Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-08
NOTES FROM WASHINGTON,
Gossip About Legislation at the
National Capitol.
Opposition to the Force Bill is
Crystallizing.
Bill Go Amend the Tariff IN Favor
of the Poor-Attitude of Legis-
lators Towards the
Force Bill.
Ono,,o, correscopdence to the HpRA1nl


WASHINGTON, July S1.-Any expecta-
tion of an adjournment OF congress by
Saturday was abandoned on Wednesday.
when the senate amendments to the
sundry civil bill were concurred in by
the house, and the opponents of the
So, 100000 to the Chicago fair began to
filibuster against the whole bill as thus
amended. As the Republicans filibus-
tered on Monday against the Raum reso-
luton, most of the week was consumed
in this way. The senate, being we'll up
with it's business, devoted most of the
week to debate. A number of minor
bills, to which there was no objection.
managed to slip through the legislative
mill, when it reyolved at all.
Hon. George w. Cooper of Indiana, in
the house, Friday, July 9Th, advocated
bill to amend the tariff law, 30 as to
limit to $100 the amount of personal
effects to be admitted free with each
person, and incidentally scored some
strong points against some glaring dis
elimination OF the Mckinley act (like
all Republican made tariffs, in favor of
the rich against the poor. The bill he
advocated has been passed to the senate,
where it has worried the plutocrats and
friends of wealth.
Senator Sherman has introduced
bill to provide for an international arbi-
tration tribunal to abolish war, The
senator had best cudgel his brains over
the problem of undoing legislation that
precipitates wars between American
workingmen and the protected monopo-
list who imports Huns to fill their places.
President Harrison last week vetoed
bill giving sturdy Bill McGarrahan the
right which belongs to every citizen, to
go into court and test his claim and title
to valuable properties of which he had
been deprived by rich and popular cor
porations. The reasons given in his
message for this exercise of the one man
power would not, from legal point
of view do credit even to the present at
torney general, but this is campaign
year; a big corruption fund is needed
and needed badly; the corporation in
terested q full of ofquicksilyer and s'fat."
Steve Elkins is in the Cabinet and wants
Secretary Tracy's portfolio, and against
all this, one mans rights and a long,
brave, patient contest were not to be
considered for moment by the Indiana
politician in the white house.
So far republican speakers have given
the force bills issue, distinctly made by
the Minneapolis convention, a very wide
birth. Though the most popular issue
with President Harrison and his office
holding and Office seeking army, the
force bill does not seem to take well
with conservative Republicans, nor that
class ofindependent thinkers who have
heretofore cast their dot with the Re-
publican party on dead war issues, and
the living tariff question.
The Philadelphia Ledger, sn indepen-
dent Republican paper, sounds the
alarm. Opposition to the so-called
force bill," says that influential journal,
sis not a partisan question; it is a pa
triotic duty in which Republicans as
we'll as Democrats participate. Little
more than that may be said of it, as to
to assume that the American people
have neither public virtue nor lust ap.
probation of their liberty"
This is well. But unfortunately for
the country the Republican party de-
sires Republican success rather than
patriotism, and only by securing the
machinery of the peoples election can
it hope to perpetuate it's power. 1t is
patriotic duty to leave the people the
management of their own affairs. But
Mr.. Harrison, backed by the vote of the
majority of the billion dollar congress
and by the unanimous voice of the Re-
publican national convention, has de-
clared against home rule, and in favor Of
governing the country from the white
house, by swarm of camp followers, to
be paid for party work out of the taxes
wrung from the people.
Every Democrat would like to see the
day when the force bill and all other
sectional questions shall be laid at rest
forever. That day will not come, how
ever, until the government is once more
Democratic in all its branches and. a
new era of peace and prosperity shall
arise in consequence.
One of the numerous broken pledges
chargeabfe to the Republicans, was the
law making eight hours a days labor in
all public works. This law was passed
as early as 1858. but through success
full begging of the government con-
tractors, the law was violated and
treated as dead letter through each
successive Republican administration
down to the present time.
1t is not now proposed to argue the
question upon its merits. Several states
have passed laws regulating the hours
of labor. and it is said, with most ex-
cellent results. 1t is desired now to call
attention to the fact that the Republi-
cans made the promise and passed law
that was imperative, and that the DEM
cratic house of the present congress has
passed law which will make it penal
ofense for any government official or
contractor to infringe it. The Republi-
can party promises labor whatever it
asks, and then legislates in favor OF cap
ital and against labor.