The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-12-22
MKENzE's WASHINGTON LETTER,

Tongues of Democratic Congressman
Rival Tom Reeds In Playing the Presi-
dent-His Message Didn't suit-Minne-
sofas Delegation.
WASHINGTON, Dec. II.
The congressional contingent of the
Democratic party seem to be gifted with
. tongue almost as gifted as Thomas
Reeds in faying Grover Cleveland.
They are very much dissatisfied with
the presidents message, but only few
of them have the manhood to come out
openly and say what they think. l
took a tour this morning incognito
around the lobbies of the house of rep
resentatives and found little knots of
Southern Democrats engaged in roast
ing the illogical successor of Andrew
Jackson"
One Kentuckian said to two
other Democrats standing with him
just before the house was called
to order: 81 am very much down
hearted over the outlook for
the Democratic party. Cleveland does
not seem to care continental for that
party. The idea of putting niger
queen on the throne to rule over white
people, and they of our own flesh and
blood, in the face of all American pre-
cedents against it. l cannot understand
the animus of the thing. The man must
be trying to wreck the party. 1t is go
ing to result in the placing of majority
of Republicans in congress next year
and the result will be that the Demo
cratic policy of administration will get
numerically overhauled. Take it in
my own district, for instance. l am
going to get defeated in my own dis
trict in spite of everything that l can do.
Ny only hope is to get up on the floor of
the house and roast Cleveland and re-
pudiate his policy. l will have to fol-
low this up by the same tactics in my
campaign through my district or there
will not be ghost of show for me-"
~
These complaints are not limited to
two or three members in the house, but
they are quite general with regard to
the message. Democratic members of
the senate are very much Disguised over
the Hawaiian matter, over the report of
the president of the workings of the
committee on ways and means even
before the members of the committee
themselves knew it, over his failure to
mention the repeal of the state bank
issue tax, and over the general tone of
his words, which indicate that he ex-
poets congress to do just about as he
says that they shall do.
~
The Minnesota delegation to congress
are now here again at their desks with
the exception of Mr.. Tawney of Winona,
who has been detained for few days
by an important lawsuit in his district.
1t is perhaps needless to say that the
delegation stands well up with that of
any state in the Union, especially if the
Republican portion of it only is con-
sidered.
The senior member is of course Sena-
tor G. K. Davis of st. Paul. who bears
the reputation of being one of the most
scholarly and literary inclined men in
the senate, which contains men like
Henry Cabot Lodge, Morgan of Ala
bama, Gray of Delaware, Sherman of
Ohio, and others who have spent many
years of their lives in public and
literary life. Davis is not society
man, but his knowledge of the foreign
relations of this government and of the
history of America and of the world is
something beyond the comprehension of
those who have not talked with him on
various public questions of the time
when he was at his ease over a cigar
after the legislative cares of the day
were safely out of the way. Senator
Davis was not active in discussion on
the floor of the senate during the extra
ordinary session with the exception of a
mastery argument made a short time
before the close against the act limiting
the liberties of the Chinese in this coun-
try to an unconstitutional degree. Davis
speeches are always listened to with at
tention in the senate, and this one was
received with marked approval on the
part of just-minded men and those who
take an interest in good argument, no
matter what may be their own judg-
ments on the premises.
M
w. D. Washburn, the Junior senator
from Minnesota, took firm stand in the
beginning of the extraordinary session
in favor of the repeal of the purchasing
clause of the Sherman act and it seems
to be his intention to take a prominent
part in all legislation during the present
session. He has been extremely FORUM
ate in securing places on prominent
committees under Democratic regime.
He is on the committees of agriculture,
civil service and retrenchment, COM
merce, education and labor, on improve
ment OF Mississippi river and tribu-
taries, postoffices and post roads and the
select committee to establish the univer-
sity of the United States. This shows
that the junior senator has been well
remembered by the Democrats, prob
ably In remembrance of his stand upon
the force bill Senator Washburn is
not an orator like Davis, but he is q
hard worker and somewhat of fighter,