which we considered important enough TO quote
was as follows
The records Of this Congress show . .
that there never modification made IN
that measure, there a step taken in
its revision fits remodeng there was never
an alteration proposed or carried into effect by
the conference Of this side Of the chamber upon
that tax bill which unhesitatngly APP
proved and Endorsed, pleaded for and demanded
by those higher In authority than Mr.. German
and myself who afterward fit to denounce
It and brand IT with the brand of perfidy.
THE Star" is disposed to dispute our estimate
of Mr.. Blackbun's authority and credibility as
witness. 1t says the Kentucky Senator was
mot Mr.. Germans lieutenant In that fight and
was not In 1894 IN the political sense close
or trusted friend of Secretary Carlisle. 1t also
declares that Mr.. Blackburn did not figure
T., ~.
mot Mr. German. been in charge of the Wilson
bill In the Senate different situation would
"have developed" This argument is purely
fanciful. Technically Mr.. Blackburn was never
"in charge of the Wilson bill. Neither was
Mr.. German. The bill was nominalIy in charge
of the Democratic members Of the Finance Com
mittee. Mr.. voorhees,. Mr.. Mcpherson, Mr. Har-
ris Mr.. Vest. Mr.. Jones, of Arkansas and Mr.
Mills. But because Of the narrow Democratic
majority in the Senate and the violent oppos-
ton Of ten or a dozen Democratic Senators to
various features of the Wilson draft control
of the measure had to be given to the Demo
cratic caucus. of which Mr.. German was tho
chairman. and in which Mr.. Blackburn was,
perhaps. the next most active factor The four
hundred-odd amendments made to the House
bill had to have the approval of the caucus man.
ayers, and Mr.. Blackburn plainly counted him
self as one Of those managers when he asserted
that those four hundred-odd changes were 'in-
''dorsed pleaded for and demanded by those
higher in authority than Mr.. German and my
self"
The suggestion that If Mr. Blackburn had
really had chance to lead, he being an ardent
anti-protectionist, "a different situation would
have developed" flies in the face Of facts Mr.
Vest and Mr.. Mills were as fiery free traders as
could be found in the Democratic party They
both fought desperately for non-protective
schedules, but both had to yield TO the pressure
for compromise which the administration ap-
piled.
As to the political relations existing between
Mr.. Blackburn and Mr.. Carlisle THE STAR is
right in saying that they were severed by differ
ences on the silver coinage issue. But the
break really came in 1895 when the Democratic
party In Kentucky split on that issue and n
/ free silver Democrat, nominated on a sound
money platform, was defeated for the gov
ernorship. In 1893 NJ. Carlisle, as a con-
vert TO moncmetallism, supported legislation re-
pealing the silver purchasing clauses of the
| Sherman act Of 1890. But he had shown a