The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-25
IF 1t is to Sweep Down On
Modern Babylon,
THE CITY is VERY GAY
And Plenty of Vo1uptuousness
Will be Found.

ocean, = ana many a dIsgruntled democrat
seized the first opportunity in debate on
the appropriation bills to relieve his trOu-
bled mind. After the appropriations the
most interesting subjects have been the
vacancy in the senate committee on fin
ance caused by the death of Senator Vance,
the extra thrusts at England in the amend
ments to the Wilson bill offered by Mr..
Chandler and others, the canvass of the
house by Mr.. Swanson on the bill to
peal the tax state banks, Mr. Hoar's
antilottery ticket bill, the pending Chi
nese treaty and the oft mentioned bills of
Messrs. Hatch, Cooper, Meyer, Mccain
and others in aid of the farmer, for the
taxation of greenbacks, for coming the
seigniorage and for the relief of labor. AL
though great leeway is promised in the dis
cussion OF all these and many other meas
ures, there is now great hope in the minds
of the majority that they will yet get away
from here before July, a hope greatly slim
ulated by the resolve of the senate to pro-
coed to consideration of the Wilson bill by
paragraphs, thus ending general debate.
The Chinese Treaty.
Owing to the absence of Senator Nor
gan, consideration of the Chinese treaty
has been put off to May or later and
it is matter of some surprise that there is
a rising opposition to the treaty. Protests
against it have been coming in in consider
able numbers, and the action of the senate
in deciding that these protests should be
received in open instead of executive ses-
sion is one of the surest signs that senators
are greatly Influenced by the appeals sent
to them and want to be cautious and have
everything open TO public inspection. 1t
would perhaps be going too far to say that
the fact of the treaty's being generally APP
proved on the Pacific coast ezcites suspi-
cion in the Atlantic states that there is
something wrong about it, but it is certain
that most of the protests have come from
the east.
To say that the anti Chinese feeling in
this congress is rather stronger than in any
previous one really expresses but half the
truth. There is a strong feeling against
immigration from eastern and southern
Europe as well, and some members say
they would be willing to stop all immigra-
ton for few years on general principles.
This feeling is not confined to any one sec
ton, but men of the west are more out
spoken and declare that if, as now seems
likely, we are 10 have a season of strikes
and labor riots with marching indus
trials, Coxeys, Kellys and Fryes it
will be taken as conclusive proof that inn
migration has been excessive and must be
stopped for awhile.
Afraid OF Coxey's Army.
AS Coxey's army moved slowly down
upon US from the Piedmont region it be-
came the great topic. Ministers preached
about it, agitators harangued, all the halls
where labor organizations congregate be-
came unusually lively, and congressman
laughed or looked serious, according to
their several views. The first official an
nouncement was that the police and Dis
trict militia would have about 400 va
grants to deal with, the next day the num-
Der was put at a thousand, day or two
later at 5000, and finally the few journal
lists who left Coxey to get here in advance
gave it as their view that the united
armies from all directions would reach TO-
600. 1t is charitabIy supposed that they
only meant to scare congress a little and
have fun with the District government.
1t is not fear of riot that troubles the resi-
dents so much as dislike to turn their
houses into tramp hotels with the chance of
being eaten out of house and home. On
one point congressman generally agree
that the movement of such bodies is a grave
symptom of a deep seated social disease,
but as to whatthe disease is and how it is
to be cured they differ woefully.
Socially the city seems as gay as if there
were no such things as care and poverty in
the world. The descriptive list of semi
political functions, entertainments by CAB
met ladies and others, hora1 festivals,
church fairs, tableaux and the like fills
several columns in a Sunday paper, and
the reports of those just passed are really
brilliant in their mention of silks, dia-
monds and bouquets. All the theaters are
remarkably well patronized, and the most
casual observer cannot fail to notice that
the saloons are doing a rushing business,
above the average for this season If the
Goths and Vandals, the Franks and the
Alemann1 and the resi- really COM
ing down upon 1.-THE wicked, voluptuous
city, they will find it in truly voluptuous
condition.
Bumptious Breckinridge.
Another subject for general remark is
the very unusual course of events cOnSe-
quent ON the Pollard Breckenridge trial.
Both the principals are more in discussion
than they were during the trial, and the
strangest fact of all is that the relative con-
dition in which the trial left them has been
greatly intensified. If the reaction which
Colonel Breckinridge's friends predict is to
come at ALL it is far in the future, for down
to the present the current has run heavily
the other way The conduct of Miss Pol
lard receives universal commentator. Re /
fusing all offers of places where she might
earn large sums by reason of her notoriety,
she has preserved modest and quiet de
meanor, which has convinced many who
doubted of the truth of her story. Her re-
fusal to enter public career and deter
mination to live as quietly and privately as
possible, and especially her temperate Ian
guage in referring to the case, when forced
to refer to it at ALL have won her hosts of
friends. OF the defendants temperance
in the house and his attempt TO carry it off
in his usual debonair manner 1T is only
NECESSARY to say that it was far from a
success
Some of the lawyers, too, have suffered.
When Colonel Phil Thompson concluded
his speech, the critics contented themselves
with speaking of it as supplemental
splurge, y but when they came to review
his remarks about chastity in men general
~ and his attack upon lady physicians
they used much harsher terms Nor has
the genial Major Butterworth entirely es-