The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-05-19
FROM WASHINGTON.

A@AAA H. II rum
TEEN RUNNING THE WHOLE COUNTRY
PLANNING AND PLOTTING ALREADY
BEGUN.
Democratic Congressman and their
henchmen and strikers who are going
to come in for "spoils" next year are
feeling mighty good yer the majority
and it's attendant power which they
will have in the House during the next
session of Congress. The feeling so
good and thinking so much of what
they are going to do, that they have
already begun to scheme and plan as
to what their policy shall be when they
shall formally assume the responsible
position of legislators for the nation.
There was a meeting of prominent
Democratic Congressman in Washing
ton last week, (al1 sections of the
country being represented the pur-
pose of which was to outline the best
policy to be observed in the organiza-
ton of the next House for securing
harmony within the "party lines"
POSTPONED TIL LATER.
J.
There was a pretty full discussion
among the fourteen representatives,
who, by some kind of an arrangement,
were representing the whole Demo
cratic element-of the House, and conse-
quently a majority of the people of the
country. After much de Iteration, it
was decided that ony positive action
should be postponed till later in the
year, but the understanding, of course,
is that something must be fixed"
before Congress meets. IT remains to
be seen what this something will be,
but it is pretty certain to be some
scheme by which the promoters hope
to serve party or personal interests
without regard to the interests of the
general public.
THE ALLIANCE SEEMS TO BE BOTHERSOME.
One problem which confronted this
'bigconclave" and of whichthey talked
with very limited success, was the
question as to how the Alliance mem
bers and those elected in the Alliance
platform by Alliance votes should be
" pacified" and fixed" This was
quite a pUzzler. The managers had
nothing to build upon. Some of the
managers had sought and obtained
interviews with certain Alliance Con
gressmen in the city, and made some
of their best efforts to ~cOnciliate the
"hayseeds and draw them out. But
this plan was fruitless. The Alliance
men didn't want to make any deals,
and fatty declined to entertain certain
covert o~vertures and propositions
such as being placed on certain com
mittees or being supported in certain
measures, etc. These propositions were
not made openly and frankly, but
were limited at in the expectation that
the Alliance men would "bite" and
get hooked. But so far, not so much
as an Alliance nibble has been OBJ
tanned.
THE ALLIANCE WANT EVERYTHING IN
SIGHT,"
While the Alliance matter was being
wrestled with, northern member
said: eve cannot offer them any
thing till we know what they want,
but Judging from the past they will
want everything in sight" A south
ern member said: 1--WE are willing to
concede literally to these brethren, but
they must not expect to take control
of the House and run it as an Alliance
legislature"
FOR PARTY OR FOR PEOPLE.
The whole conference showed that
the members were workingfor party
OF for some person. The Alliance men
are pledged to work for the country at
large and for the people. They neither
expect nor desire to run Congress as an
Alliance legislature. If they could
shape the legislation it would be as
beneficial to non-AIliance men as to
| Alliance men. But when and where
do you find partisan Democrats or
Republicans who want to do anything
or will permit anything Gf they can
help it, that will benefit anybody out
side of party lines? And now, which
will this country have? Congressman
that will work for party, OF Congress-
men that>will work for people and for
country.
ABOUT THE sPEAKERsHIP.
The policy of electing a Southern
Speaker for the House was discussed
with some feeling. 1t was found to be
evident that the Northern Democrats
would not permit the election of arank
Southern Democrat to the speakers