People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-08-12
Congress and Santa Graz Rum.

Mrs FELTON, il Southern FarR fer August, 1881
The country felt thrill Of disgust
and contempt to-day, when the
newspapers made public the miser-
able conduct of eight recreant Demo
Gratis in the National Congress.
The head lines ran thus: Eight
Democrats sell out for a drink
Santa Cruz Rum the King"
Among the particulars given, |
find the following: "Aen who
would not have sold out for mint
Of money let their votes go for a
Santa Cruz rum punch, embellished
with slice Of pine apple and a
piece of orange. Eight Democrats
sat IN the Congressional Hotel bar,
slipping this summer drink, and were
so well pleased with it that they
were not present to vote on the
Lehlback amendment to the force
bill. Judge the surprise of
the Democrats when Reed announced
the vote 1872 to 1873, the amendment
lost by six majority. The Demo
cratic leaders were dazed, but when
a few moments later the eight Demo
cratic members from the Congress.
ional bar sauntered in leisurely,
whistling in chorus Little Annie
Rooney, the Democratic leaders
were indignant, and they should
have been, will be the verdict Of
every Democrat in America"
The amendment thus defeated by
Santa Cruz rum, was most impor-
tant to the South. The force bill
would have been imperative in a
large degree if the North had been
compelled to take a dose of its own
medicine. The amendment pro-
posed to apply the force bill to every
county of every State in the whole
Union; and its defeat is made more
lntolerable by the fact that Santa
Cruz rum in weak mems brains made
the defeat. There is nothing to hope
for with such legislators and they
seem to be fastened upon the coun-
try forevermore. The crop never
fails. A legislators position is a
very grave and responsible one. He
holds the relation of guardian to all
minors and dependent classes. The
position Of guardian is one which
men hold in highest respect, but a
guardian who betrays his trust is of
all men the most heavily censured !;
and the verdict Is a just one.
In Washington City a Congress-
man is paid nearly $14 per day.
Rain or shine, cold or hot, work or
no work his pay is certain. In addi-
ton to this he gets mileage and $12
of stationery. His advantages in
the way of attentions, favors and
railroad passes are unnumbered.
The Congressional Hotel is close
by, and q stream of men was con-
tinually pouring out and pouring in
ten years ago to got drinks at its bar.
It seems that the bar is still in full
blast. How many men date their
ruin to that hotel eternity alone can
tell :! Surely, surely there is fasci-
nation about wiae in the cup that is
s2tanic-and an allurega; IN : 1,omruoo
BILE only to the charm
over birds
Tna4s think of VIVA. IL 49, t.er
congressman to reach their present
positions I have often watched
the House Of Representatives wher
the seats were full, and wondered il
there was a place on earth in which
was concentrated so much of eager
anxiety-never- ceasing desire and
uneasy restlessness. 1t is a place
where the 'souts" are ever fighting
to get IN and where the ems" are
always in dread of being pushed out
How strange that men who have
risked so much endured so much
and spent 50 much-should sink ii
all in carouse over bottle OF
Santa Cruz rum! Besotted and
maudlin they must have become
when they forgot decency and pro-
priety and ''sauntered in, whistIine
in chorus the song of Little Annie
Rooney"
We have heard so much of Nero's
fddling while Rome was burning
but the old heather was q patriot
compared to those recreant Congress
men who added insult to injury tc
the long. suffering South.
But they will retire to private life
after this term closes. The country
cannot endure them longer than the
expiration of this Congress. The
"outs" now have ''nuts" to crack
and they will crack those addle- pated
members with a vim, who will sing
another tune than Little Annie
Rooney" before the next election
The general disgust that prevails
will certainly be fatal to these Santa
Cruz rum drunkards- and there il
nothing left to them except to TURF
lobbyists or hang about Washington
to pick up crumbs.
But, Oh! the pity Of it!