The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-26
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.)
WASHINGTON, April %, 1894.

w WASHINGTON, April rs, 1894.
The free traders in the Senate
have become so discouraged because
of the revolt in their own party, the |
broadsides poured into them by
the Republicans during the general
debate on the tariff bill, which is to
close tomorrow, and the unmistak-
able trend of public sentiment
against the present bill, that they
have opened negotiations with the re-
voting Democratic Senators which,
1t is believed, Will end in their COM
plete and abject surrender. Repub-
licans have not, of course, been
made acquainted with the exact ma
ture of these negotiations, but
enough has leaked out to cause
many to believe that the income tax
is to be dropped and the present
tariff bill practically abandoned
something like the old Mills bill be-
ing substituted therefor.
The impression left by the repre-
sentatiyes of the National Working
mems Protective Tariff League
more than one thousand in number
who met in convention here Sat
urday, has been decidedly good.
The Democrats of the Senate Fin
ance Committee refused TO hear
their personal protests against the
tariff bill, but they were compelled
to hear them read on the floor of
the Senate by Senator Quay, and
the members of the League occu-
pied the galleries of the Senate as
pleased listeners. These men and
women did not come here to attempt
to coerce Congress by threatening
to remain in Washington until
some absurd demands were compli-
ed with, as CoXey's army proposes
to do, but merely in the exercise of
their rights as American citizens to
protest against being deprived of
their bread and butter By vicious
legislation; and having filed their
protest they quietly returned to
their homes. They neither walked
nor came on free railroad transpor-
tation, but on tickets purchased
with the money of the laborers they
came 10 represent. Nor did they
ask donations Of food; they paid for
everything they got, as self-respect-
ing people usually do. Washington
people will be glad to see them
again under happier circumstances
These are times when nothing
but plain talk will fill the bill. and
Senator Hawley thought one of
these times was at hand when he re-
piled to the extraordinary speech of
Senator Allen, of Nebraska, in fav-
or Of the PETER resolution, which
provides for the formation of a new
Senate committee to hear the petit
lions Of Coxey's army and similar
organizations. Senator Hawley
paid particular attention to Mr..
Aliens denunciatIon of the laws
which prohibit parades in Washing
ton without permission of the au-
thorities, and the marching of any
organized body of men across any
portion of the Capitol grounds,
laws which Mr.. Hawley declared to
be right and proper and said would
be enforced to the letter. But the
most striking part of Mr.. Hawley's
speech was the conclusion in these
words, calmly and deliberately ut
tered: 81 am sorry to say, but |
feel bound to say, that the speech
of the Senator from Nebraska was
one that would have been received
with tumultuous applause IN a meet
ing of anarchists. 1t had in it, not
microscope, but visible
to the naked eye, the bacteria and
oacili of anarchy" Rough, but de-
served.
The Populists in Congress, while
pretending to be opposed to the alb
surd ida which is causing so many
Ill-duN lSCu ueu 10 move TOWARD
Washington are i'll reality doing
everything in their power to encour-
age the movement, Representative
Boen, of Minnesota, has introduced |
a resolution in the House directing
the Secretary of War to furnish
grounds and tents for all
bodies of "laboring peo-
pie" who may come to Washington |
to obtain "redress from Congress"
The adoption of resolution like
that would invite every tramp in
the country to spend the summer
encamped in the suburbs of Wash
lngton, and that the result of bring |
ing such an enormous body of men
together, whose respect for law and |
order are not their most striking
traits, would be no man can tell. 1t
would certainly be nothing good. |
But there isn't even a possibility |
that Mr.. Boen's resolution will get |
even a score Of votes in the House,
If it ever comes to a vote at all. |