Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-02-02
Washington Notes.

| he il in and his failure TO please al Ihe
elements of the by ydra-headed constituency
that nominated and elected him. Congress
man ]. C. Sibley at noon OF last Thursday
sat down at his desk in the house and with
few strokes Of the pen cut the knot that
bound him. 1t was his formal letter OF
resignation rendered to Gov. Pattison. As
soon as he had mailed this epistle Mr.
Sibley sent kilograms to the chairman OF
the Democratic committees in Erie and
Crawford counties, notifying them of his
action and that his resignation would take
effect February 18th, or sooner, if his sue
cessor were ready to take the seat.
| When seen later Mr.. Sibley frankly stat
ed what he had done and continued.
'.There is not much pleasure trying to rep
resent Pennsylvania district in the house
where free trade runs rampant. have
tried to represent the interests OF my dis
trict to the best Of my ability. but in so
doing l cannot support the Wilson bill,
perfected as it has been by the Tree traders.
1t it is enacted into a law IL will affect IN
iuriously not only the workingmen in my
| district, but the farmers as well.
| s'I have been criticized for the stand have
taken, and it las even been intimated that
| further political honors was my incentive
| rather than to do what is right. Therefore
/ have resigned, and my constituents per-
haps will select man whose course will be
satisfactory. can truly say that L am
glad to get out of the Office. | will be a
years old next month, and during that pc
riod have managed to retain my self re-
spect. How much longer l could so and
| and retain the Office is doubtful"
The action OF the Democratic caucus
Thursday night in deciding TO attach the
| income tax bill to the Wilson bill by vote
of so to II, added a very interesting fea-
ture to the situation. The Democratic op-
position to the Wilson bill reached its high
est pitch, and the caucus that night was
perhaps the liveliest the party ever held.
When the anti-income tax people saw that
they were going to be doomed, they began
under the leadership of Bourke Cock
ran to endeavor to raise such disturbance
as would prevent the transaction OF busi-
ness. 1t seemed, at times, as though
members would do personal violence TO
each other Mr.. Hatch, Of Missouri, shook
his fist under Mr.. Cockran's nose, and
| fight appeared imminent.
Western Pennsylvania furnished two OF
the speakers at Friday nights session OF
the house for general debate, and the cause
of protection was stoutly upheld by both.
The were Messrs. Heiner and Phillips.
As it was the maiden speech Of each in the
house, most of the members of the Penn
sylvania delegation were present to hear
them.
Mr.. Phillips devoted himself to points
that had been touched upon very little by
the speakers who preceded him. At the
outset he said that if free trade was
based upon moral grounds protection was
more SO. Self-defense was the first law OF
nature and protection was the self-defense
of the American workingman against for
eign competition. Each man should de-
tend mis- own castle, and so should Ameri-
ca, the castle of the free, be defended.
Turning to the action of the committee
in placing petroleum upon the free list he
denounced it vigorously. He called atten-
tion to the fact that although oil was spok-
en- of as far back as the time OF Job it had
remained for this country to discover how
to bring it from the earth an0 refine it, and
that to the inventions of American me-
chanics were due the modern tools now in
use. Although other countries had copieG
our discoveries and inventions Mr.. Phillips
contended that congress ought not now to
permit them to also steal the markets OF
the American oil producers.
He dwelt at length upon the many per-
sons who received employment by the
growth OF this industry in the United
States, and he then charged that tank
steamers were now being constructed to
bring foreign petroleum to this country
aud that syndicate had already been
formed in New York with ex-MayOr Grace
at its head with anticipation of petroleum
being placed upon the free list. This COM
pany would bring Peruvian petroleum to
the Pacific coast and undersell the Ameri-
producer owing to tie high rates on the
railroads.
On the subject of tin plate Mr.. Phillips
called especial attention to the guarantee
in the Mckinley bill which induced 81
many men to invest their capital in this
industry. This, he claimed, was nothing
more than a contract between the United
States and these men and justice demand
cd that the contract be kept inviolate. Al
luding to the eagerness of the Democrats
To reduce this duty, he said that if this
were a contract between nations war would
follow such an action as is provided by the
Wilson bill.
Regarding wool he asserted the depres-
sion in prices already had resulted in
great slaughter of sheep for mutton and
free wool would bring the rest TO the
slaughter house in a few years. Then
America would be at the mercy of foreigners
who would form monopolies and exact any
price they desired.
In conclusion Mr.. Phillips predicted thar
the answer of the people to the Wilson
bill would be to restore the Republicans to
control of both houses of congress and the
presidency; and that the universal suffer
ing and distress now existing would be fol-
lowed by prosperity similar to that under
the last Republican administration. But
with the return of the Republicans Mr..
Phillips believed non-partisan tariff COM
mission should be authorized, and thus do
away with tariff tinkering by either party.
On Sunday Congressman Sibley returned
from visit TO Harrisburg. where he went
at the invitation of Gov. Pattison, who de-
81 red TO consult with him relative to Mr.
Sibley's resignation. When seen at his
residence and asked about the result OF
the consultation Mr.. Sibley said:
Gov Pattison treated me kindly and
cordially. He said he had received mum
erons letters and kilograms from my dis
trict and other parts OF the state urging him
not only to not accept my resignation, but
to prevail upon me to withdraw it. | told
him that when / wrote that letter it was
with the honest intention of resigning
what seemed to me a thankless task, and
that as vet saw no good reason for with
drawing it, although l had been told it
was my duty to finish out my term at
least.
The governor indorsed this later view
After some further conversation / agreed
to take the matter of Withdrawing my
resignation under consideration. l told