Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-03-21
JERRY SIMPSON ON CONGRESS-


JERRY SIMPSON ON CONGRESS-
Jerry Simpson Of Kansas, expects
his lectures IN the far West to do
more to convert that section to popu-
lism. Money will be the subject of
his speech. He heartily believes in
the policy OF subordlnating all other
issues in the next campaign to that
says the Kansas City Star
II will preach populism," says
Simpson, from Colorado to the coast.
1t shall not be my fault il the cause
Of the people does not win in the next
election, l shall give year Of my
life to It,"
As he ceases to be a congressman,
and losing official distinction becomes
again the plain statesman of Medi-
cine Lodge, Simpson increasingly
displays a growing tendency to con-
servatism, Two years ago he would
lave been incapable of characteriz-
alton of congress which would not
have been made valueless by profuse
epithet. Now abandoning congress, he
even ventures to tell the people that
1t is az good as they are il not better.
Here is his Judgment of the dying
congress, formally rendered and given
to the people Of Kansas as a steward
would give an accounting: "The fif-
ty-third congress will go down into
history rs one of the most remarkable
gatherings in the national capitol
since the close OF the civil war--re-
markable because Of the many ex-
tremes it went to in Legislation. 1t
repealed the purchasing clause of the
Sherman act, which had the effect to
put us completely on a gold basis,
and then refused at the presidents
request, to make outstanding obliga-
tions payable in gold. II passed q
tariff bill that made large reductions
in our tariff, put many articles on the
free list, repealed sugar bounty, and
then passed bills giving large sub
sides to a steamship company At
the dictation and request Of the pop
ullst party, though few in number, it
passed an income tax, that was at one
time in the populist platform. II
passed a bill which practically re-
pealed all Legislation restraining the
greed Of railroad corporations, giving
them the right to pool their interests.
1t had large democratic majority
and yet passed a resolution indorsing
the presidents action in sending
troops to Chicago in the rail-
road strike, which violated every ira
dition of the democratic party in re-
gard to state rights; and also passed
a bill to secure arbitration between
railroads and employees, on the plea
that it was in the interest of labor. 1t
commenced its first session in COM
plete rebellion against the admins
tration, and took every opportunity
to show its hostility. Perhaps, taking
it all in all, it showed higher aver
age Of intelligence than many of its
predecessors. The student Of history
in years to come will pursue the rec
ord of the fifty-third congress with in
terest and l trust with some profit
1t has gone to take its place beside
others that have preceded it, and /
believe the verdict OF impartial his
tory will be that il was as good a con-
gress as could be selected from a peo-
pie who for hundreds Of years have de-
voted nearly all their time and energy
in pursuit Of the almighty dollar. II
was better, perhaps great deal bet
ter, than the people it represented, as
pthers have been who have preceded
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