The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-12-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular Correspondent
WARRINGTON, November Path, 1883.

From our regular Correspondents
WARRINGTON, November 24th. 1855.
The National Grange has been in
session in Washington City during the
week, but after the members had come
together and the meeting was organized,
a motion to exclude press representa-
tlves was made and carried. Several
reporters thereupon gathered up their
notes and vanished. The papers have
been ridiculing this mysterious action
on the part of the agriculturists, but
the curiosity of your correspondent be-
ing aroused II delegate to the convention
was hunted up and became an easy
prey to his pursuer. The substance OF
the mysterious proceedings of the
Grange may be briefly stated. 1t has
been determined to MAINTAIN lobby at
Washington this winter, in order to IN
fluence Congress in way favorable to
Agricultural Legislation. At the late
convention for considering contagious
diseases among cattle the sense of the
meeting showed that Congressman must
be made to feel that the farmers demand
that all restrictions on our cattle exports
should be removed, and that the only
way to obtain that end is for the Gov.
eminent to give a clear bill Of health
upon all cattle for export. The lobby
will represent the farmers in this and
other interests and Congressman will
be made TO understand that if they
want the farmers votes hereafter they
will have to favor their interests in Con.
gress.
The lObbics are gathering IN force.
The present occasion is very useful for
their purpose as they have more oppor-
tunity to see and talk with members of
Congress than they will have later when
the activities of the session demand
attention. But their efforts are partic-
ularly devoted just now to making what
they can out Of candidates for Office.
A lobbyist is supposed to control one or
more votes. Frequently they are re-
latIves OF members. or have some other
hold upon the representative. And not
unfrequently their whole capital is
cheek, and a sanguine pretenslon to
great influence. The aspiring candi-
date cannot very we'll investigate this
assumed influence, and is therefore an
easy victim to their wIles. Many votes
for this or that Office, which are claim
ed by candidates, have no more basis
than the assurances of professional lob
byists who are raking in dollars for
votes which they sell, but are not al.
ways able to deliver. The candidate
when his eyes arc opened is so self con-
victed that he sets down his loss to the
credit OF experience and lets it go.
Talking about offices the Southern
candidates for the smaller places have
had their hopes rudely dispelled by the
singular effect the race issue has had
upon the opinions, of Southern men,
bers. 1t Was reported last week that
all Virginia was moving towards the
National Capital with hungry eyes
fixed upon some fat office. Each
Southern member brought retinue in
his train. But the fact has gone forth
that the House must not be too South.
ern in its characters. 1t must be made
up with due consideration for the
feelings of the North, which are believ.
ed to be in an abnormally sensitive
8 ate as regards Southern election meth.
Ois. The consequence Is that the
applicants from the lower end Of the
democracy are coldly received, while
those from the upper section of the
great and pure party are correspond
lingly elated. Howls and curses, and
peans OF joy and Happiness are curious
ly mingled in consequence.
I understand the Pension Agents at
Washington are going to make it very
warm for Col. Dudley the commissioner.
Their business has been greatly injured
by the reports which have been semi out
from here consequence of the tlisbar-
meut of some of the firms that lave
been guilty of crookedness.
The masOns STOP work to-day On the
monument, leaving the
shaft for the winter at a height of 40
feet. At this elevation it is the loftIest
artificial structure on the continent,
and with very few exceptions IN the
world. 1t is now almost the exact
height Of the cathedral at Antwerp.
1t is higher than any specimen Of Mos
lem architecture the highest being
that of the Mosque of Sultan Hasssn
at Cairo, lifting its highest point only
to ESQ feet above the pavement. The
highest bell tower in the world, the
of st. Marks at Venice, is
nearly one hundred feet lower than the
present shaft of the monument.
THE trial of young Mutt for killing
the murderer of his father has been