Evening star., 1902-08-08
BUTCHERS IN POLITICS
Sensation Sprung by Tariff
R3li.jn Plank
UNEXPECTED RESULT
WILL TIE PRICE OF MEAT MAKE
4EMocRATse
Questions Being Asked Today by Poll
ticians-Democrats Rejoice-Chair-
man Griggs Sees Vindication.

The new political machine which was
| built up by the National Association of
| Retail Butchers and Meat Dealers at the
last session yesterday of their three days
| convention in this city is the decided topic
| of conversation and conjecture among pol
| iticians today.
The butchers made declaration in ia
Vor of any political party; they came to
town imbued with the desire to do some
thing against the beef trust, which has,
according to their declarations, consti-
tuted them its buffer to receive the gibes
and kicks of an outraged public. When
the convention began the announcement
was made that there was absolutely no
politics to be made; that the beef trust
was the one and all-absorbing issue.
The convention resolved at once that one
way to reach the beef trust was to take
the tariff from meat and beef cattle The
other work of the session was then pro-
ceeded with. Meanwhile the question as to
Wnether the simple resolve by the national
association was the only step which might
be taken to strike the desired blow at the
meat combination continued to be asked.
| This agitation took definite form at the last
| session yesterday. This meeting was to be
| devoted to the election of officers. The
! sion continued however, for nearly three
hours beyond the time prescribed, and the
| of1cers Of the association came out of their
secret conclave just In time to catch the
| afternoon train for New York. They were
| all happy. however, and announced with
| great satisfaction that resolution had
been passed pledging and instructing the
| local associations throughout the country
| TO work and vote for the candidate for
congress in their district who would pledge
| himself to vote for the abolition of the
| tariff on meat and beef cattle.
Politicians to Study Butchers.
This fact makes a closer study of the ma
| tional organization of retail meat dealers
decidedly necessary by the men who are
running the respective republican and DEM
ocratic campaigns TIL democrats believe
| they have the decided advantage in the
new situation. They are known to be tariff
reformers, and besides this, they have
| nounced that the only way to regulate or
abolish the trusts is by this very method.
1t is known, however, that there are re-
publican members of Congress who are in
favor of revising certain schedules of the
Dingley tariff law, and politicians of that
school say that the individual pledges Of
such members to the people of their district
may be taken worth just much the
national pledge of the democrats to tha
same end. In other words, the move oe
the butchers will doubtless be met by the
republicans as local issue in every district
in which anything is made of it. The re-
publican nominee in that district will, of
course, treat the matter in the proper way.
If 1t is shown that it is absolutely neces-
sary that the meat schedule be revised he
will argue that the friends of the whole
tariff system are decidedly the best revisers
Of that particular schedule. In this way it
Is believed that much of the force Of the
new machine may be broken, If, indeed, it
has any force.
Close Districts May Be Swung.
Viewed from prophetic standpoint, little
can be made of the new movement. There |
are something like thirty-sx districts in the
states of the east and middle west where
the butchers organization has the most
locals. Some of these close districts are
now represented by republicans and some
by democrats. If the influence of the
butchers was exerted systemat tically and
continuously between the present time and
the date of the election this fall it is said
thai the result would doubtless be shown
In its greatest magnitude in the returns
from these close districts, and, too that
these returns might be one-sided enough TO
affect the political control of the mex.
House Of Representatives
Views of Chairman Griggs
Politicians at democratic headquarters in
this city were rolling the action of the
butchers as a sweet morsel under their
tongues today. Chairman Griggs left the
city this morning for his home in Georgia
for few days rest. Just before going he
said to a Star reporter.
Il regard the action taken Yesterday by
the butchers in pledging themselves and
instructing the members of their local Or
ganiZations to vote and work for the cleo
tion of men to Congress who were pledged
to the abolition of the tariff on meat and
beef cattle, fully justfying the demo-
cratic contention that the people of the
country are thoroughly interested in and
demand a revision of the tariff and a re-
straning hand put upon the trusts and
combinations.
"Such practical demonstrations as the
retail butchers will be able to make daily
of the influence of a trust on the price Of
| one of the articles of prime necessity
meat-will without question operate to
| swing the tide of popular sentiment in
| favor of that party which stands for a
| revision of the tariff laws of the country
| to the end that such outrageous imposi-
| tions cannot be maintained, and the demo-
| cratic party is that party"
Mr.. Griggs did not care to go into de-
| tail as to the extent to which the action
| of the butchers might be estimated to bene-
| fit the democratic candidates for Congress.
| But he is thoroughly alive to the benefit
which he says will accrue to the party by
| having a well-organiZed and extensive as
| sociation, such as is the butchers at his
| back, and can see the acquisition of many
| votes which might not be turned by any
| other argument than the price of the daily
| meat supply.
The Butchers Farewell
The local organization of butchers ten
dered the remaining delegates reception
and banquet last night in the hall of the
Jolly Fat Mems Club. Several addresses
were made, fthe opening being that of
John R. Kelly, president of the Washing
ton branch. He Was followed by j. A.
| Hoffman. THE prsncpal address of the
| evening was ,madesby Ira w. Stilman of
| New Haven, Conn, who was one Of the
founders of the organization fifteen years
ago. Mr.. StiInan gave brief history of
| the organization and its steady and yigor-
| Gus growth sihce that time. Other speeches
| in which the eEganlzation was praised were
made by Clarence ~ Palmer Of Hartford.
Conn, and EHward O'Neil of New York
| city. After IL renast, in which all for
mality was laid aside, the delegates were
entertained in social way by their local
| brethren.
AFFAIRS IN GEORGETOWN.