Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-09-02
SOWDEN ON POLITICS
The Ex-Congressman Discusses
the Situation.
DEMOCRACY IN PENNSYLVANIA


mens from congress-The Democratic
Party and the TarIn Question: lgser's
Chances for the Gubernationai Nomin-
atIon-Hts opInIon Of sfr. Randall
ATLANTIC CRY, SEPT. 2.-Ex-con.
gresham Sowden. OF Lehigh county,
Pa. Is a guest Of prominent up town
Atlantic City hotel. lie Is walking
around on crutches, and appears greatly
reduced in weight, owing TO severe
attack OF rheumatic govt. Congress
man Sowden will be remembered as the
Democrat who fought so hard In the
house against the passage of the Mills
tariff bill. and who so ably aided the
efforts Of Randall.
You have some idea of the condition
Of the Democratic party in Pennsyl-
vania since the defeat of Cleveland he
was asked
Bigler for Governor.
II don't know IN fact, how to answer
that question. AS the matter stands
now there is no disposition to create any
discord in the party or its organization.
tt seems TO me that everything is unit
in so Ear as the present political situa-
ton is concerned. The present appear
ances are that Mr.. Bigler will be the
nominee for governor without opposi-
tion.u
..Do you think there is any drawing
Of the lines between ex-Congressman
Scott and exsSpeaker Randallf''
mo, sir. There Is no attempt at
that
Col. Scott aud the TariH.
DO you think that Mr.. Scott is salts
fled that the defeat of the tariff bill has
settled that question for some timer
II think Mr.. Scott is not that kind of
q man at all, but will persist in carrying
out his own notions on that subject,
even if the majority was 100, 900 against
him in Pennsylvania rather than 50 900.
l think that il he was the only man in
Pennsylvania that entertained these
views he would still adhere to them"
Have you any idea that Mr.. Scott
will ever attempt to become a header
again, as he was under the Cleveland
administration, when he made the fight
against your"
"Well, that is rather hard question
to answer. can hardly say what he is
inclined TO do. A man may have an in-
clinatiOn to do something that he is un-
able to accomplish"
Scott vs.. sowden.
"He unquestionably made an attempt
to defeat you in your districJ9"
''No, sir; don't think he had any
thing to do with IL. could not be
candidate for denomination under any
circumstances, as the new apportion-
ment made change necessary. There
was a new deal, and Berks county being
by far the largest and having more than
double the votes of Lehigh, we had to
yield the principal candidates to Berks.
The Tarin in the Next Congress.
do you think there will be any early
attempt TO revise the tariff by congress-
WELL that is legacy of the last con-
gress. 1T has been left over and can
not see how they can escape the respon-
sibility of reducing unnecessary taxa
ton in some form. The only matter of
difference Is how TO reduce it. ! believe
with great many others that taxation
should be limited TO the needs of gov
eminent most economically admins
tered, but before reducing the import
duties at the expense of home industries
and the prosperity of the American
working people would reduce largely,
III not entirely repeal, all internal taxa
ton. This was the position of the
Democratic administration and had the
party adhered to its position on this sub
lect Mr.. Cleveland would have had
scarcely any opposition in the last presi-
Dental election and would have been
triumphantly elected and the Fifty first
congress. instead of being Republican,
would have been Democratic.
Losses In the South.
Enough representatives were de-
feated in the state of North Carolina to
change the political complexion of the
Fifty-first congress, saying nothing OF
the losses in Virginia and West Virginia.
The Democratic party had favored the
abolition of all unnecessary Offices and
the dismissal of all unnecessary officers.
We neglected TO carry out our previously
declared policy in that particular, in so
far as we retained the 1000 internal
revenue officers at an expense to the
people. of between five and six million
dollars. and by neglecting TO reduce or
repeal the internal revenue system. We
must support and maintain our custom
houses, and cannot very well do away
vith that system of taxation for the
maintenance and support of the govern
ment. SO it.must ever continue, and IN
this respect the party cannot afford q
new departure. "
nfr.; nsandailss standing.
"Hdw do you think Mr. Randall stands
IN the Democratic party now.n
LAS lie ever did. He is decidedly the
cleartst and ablest MAN ia the public
service of the country today, and in my
opinion, will be the leader Of the Demo
cratic side Of the house, as there is no
man on tl1U floor his equal as parlia-
mentarian. Other and more important
measures viii occupy the attention OF
the next congress, IN which the country
are interested, than the revision of the
tariff The questions affecting the peo-
pie 81 the south more especially viii
come before congress for consideration.
For instance. federal election law, By
which the election of Representatives 70
congress win be governed, and other
measures that may closely concern the
people Of the south. In the event az
such legislation tie southern people
would be most apt to call into reqnisi-
ton the great abilities of Mr.. Randall,
who displayed most extraordinary power