the Silver Debate by Mr.
Teller--My Speech on the Question--Defeat of the Bill in the House
--Discussion of the Chinese Question--My Opposition to the Conference
Report on Mr. Geary's Amended Bill--Adopted by the Senate After a
Lengthy Debate--Effect of the Tariff Laws Upon Wages and Prices--
Senator Hale's Resolution--Carlisle's Speech in Opposition to High
Prices--My Reply--Resume of My Opinions on the Policy of Protection
--Reception by the Ohio Republican Association--Refutation of a
Newspaper Slander Upon H. M. Daugherty--Newspaper Writers and
Correspondents--"Bossism" in Hamilton County.

Upon the meeting of the Ohio legislature, on the 4th of January,
1892, Foraker and I were in attendance, stopping at the same hotel
and meeting daily. There was much excitement and great diversity
of opinion as to the result of the senatorial election. Several
of the members, whose preference I knew, would not declare their
vote, with the mistaken idea that to remain silent would relieve
them from importunity, but before the decisive vote was taken in
caucus I was confident of success.

The caucus met on Wednesday evening, the 6th of January. It was
composed of the Republican members of both houses. L. C. Laylin,
a friend of mine, who had been elected speaker of the house of
representatives, was made chairman of the caucus. An attempt was
made by the friends of Foraker to secure a secret ballot, but this
was defeated. The decisive vote was then taken, in which I received
53 votes, Foraker 38, Foster 1 and McKinley 1. My nomination was
then made unanimous, and I was subsequently elected by the legislature
for the term ending March 4, 1899.

The caucus appointed a committee of its members to escort Foraker
and myself to the hall of the house of representatives, where we
were received with hearty applause. We were introduced by Speaker
Laylin, and our speeches will show that if we were combatants we
appreciated the merits of our respective adversaries. I said:

"Senators, Representatives and Fellow Citizens:--I return to you
my most grateful thanks for the very high honor you have conferred
upon me. Long trusted by the people of Ohio, I am under obligations
that I cannot express in any language at my command. I owe to them
--I owe to you--all that could be said from a heart overflowing.

"We have just passed through quite a contest, the most formidable
that I have ever encountered in Ohio, and I hope more formidabl