Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-04-27
From our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, April 20, 1894.

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cans during the general debate ON III,
arff bill. which is To close tomorrow,
aud the unmistakable friend OF public
sentiment against the present bill, tha,
they have opened negotions with the
revolving democratic senators, which.
il is believed, will end in their complete
and abject surrender. Republicans
have not, of course, been made ac
quainted with the exact nature of these
negotiations, but enough has leaked
out to cause many To believe that tn.
income tax is to be dropped and the
present tariff bill practically abandoned.
something like the old Mills bill being
substituted therefor.
The impression left by the represen-
tatives of the National Workingmen's
Protective Tariff League-more than
900 in number-who met in conven'
ton here Saturday, has been decidedly
good. The democrats of the senate
Finance 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 men,
bers of the league occupied the gal
leries 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 COM
piled 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 protests they quietly
returned to their homes. They neither
walked MOI came on tree railroad trans
portation, but on tickets purchased
with the money of the laborers they
came to represent. Nor did they ask
donations of food; they paid for every
thing they got, as self respecting people
usually do. Washington people will
be glad to see them again under hap
pier circumstances.
There are times when nothing but
plain talk will fill the bill, and Senator
Hawley thought one of these times was
at hand when he replied TO the extra
ordinary speech of Senator Allen, OF
Nebraska, in favor of the PETER resolu-
ton, which provides for the formation
of new senate committee to hear the
petitions of Coxey's army and similar
organizations. Senator Hawley paid
particular attention to Mr.. Aliens de-
nunciation of the laws which prohibit
parades in Washington without per-
mission of the authorities, and the
marching of any organized body of
men across any portion of the capitol
grounds, laws which Mr. Hawley de-
clared 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 uttered:
Il 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 meeting of anarchists. 1t had in
it, not requiring a microscope, but Wis
able to the naked eye, the bacteria and
bacilli of anarchy" Rough, but de-
served.
The populists in congress, while pre-
tending to be opposed to the absurd
idea which is causing so many illad-
vised men TO move towards Washington,
are in reality deing everything in their
power TO encourage the movement.
Representative Boon of Minnesota has
introduced a resolution in the house
directing the secretary of war to furnish
camping grounds and tents for all
bodies Of "laboring people"
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 suberbs
of Washington, and what the result of
bringing 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 possibility that Mr..
Boen's resolution will get even score
of votes in the house, if it ever comes
TO a vote at all Those who are COM
ing to Washington expecting to be