Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-12
The Sockless Statesman ON
the Warpath.
He Arraigns the Actions Of the
Old Parties.
A Halt Called on the Creation of
Sinecures.
Western Democrats VIII Make an Ear
nest Attempt to Repeal the Sugar
Bounty-Other washing
ton News.
Associated Press Dispatches.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE Farmers
Alliance arraigned the Democratic and
Republican parties in the house today
on the charge of extravaganza in public
expenditures, and said the leading par
ties were ignoring the principal legisla-
tion of the session, in order to to pro-
vide lucrative posi- tions for the favored
henchmen of the dominant parties.
Representative Simpson, whose sobri.
quet, s'The Sockless Statesman" has
won him national repute, was the man
to prefer these charges against the DOM
inant parties, and his speech was the
most amusing incident of the day.
The question of expenditures came up
under resolutions reported by the COM
mittee on accounts, to appoint Walter
e. Halleck, an ex-union veteran, to the
position of assistant doorkeeper of the
house.
After two or three Democrats and two
Republicans had favored the resolution,
paying high tribute to Major Halleck,
Fithian OF Illinois took the floor and in
sisted that it was time the Democratic
majority of the house was coming to its
senses. Yesterday it passed resolu-
tion giving two messengers to the
minority of the house. Today another
resolution is proposed for an assistant
doorkeeper, and tomorrow, he supposed,
another resolution would come in giving
some place to some pet of some gentle
man.
Simpson took the floor. He charged
the two leading parties with log-rolling
and dividing additional positions
equally between Democrats and Repub-
licans.
s'It appears" said Mr.. Simpson,
ssthat legislation is lost sight of in this
attempt to inaugurate new system of
reciprocity. Why, Mr.. Speaker, have
a constituent of my own here from
Kansas who has done more for this
country in regard to valuable services
rendered in the war than any man rec
commended to position in this congress.
He actually saved the army of General
Pope from destruction in 1862, and
saved the city of Washington from cap
ture by the rebel army. He was in the
employ of the secret service, and went
through the lines into Richmond and
got intelligence that saved the army of
Pope. Notwithstanding this, l have
been unable to get even messenger 8
position for that man simply because
he did not belong to the party in power
simply because he is neither Democrat
nor Republican. Laughter ]
Yet the great congress of the United
States has been consuming two or three
days together, making positions fol
some men because members on one side
or the other want to get their friends in
office. So you have gone on, until the
whole city of Washington is besieged by
hungry horde of political partisans,
who are anxious to reach down into the
pockets of the taxpayers and take their
money to pay their political followers
and friends for political services" !"
IGreat applause.
Simpsons speech had the effect of
overwhelmingly defeating the resolu-
tion.
The military academy bill consumed
the remainder of the day.
Very few members were present when
the speaker called the house to order.