The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-10-02
BUYING II PRESS.

action the House will take on the sugar
schedule recently adopted by the SEN
ate. The expression of sentiment by
members when the tariff bill was passed
early in February was utterly at Varl-
ance with certain provisions which
have since been added, chief among
them being those relating to sugar.
What line of policy would be selected
10 secure concurrence in the House has
aroused general curiosity.
The plan Of campaign has now be-
come apparent. The matter will not
be left for a calm and impartial con-
eideration in the House. The sugar
trust will take no chances of losing
everything because of inactivity. 1t
has been decided to at once begin the
systematic work of changing the opln-
ions of members so they will cast their
votes for that which they formerly OPP
posed.
The plan of campaign to be adopted
by the sugar trust, is to use money lib
orally in substituting those strong party
organs which have large influence, but
are hampered for want of funds. Many
editors and proprietors representing
this class of newspapers have recently
been in Washington and had long CON
situations with those authorized to
speak and act for the trust. A much
larger number of those connected with
influential journals have given this city
q wide berth, and have gone directly
TO New York, where they have met Mr..
Havemeyer and held sundry secret
meetings in various secluded localities.
Upon their return home those who
have come to Washington and those
who made the trip to New York, care
fully avoiding the Federal city have in
each and every instance changed the
policy of the papers they own Dr. con
troll.
Journals which have heretofore bit
terly denounced the sugar trust and
strenuously opposed the schedule as
adopted by the Senate, now make a
diametrical flop and favor this line of
action as necessary for the raising of
revenue. They make plausible excuses
upon every line Of objection and fall
back upon the one proposition of its be
ing of utility in increasing the govern
ment's receipts, and that the whole
affair is the most happy compromise
which could have been arranged. The
object in having these party organs ex-
press such sentiments, of course, is to
bring local influence to bear uponmem
bers of the House.
Tt is rather astonishing and somewhat
embarrassing for members who have
fondly imagined that they we're repre-
senting the wishes of their constituents
10 find at the eleventh hour that their
whole line of action has been an error.
This fact they now learn for the first
time from their party papers at home,
In every issus they see the argument
set forth that the schedule as adopted
by the Senate is an absolute necessity
for the raising of revenue and that any
contrary action in the House would
meet with condemnation by the people
at home.
A large proportion of the members
are utterly dumbfounded by this ap-
parent change in the situation. They
have conscientiously carried out the
wishes of their constituents, as they I'm
derstood them, and are now confronted
by an entirely opposite system of doc
trines as indicated by the public press.
Many of these members in conversa-
ton have strongly expressed their dis
gust, and some of them have declared
their intention of carrying the matter
to the court of last resort. They swear
that they will at once retire to their
districts, lay the whole matter before
their constituents from the stump, an
nounce their withdrawal from allegi.
ance to the administration, assert their
unalterable opposition to the Senate
sugar schedule, and ask thepeople to
ratify their action at the polls. Such
a course, if followed by any consider,
able number of members, would delay
action upon the tariff bill until after
the fall elections.
In the meantime those party organs,
which are alleged to have been con
verted from the error of their way
after interviews between their editors
and p~roprietors and Mr.. Havemeyel
and other agents of the trust, keep peg
ging away declaring that the Senate
schedule is mot only highly satisfactory
but an absolute necessity from a reve
nue. point of view, and that members
from the respective districts must in