The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-04
Senators Stone and AIddch Ge Into Lively Tit Over GGr-
 man Question
lLDRICH RESENTS THE
 MISSOURIAN'S ATTACKS
Stone Refers to Previous Statement of Aldrich Regarding Germany and Wants To Know Why Latter
 Took Such Position.

Washington. June s.-The Senate was not in an amicable state of mind today. and as a consequence there were several clashes of temper. The day was begun with speech by Senator Stone of Mis- souri in which he asserted that the Se-- man officials had taken exception to re- marks recently made by Senator Ald- rich relative to the wage statement sup piled by the German government at tho request of the American Secretary of State. MT. Aldricn had characterized as 'impertinent' the effort which he claimed had been made in that state- ment to influence American tariff legis- lation, and MT. Stone undertook to show that the epithet had been applied to the German government. Mir. Aldrich re- scented this implication but he repeatedly said that the German manufacturers had undertaken to influence the course of the tariff bill, and he charged that in so doing they had been guilty of impert- thence.
 During the course of his remarks, MT. Aldrich intimated that MT. Stone was act ing as a representative of Germany, and this remark aroused the anger of the Missourian Declaring his right to speak his mind as an American senator, he sati that the use of the expression was a gross mpertinence." This colloquy con- stunned almost three hours of time. Ul- timately MT. Aldrich paid a high cof,l- pliment to the German people and teeii. Emperor and he incident rlHsed fos the l day with the Statement by Mir V 1a l that while Mir Aldrich ani MT. Depew, ] who had also been involved in ths con troversy, had not made q straightfor- ward retraction, as he had believed they should. they had sugar oatcd" tho dose so as to relieve it of it's bitter taste
 LaFoIIette Continues.
 Following the Aldrieh-stone episode Senator LaFollette resumed his speech in opposition to the cotton schedule, which proved to be a general criticism of the methods of the finance committee. He asserted that the German wage report hau, contrary to a statement by Mir. Aldrich, reached the committee before the tariff bill was reported to the Sem ate and he charged the committee with general neglect in withholding informa- tion from the Senate. He opposed the new cotton duties as ex,sssIva, aud made an argument in favor of a gen. eral scaling down.
 Toward the close of the afternoon ses- sion Mr. LaFollette became quite ex- hausted and an effort was made to ob- tain permission for him 1o suspend and resume again tomorrow. Senator Aldrich took advantage of the incident to make an effort to obtain an agreement 10 vote on the cotton schedule at rixed nour tomorrow. In this he was unsuccessful, and after 10 or 10 minutes of recupera- ton, the Wisconsin senator proceeded.
 Stone Raises Question.
 Senator Stone brought up the German question soon after the Senate convened , by reading a cablegram from Berlin in which 1t stated that the German government had taken offense at MT. Aldrich's language. because of the posi- tion he occupies in his party and in Con gress. Reading from MT. Aldrich's orig inal remarks, MT. Stone said:
 When the senator from Rhode Island made that somewhat petulant and extra ordinary declaration every one here took notice. and l think every one regarded his utterance as impolitic if not impo- lite."
 Continuing to comment on the incident, MT. Stone said that he was not surprised that the German government, and the German people, had taken notice of this utterance, and felt offended by it. Mir Aldrich, who had listened attentively to the words of the Missouri senator, arose and said:
 "I made no charge against the German government l was talking about German manufacturers, whose names were kept from us, and who furnished infor- nation with the express understanding that it was not to be used in the enforce ment of our customs laws. The senator may consider that information of value; l do not There is no question about the German government involved here at all. The German government forwarded these statements with the distinct understand ing that 1t was not to be used to raise the invoice value of goods imported into the Uuited States contrary to our laws. l re- peat that any attempt on the part of any government to influence legislation on the tariff matter is impertinent. l did not say the German government made such an attempt. but if any government made such an attempt it would be impertinent."
 Denied By AIdrIch.
 MT Stone insisting that the senator from Rhode Island had referred to the German government as mpertment. again read the statement by MT. Aldrich as 1t appeared in the Record.
 ,'I was not discussing the German gov- ernment in that regard. but was referring to various statements before the commit tee" said MT. Aldrich, who added with energy:
 srhe senator is mistakenl'
 Mir Stone contended that MT. Aldrichs utterance must necessarily have had ref erence to the course of the German gov- ernment he was not discussing any thing else.
 MT. Aldrich declared with a consider able show of impatience that there could be no question about his position.
 s.I said" he went on. that any at-