Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-04-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON. April 10Th. 1891

forget to impress the principles of
the Farmers Alliance upon every op-
opportunity He made a speech at a
largely attended meeting of the Fed
Grafton of Labor this week, that has
attracted wide attention. He took
up the immigration questions very
live one just now-from the pass
age of the notirous contract-labor law
in 1864, of which he SAID: 'sMany a
time have wondered how the hand
of honest old Abe Lincoln must have
shaken when he signed it." This law
he argued was the natural sequel of
the granting of 100000 acres o
public lands to railroads in 1862 and
60 and was passed to enable their
agents to bring over under contract
cheap European laborers to do
their work. As direct result of agi-
tation in 1882 the first anti-alien
Contract law was passed, another in
1885, and still another at the last ses-
sion of Congress. He then gave his
hearers some pointers about pushing
the educational work in and out of
season, and supporting men from
their own ranks.
Speaking of an interview Ii which
Senator Edmunds characterized the
Farmers Alliance movement as a
fever, Mr.. PETER said: E'Some peo-
ple-fossils, I was going to say
are inclined to belittle these things.
I notice that DIR. George F. Edmunds
said it was nothing but a fever, and
that the public were afflicted periodi-
cally in this way. But the people
will not listen to these ancient physI-
clans, will not heed antediluvian rem
ides." Concluding he said: Il want to
identify myself with you. I want You,
the laboring men and woman of the
country, to understand that you have
at least one friend in the Senate of
the United States, one who will not
be ashamed or afraid to present
whatever you wish to that dignifed
body"
Another distinguished Alliance
man, Col L. L. Polk, president of
the National Trainers Alliance and
Industrial Union, made his first bow
before a Washington audience last
night at a public meeting held by
Local branch No. 4, National Citizens
Alliance. He made a good impress
slon, and it is said some converts by
his able presentation of the princi-
pels Of his organization
The centennial of the American Pat
ent system is being celebrated here
this week, and the town is full of
the men who have made fortunes out
of their own or somebodyelse's inven-
tions, to say nothing of the news pa
per inventors whom we have with us
always. The Patent Office is beauti-
fully decorated inside in honor of the
occasion, and in the lecture hall of
the National Museum is an exhibit
ion of many interesting things, in
Guiding the identical printing press at
which Benjamin Franklin worked IN
London. This morning the visiting
inventors were taken to Mount 'Vsr-
non and allowed to pay devotion to
the tomb of Washington, and their
spare cash for souvenirs sold on the
grounds, and this afternoon the Gel
ebration is to close with a military
review. It has been very pleasant
affair to those on the inside, SO to
speak, but as tickets were required
for everything the people were really
not ''in it."
Baron Fava, the italian minister,
has gone home, and the public lost
interest in the cause of his going as
soon as it was certain that a peaceful
settlement would eventually be reach
ed. MIR. Blaine's answer to the last
dispatch from the italian govern
ment was read to the cabinet, approx
ed and sent of by mail this week. 1t
will not be made public at this time.
Ex-RepresentatiYe Grouse of Neb-
raska, has been appointed Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury at the re-
quest of Secretary Foster, with
whom he served in the House of Rep
resentatives some years ago.
Gen Benz. F. Butler was made
happy this week by the receipt of
$4,000 of Government money in
payment for the white elephant he
has had on his hands ever since he
built the big stone house just oppos-
tie the Capitol building which, the
last Congress very kindly passed a
bill to purchase for its own use at the
price named.
Uncle Jerry Rusk having sue
ceeded in getting Germany to agree
to lift It's embargo on American
meats, has now turned all of his heavy
guns on France and he hopes to be
equally successful with that country.
It is believed here that Canadian
reciprocity is completely done for
as far as the present administration
is concerned and that no notice viii
ever be sent to the Canadian govern
nent that Mr.. Harrison is ready to