The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-07-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFrow our Regular Correspondent !


Washington, June %, 1856.
After all it is quite likely that the tariff
contest will be fought out in the House
of Representatives this session, and that
the session will be greatly prolonged in
consequence. Business is i'm state of
solution ut the present moment, and
may crystalline into any shape. Mr..
Randall's threatened tariff measure is
awaited by the House with interest, and
il il to be given to the public in full as
soon as the copyist il through with it.
Randall Democrats say the bill is care
fully prepared, and will reduce taxes in
accordance with the spirit of the Chica-
go platform of the Democratic party.
Mr.. Morrison's friends say it is no bill
worthy of the name, but only subter-
flige to get the author and the other
thirty four Democrats who voted with
him out Of the dilemma into which they
plunged themselves by violating the
pledges of the party in refusing to con-
slider the tariff bill prepared by the
Committee on Ways and Means.
The present week has witnessed one
of the liveliest days ofthe session i'm the
House Wing of the Capitol. Mr.. Reed,
of Maine, set the two factions of the
Democratic party to fighting among
themselves by taunting tho reformers
for not redeeming their pledge to re-
form the tariff. Randall and Morrison
engaged In a heated wordy debate over
the party tariff pledge, standing in
arms-length distance of one another, and
gesticulating with clenched fists, each
| i'm the others face, while the Republi-
cans stood by and enjoyed the fun.
The trouble was inaugurated by the
great revenueIreformer, who proposed
new taxation To ply for pensions, thus
attempiing practically to defeat pension
legislation by cowardly indirection. But
the debate took wide range and tray
elled all over pensions, internal revenue
tariff, and the details of party platforms.
Quite a large number of members were
drawn into the medley, sarcastic per
sonalities passed on all sides, and for
several hours the House was in Il state
of wild excitement, while dignitied
senators from the other end of the Cap
itol left their own pr0sY business To
hear the battle of words.
Mr.. Hewitt discussed the Chicago
platform from campaign standpoint
with Mr.. Randall, and Gen. Bragg OF
Wisconsin was another Democratic Rep
resentative who attacked the dIstin-
guished Pennsylvania, charging him
with beinga deserter from his party
He was also called ont in defense OI
himself by Representative Mcmillan, al
Tennessee, who asked him if he had
voted for the oleomargarine bill. 81
did" said Randall, 81 voted for il be.
cause think that the people of The
United States should be protected from
fraud"
The result of the squabble is dead
lock in the lower branch of Congress
and unless the Democrats can get q
quorum I'm their own ranks there is ne
certainty when it will end. The Issue
il plainly this: The Democrats have
adopted the policy of levyIng an incom,
tax for pension purposes, and are united
upon the issue. The Republicans ust
al parliamentary means in their power
, to prevent II vote upon the question
The two Democratic factions have re
solved not to allow Representative Reed
TO set them upon each other any more
On the morning after their encounter
Morrison and Randall came into the
House shoulder to shoulder and APP
parentlv i'm perfect good humor, deter
mined 10 fight out their differences he
tween themselves.
Representative Allen, of Mississippi
is now the professional story teller o.
the House. A few nights ago, when IN
members, who voted for Mr.. Morrison'i
motion to consider the tariff bill, were