Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1894-04-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Free Traders Discouraged'-Penn-
sylTania WOrkingmen Visit aud
Appeal to Congress.

ORION our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, April %, 1S94.-The
free traders in the Senate have be-
come so discouraged, because of the
revolt In their own party, the broad
81 les poured into them by the repuD
licans during the general debate or
the tariff bill, which is to close to-
morrow, and the unmistakable
trend of public sentiment against
the present bill, that they have
opened negotiations with the revolt
ing democratic Senators which, 1t il
believed, will end in their complete
and abject surrender. Republicans
have not, OF course, been made &C
quainted with the exact nature 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 being substituted therefor.
The impres sion left by the repre-
sentatives Of the National Working
mems Protective Tariff League
more than 1000 In number-whO mot
in,co-v~e+f>.. here Saturday mas been
decidedly good The democrats ofiths
Senate Finance committee refuse
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 oc-
cupied the galleries of the Senate as
pleased listeners. These men and
women did not come here to at
tempt to coerce Congress by threat
ening to remain In Washington un-
TIL some absurd demands were COM
piled with, as Coxey's army propos-
es 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 tiled 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 to represent. Nor did they AJAX
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.
There are times when nothing but
plain talk will fill the bill, and Sena-
tor Hawley thought one of these
times was at hand when he repli, d
to the extraordinary speech of Sem
ator Allen, of Nebraska, in favor OF
the PETER resolution which provid, 8
for the formation of a new Senate
committee to hear the petitions of
COxey's army and similar organiza-
lions. Senator Hawley paid partic-
ular attention to Mr.. Aliens denun-
citation 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 Capt.
toll grounds, laws which Mr.. Hawley
declared TO be right and proper and
said would be enforced to the lettf I
But the most striking part OF Mr..
HawIey's speech was the conclusion
In these words, calmly and deliber-
ately uttered 81 am sorry to say,
but / feel bound to say, that the
speech of the Senator from Nebras.
ka was one that would have been
received with tumultuousa applause In
q meeting OF anarchists. 1t had In
IL, not requiring a microscope, but
visible to the naked eye, the bacterie
and bacilian of anarchy" Rough
but deserved.
The populIsts In Congress, while
pretending to be opposed to the alb
surd idea which is causing so many
ill-advised men to move toward
Washington sre IN reality doing ev
erything In their power to encourage
the me vement. Representative Boer
of Minnesota has introduced reso
luton In the House directing tn
Secretary of War to furnish camping
grounds and tents for ali organic
ed bodies of ''laboriDg people" VIII,
may come TO Washington TO Obtain
redress from Congress. Tn,
adoption of a resolution like tina
would invite every tramp In tn
country to spend the summer on
camped in the suburbs of Washing
ton, and what the result of bringing
such an enormous body of men to
Rether, whose respect for law and OF
der are not. their most strikin
traits, would be no man can tell.
would certainly be nothing good
But there isn't even a possibilit
that Mr.. Boen's resolution will &c
even q score of votes I'm the Hous
If 1t ever comes to a vote at al
Those who are coming to Washing
ton expecting to be taken care OF
Congress would better turn back.
Senator GaIlinger's declaratic
that the tariff bill Is
Hating on crutches of unequal size,
One leg by truth supported, one
lies,
Thus side to the goal with awk wa
pace,
Secure of nothing, but to lose the RAJ
can hardly be called classic poetr
but as truthful description of t
present condition of the bill
would be difficult to surpass 1t In t
same number of words.
The democrats of the House pr
Tess to be greatly surprised becau
the republicans are making the re
ular appropriation bills the ba'
for showing up the absurd blunde
ofIthis laundering Administrative
and they are actually talking OF ne
ing the committee on Rules bring
rule with each appropriation
TO limit debate thereon. 1t Is 4
surprising that the demOcrt
should object to having their IN
ness to be in charge of the COVER
ment continual referred to, but
would certainly be surprising II
-o~,xhnoo.o &c kko HD~oo poorIooi