The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-10-11
WASHINGTON.
From Our Regular Correspondent.


has been reached, and the head has
been knocked ont OF the Republican
barrel. Hanna's recent visit to the
Eastern headquarters of the big
trusts filled the barrel to overflow
ing. In every doubtful state and
Congressional district every vote
that can be had for money is to be
bought. These are not mere asser-
tions. They are hard facts, Of
which the Democrats have been
warned by Chairman Richardson,
of the Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee, and by Mr..
Richard Croker of New York, both
of whom know of the enormous
amount of money secured by
Hanna, and judge by the way he
spent millions in 1896 how he in
tends to spend it. 1t is not easy to
prevent some buying and selling Of
votes among those who are unprin-
cipled enough to engage in such a
traffic, but vigilance on the part of
Democrats may greatly lessen the
number bought and sold, as every
state provides a heavy penalty for
the crime.
There was noticeable change in
the attitude of the Republican
managers just as soon as they got
the tip that Hanna had all the
money he wanted. Instead oftalk-
ing doubtfully Of the result of the
elections, both Presidential and
Congressional, they began to blow,
making the most ridiculous claims
as to the number Of electoral votes
that Mckinley will get and the
number of Congressman that will
be elected.
Representative Rhea, Of Va,
called at the Post Office Department |
last week and filed a vigorous COM
plant against the Republican
Postmasters in his district, for fail
ure to deliver important documents
sent him from Washington. He
also asked that an inspector be sent
to investigate the complaint. He
received the same old stereotyped
promise that the matter would
be looked into, and. judging from
he result of similar promises made
% the same sort Of complaints by
Democrats, that will be the last of
t, SO far as the Republican Post
Office officials are concerned.
The Republican managers are
having trouble with Benjamin
Harrison. They want him to take
he stump, but Ben says he has a
hroat trouble and can't do it, al
hough no one has heard that his
hroat trouble prevented him speak
ng in court for any client who is
'ich enough to pay his big fees. If
lie won't speak, they want him to
write and sign Mckinley plea for
publication, but he may discover
hat he has pen paralysis, or some
hing else, that will prevent his
writing, if they don't pnt up a big
'etainer for him. Ben doesn't like
KcKinley or McKinleyism, and if
lie says anything for either it will
De for the usual basis that lawyers
oIiefs are written.
Judge George D. Lacy, of South
Dakota, who is looking after some
business before the U. S. Supreme
Court. thinks that his state is abso-
utely safe for Bryan and Stevenson,
Notwithstanding Boss Hanna's per-
'onal efforts to capture it, and thus
states the reasons for his belief ]
The voters in South Dakota are
mostly farmers, and farmers, you
know, generally look at public
questions with clearer vision than
nen who dwell in cities. They
nave time for reflection as they go
,bout their work in the fields. They
are not blinded by the glamor of
,lose contact with wealth, nor are
heir sensibilities dulled by famil-
arty with the sufferings of their
elbow men. The inhabitants of
,ities decide questions upon the
basis of expediency, while the farm
er weighs them with a judicious
mind and gets at the bottom of
things. Therefore the farmer is
most keenly alive to the danger that |
urks in great combinations Of
wealth that make toward monopoly |
md it is the farming communities |
hat Bryan must look for the votes |
Necessary to his election"
MIR. Mckinley did not come to
Washington this time in a partic-
liar good humor, although he
ound the Chinese business, of