The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-09-12
A Movement for Better Measures
and Better Men.

|
There are many political signs indicating
Enthusiastically that the farmers are being
heard. One Of these signs was projected on
the blackbcard-so to speak-of the U. S.
Senate on Friday last, by Davis amend
ment 10 place binding Irvine on the free list,
when the tariff bill was under consideration
by paragraphs. The amendment was agreed
to by a vote of ayes 80, nays IS. The neg
alive votes were given by Messrs. Aldrich,
Blodgett, Cameron, Chandler, Dawes,
Edmunds, Evarts. Frye, Hawley, Higgins,
Hiscock. Hoar, Plat, Quay, Sherman,
Stewart, Stockbrdge and Wolcolt.
1t is a fact worthy of notice that the vote
to sustain the infamous binding Irvine trust
against the farmers was almost confined to
the Eastern States. This is iably so
when the interest of any monopoly is in
jeapordy. This class of members in both
houses rally to their support and resist to
their uttermost every attempt to loose the
hold of monopoly on the throats of the peo-
pie. Edmunds, Dawes, Chandler, Sher-
man, Hoar and their following appear to be
little else than the congressional attorneys
for monopoly.
This binding Irvine trust is one of the
most audacious robbers that ever attacked
the farmers but they succeeded in downing
| it by rapid and determined combination
| against the Irvine trust which had attacked
them in their wheat fields. Thousands of
| farmers resolved 10 cut and stack their grain
loose and refuse to use Irvine at all. This
| broke the trust which had made its arrange
ments to put the price of binding Irvine up
to 25 cents pound, but when the farmers
put themselves in battle array against the
robber the price dropped to II! and IA cents
pound. Repulsed in this attempt the
purpose Of this cordage trust Was not des-
paired of and we find their attorneys in the
Senate endeayoring to keep out binding
wine made in other countries if this home
concern cannot force farmers to buy at
prices they choose to fix, after having
bought up all the unused Irvine on the mar
ket and cornered the fibre.
The chief signinlicence Of this vote is,
that 1t demonstrates the power that is being
eyerted by the farmer and labor associations
in the West and South over the members
who owe their places in Congress to the
votes of members of these organizations
While from the Eastern States we fed lot
of paid attorneys of the monopolies sitting
in Congress with apparently no other pur-
pose than to watch over the interest of their
clients. This feature of our congressional
makeup was conspicuously apparent during
that period the silver bill was being debat-
ed and when the vote on the bill in its
varying phases was called. These great
political leaders from the East who hare
been looked up 10 as the lights of the re-
publican party, its chief priests and law
givers, fought "too;h and nail" against the
popular demand for the reconciliation of
silver, and in the interest of the gold ring
money monopoly. The gathering strength
of the popular movement showed its weight
in the damaging repulse, in the passage of
the silver bill, given the money monopoly,
which was strongly entrenched behind laws
on the statute books, with active supporters
in the Secretay of the Treasury and the
White House. the latter for time threat
ened to veto any measure not approved by
the gold ring and banker class.
The debates in Congress during the pres
ent session have been watched and weighed
by the industrial class with a discrimnat-
ing care and scrutiny never before exercised
by that class in the study of economic qnes-
lions; and the lines that have heretofore
been unobserved by the masses which have
been drawn between them and the favored
classes, are being located and staked out by
intelligent, honest leaders, with the care
and precision of civil engineers. On these
lines the parties of the future are forming as
fast as they can be enrolled.
The class of men who have worked their
way into Congress and legislative halls,
Tor Lem placed there for purpose). within
the last decade especially, have been little
else than political Adventures or cipher,
whose chief aim after the lobby had used
hem, has been 10 contr, cetrain appor ton
ment of official patronage which las been |
dispensed to party dead beats aud per-
sonal friends, while they have played the
role of lion at primaries and conventions.
Congress has been public scandal during
the last two Or threa Uaekc mora on thon
formerly. Fist fights have beer in progress
on the floor of the House, and threats to
thrash one another has characterized the |
committee rooms. Cannon capped the eli
max in the House by using language so
obscene that the ladies stopped their ears