Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-03

''The cloudczpped towers the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples. the great globe itself.
Yea. AL which it inherit. shall dissolve;
And like the baseless fabric Of vision.
Leave not . rack behi1d"
YNHATS Just about how 1t is with that once
Il mighty organization known to portion of
the human race as the Wage Workers Political
Alliance Of the District of Columbia Many
intelligent people may never have heard of
that formidable aggregation Of toilers, but the
ignorance Of otherwise intelligent beings sub
tracts nothing from the strength of the combi-
nation
wha. is this Wage Workers Political
For what object was it created?
Questions like these have been frequently put
by Congressman and a good many other citi-
zens during the past year. but up to the present
tine no one has vouchsafed a reply that was
really worth repeating. Others beside the
statesman and politicians at the Capitol have
wondered and guessed as to the location of the
source from whence sprang some of the most
extraordinary Legislative suggestions that ever
euanated from the mind of nineteenth
century man. Members of local labor organi-
cations knew nothing of this society which had
apparently been born and achieved maturity In
a night, and the visest among them were at
fault when they guessed a. to the causes which
had produced a something friendly or mimi
cl-they know not
WHEN IT YIRsr APPEARED.
The alliance first made itself known by the
introduction of numerous bills and the pre-
sentstion Of wordy petitions to both houses of
Congress. Prominent statesmen received
ANONYMOUS communications, signed only by
this remarkable body, and most of the bills and
memorials which accompanied these epistles
were introduced Not a few of them, though,
were thrown aside, notwithstanding the fact
that they bore the seal of this great poiitico-
labor engine, by whose mysterious force tine
globe was to be operated in an original
and highly satisfactory manner. That some of
the bills we're introduced is due to the fact that
they were less eccentric than those which found
q resting place in the waste basket. The al
lance was not indiscriminate in its selection of
those who should become sponsors for its chill
dren and as consequence the records show
that Senators Ingalls, and Cockrell have been
worked almost to the exclusion of others, the
exceptions being Senators VOORHEES, and
Blair.
Just when the alliance commenced its task of
vicarious legislation Is not matter of much
moment, but il was early in the first session of
the present Congress To close observer 1t
must have been evident that neither Senators
nor Representatives paid any attention to the
erudition which was being displayed by the ALI
ance and after a while the alliance became
aware Of the sluggish circulation its alleged
ideas were having.
TO EDIT THE PETITION BOX.
That brought forth proposition. which may
be found in Senate bill 4337, introduced by Mr..
voorhees,. The bill authorizes and instructs
the public printer to publish daily (Sun-
DAYS excepted) a periodical which should be
known as The Congressional Petition Box, +"
the same to be for gratuitous distribution to
all applicants. Further provision made
for the creation Of an office
editor Of The Congressional Petition Box
the salary to be four dollars per day. The duty
of the editor would be the arranging. classitica-
ton. condensation and publication of all petit
tiOns. memorials. bills, resolutions and other
respectfully sorded communications which he
might receive from any citizen of this republic
when such petitions, &c, were addressed either
to Congress. to the Supreme Court or the Presi-
dent: provided" says the bill, that said COM
municaIiOns shall clearly show that something
l. wanted by some citizen of this republic and
that the person who wants that some thing can be
found usually at the place stated in the said
communication" All mail matter sent to or
by the editor was to be carried free of postage
An appropriation to sustain the journal was
of course. q necessity. and most folks would be
satisfied To have an appropriation II there was
money In the treasury The alliance, however,
anticipated that defeat which might result from
scarcity of governmental funds. so 1t put in
provision that in case there shall be no money
In said treasury then il shall be the duty of the
Secretary Of the Treasury to cause a sufiiciency
of the deelaratory full legal tender money of
the United States Of America to be prepared on
silk-threaded paper exclusively, in the highest
style of hand-roller plate printing"
Then the alliance became peculiarly philan-
thropic and 1t framed bill in which it was
provided that whenever in a criminal action or
proceedings in the courts of the District any at
torney or counselor should, by order of the
court defend person charged with an offense,
and when that person is destitute of means, the
attorney is to be paid for his services by the
government, the compensation not to exceed
els per day-
COMPREHENSIVE MEASURE.
One Of the most comprehensive measures Of
reform proposed by the alliance was Senate
bill SAIL, introduced by Senator Ingalls, Its
object was the establishment Of a department
of banking. by which the banking business Of
the country was to be done at cost. Loans were
70 be returnable at the pleasure Of the Dor
rover. A secretary of banking is created and
the treasurer of the United States is directed
TO furnish him with funds necessary to carry
out the provisions Of this act. In case there is
no money IN the treasury the Treasury Depart
ment Is directed to issue the amount required.
This money, the bill directed. should range in
twenty-eight denominations, from one mill to
dye thousand dollars, as follows, namely: One
two, three and five mills, one, two, three and
hve cents, one, two. three and five dimes, one
two, three and five dollars one, two three and
i've eagles, one, two. three and five condors or
hundred dollars, and one. two, three and five
talents or thousand dollars, respectively and
be illustrated when practicable with objects
and scenes from nature and without vignettes
Of PER- ons or pictures Of battles
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION
Three months later. the banking scheme not
having been heard from, q bill was introduced
1t the request of the alliance by Senator Ingalls,
II was q sweeping measure and its avowed
object was the establishment of department
Of communication" In the preamble il was
stated that private monopoly of the means of
communication prevented the more rapid diff
fusion Of knowledge amongst mankind and that
the time had come when the people Of this re-
public must own and operate all the means of
communication at cost and in the interest of
the public generally. A secretary Of COM
munication and four assistants are provided for
IL was made the duty of the secretary Of the
department Of communication ito seize con-
denim, appraise, purchase and operate at cost
all telegraph and tele phone systems within the
limits Of this republic, and TO so extend and
perfect the system Of communication that each
house, voting precinct and public park will be
joined as in a whispering gallery, laid beneath
the surface Of the earth"
As In other alliance bills il there is not suf-
fcient money in the treasury to start the
scheme and keep ii going il is provided that
the Secretary OF the Treasury shall have some
money made The existing system Of post
Offices Is 70 be merged into the department of
communication
NO MORE METAL MONEY,
One Of the most important conclusions ever
reached by the alliance was the one which. so