Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-02-13
Has the Plot Failed.

'P'hahc NHiohi'iN'
The election of Cleveland in 1884
convinced the bourbon Republican
leaders that it was no longer safe to
trust the people unsupervised and un-
controlled at the ballot box. The elec-
ton in 1888, having resulted, by
fraud or otherwise, in the choice of u
Republican administration and Con-
gress, the scheme to secure permanent
control of the government became
the one object of the Republican lead
ers.
To this end the rules of the house
were changed so that the House was
no longer Il deliberativc body, but alb
solutely under the control of the
Speaker, whose power, under the rules
was absolute to pass or defeat any
measure that came before. Demo
Gratis were unseated with a reckless
disregard of the results of elections,
until the Republican majority was con-
sidcred sufficiently large for political
purposes.
Then came the tariff legislation, by
which the people are robbed by n war
tariff for the benefit of the party, and
the silver legislation, by which those
who speculate upon the necessities Of
the people were bond to the Repub-
lican leaders by monetary interest,
and the force bill, to place future elec-
ton in the control of the leaders OF
the party.
These constitute the three principal
measures OF the administration, and
have consumed ten Of the twelve
months that this Republican Congress
has been in session. Two Of these
measures, the silver bill and the Nc
Kiniey :arif, have been enacted into
laws. The force bill still hangs fire in
the Senate.
The hearts OF the Republican leaders
were set ON securing control OF future
elections. The administration OF Ben
jamin Harrison has persistently re-
fused to consider any proposition that
looked to the defeat of the force bill,
and has refused to listen to the pro-
tests of the people, to the warnings OF
Western Republicans, and closed their
ears to the thunders of the November
election, that reduced their party from
majority in the fifty-first Congress,
to the smallest minority that any
party ever had in any house of repre-
sentatives, in the fifty-second Con.
gress.
They would hear nothing, heed
nothing The bill was to be rammed
down the throats of the protesting
people. Having discovered that ono
OF Pennsylvania Senators would not
help along the measure, President
Harrison turned the whole power of
his administrative influence toward
defeating and crushing the disobedient
Republican.
Backed by the Philadelphia Press,
the executive put forth his utmost ef-
forts to defeat the reelection of Sena-
tor Comar,n II uoa -, ,,:,~ ~,
result of the election was a slap in the
Presidents face. Even this had no
effect. The measure was still pressed
with all the power of the Harrison ad.
minlstration, until several other dis
gusted Republican Senators ioined
Cameron in a revolt that again buried
it in the rubbish of the Senate. But
Harrison was still able to wreak his
personal vengeance as he did on two
Of Pennsylania's State Senators
Messrs. Wood and Williamson. who
called on their President ut the white
house.
The story is told in the Philadelphia
Press, on the authority of staff cor.
respondent, at Harrisburg, as follows
cam l to understand, gentlemen"
asked the President, "that Pennsvl.
vania is still Republican Stateg"
And then, before they could offer any
explanation or condone the disgrace