Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1891-01-29
THE fIFTY-FIRST CONGRESS,
The NeWs From the National Capital as it
Efects the interests Of the Vest
ern Farmer.
The Confederation Of Industrial Organiza-
tions Decide against The Third
Party Movement.
The Election Bill Still Monopoiize Time i,
Congyess-The SHver Pooi Lnvesti-
cations Proved a Fraud.
INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS MEET

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.-Speciaz Cor
responde,sse:: The Confederation of In
dustrial Organizations, which is the title
of the convention that has been in session
here for several days, has divided the
political attention fairly with congress, in
fact the proceedings OF the industrial peo-
pie have really been watched with great
deal mole interest than have those of con-
gress for the time being. The conven-
tion adopted series of nine demands
that may play an important part in fut-
ure national political campaigns, of which
the following is a condensed synopsis:
l.. Abolition of national bank notes and
the substitution of sufficient volume of
legal tender treasury notes, which notes
shall, upon demand; be loaned to the peo-
pie upon noa-perishable products and
real estate, at a rete of interest not to ex-
ceed 2 per cent per annum. 2. Free and
unlimited silver coinage. 3. Laws
against railroads and other corporations
owning more land than is actually used
by them. 4. That taxation shall not
be used to build up one interest or class
at the expense of another. 5. That
revenues shall be limited to the necessary
expenses of the government, economical
ly and honestly administered. 6.
A graduated income tax 7. State, and
national control of the means of public
communication and transportation and
if present abuses are not thereby correct
ed, absolute government ownership. s.
The submission of a constitutional amend
ment providing for the election Of
United States senators by direct vote of
the people and for the election of Presi-
dent and vice president by popular vote.
8. That each state provide system that
will insure an honest and accurate re-
gistra ton OF all voters, free, fair, secret
and official ballot, and an honest public
count.
NO THIRD PARTY YET.
The convention elected Benjamin Ter
rell, of Texas, president, and J. w.
Hays, Of Pennsylvania, secretary and
treasurer. Probably the most important
work of the convention has been that
transacted in secret session, but enough
of it has leaked out to warrant the state
ment that no third party movement is
contemplated for the present This year
is to be spent in perfccting the organiza-
ton, so that If neither of the old parties
show disposition to recognize the de-
mands of the confederation it will be bet
ter prepared to play lone hand when the
proper times comes. Some of it's de-
mands are endorsed by both parties, or
rather by large numbers Of the members
OF both parties, and some Of them are op-
posed by the leaders of both parties.
THE ELECTIONS BILL CONTINUES
to monopolize the attention of congress in
both branches, with no immediate pro-
spect of change. The results of the
past week have been, on the whole, favor
able to the republicans; in the senate Mr..
Morton has made rulings which enabled
his party to succeed in taking up Senator
Aldrich's cloture resolution, which must
necessarily be adopted before the cleo
tions bill can be passed. In the house
Speaker Reed has broken down, to GER
tain extent, the democratic policy Of OBJ
struction, and some progress is being
made in the disposition of the regular ap-
preparation bills. But the ultimate fate
of the election bill is still in doubt, and
the action of the Legislatures of a number
Of southern states in declining to provide
for their states taking part in the Worlds
Fair while that measure is pending, may
prove an important factor in the matter.
wEAK-KNEED INVESTIGATION.
Since bringing out the fact that Sena-
tor Cameron was a speculator in silver
bullion, the house committee which is
investigating the charge Of congressional
silver pools, hasn't discovered anything
startling, and it is whispered around the
capitol that il isn't trying as hard as it
might, because of knowledge of the guilt
of certain men high in the counsels of
both parties that has unofficially come to
its members. These things are hard to
believe, but they will be believed unless
the committee adopts more energetic
methods than it has yet done.
PAUL HARPER
THE NATIONAL CITIZENS ALLIANCE.