People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 May 1894 — FROM WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

FROM WASHINGTON.

An Interesting Bateh of \ews From the Capitol. * From our Regular Correspondent. Washington, May 11, ’94. Coxey has been very much in evidence this week. He, together with Browne and Jones, was contrary to public expectations convicted of having violated the law in their attempt to speak on the Capitol steps. An application for a new trial is pending and if that is refused, as is most likely, an attempt will be made to get the case before the higher courts for the purpose of testing the constitutionality of the law under which these convictions were made. Coxey succeeded in getting a petition from his followers, and in making a few remarks himself, before the House committee on Labor, which is considering a resolution for the appointment of a joint Congressional committee to investigate the depression in all branches of industry; but his talk did not make a favorable impression on the members of the committee. Senator Allen tried inefrectually to get a resolution adopted by the Senate providing for an instigation of the arrests made on the Capitol grounds.

There has been great dissatisfaction in the camp of the “army of the commonweal.” The men did not take kindly to the idea of being put upon two scant meals a day while Coxey occupied a luxurious suite of rooms at a hotel and enjoyed the best the market afforded; consequently the week has been marked by numerous desertions. The men who remain will have to move their camp. The health authorities say they are in danger themselves and that they are endangering the health of the city. It is not probable that another camping place can be secured inside of the city limits. There is plenty of vacant ground, but Coxey will not be able to get it. He still says he intends to remain here until Congress either passes or refuses to pass his bills, but he will stay alone if his followers are not better taken care of.

Senator Merrill, father of the high protection tariff bill of 1861. has a pleasant way of saying things in a half joking manner that is always relished by his colleagues, whether they agree with him or not. A broad smile beamed on all the Senators faces when Mr. Morrill said: “The 400 amendments to the tariff bill show that after listening to republican speeches for six weeks the democratic Senators really learned something. It the tariff bill were laid aside for a month, and that month were devoted, to study by my friends on the other side of the chamber I think at the end of that time they would bring in a bill that would be perfectly acceptable to the republican side and which would pass the Senate by a unanimous vote.” The opposition of the labor organizations has had such an effect in the Senate that the ratification of the new Chinese treaty, which a few days ago was considered merely a matter of time, is now thought to he somewhat doubtful, although the chances are still in favor of rati I

fication. It was really a surprise to the administration which is using all the influence at its command to help it along, that it was no ratified this week. • • • The hearings began last week before the House committee, in favor of government ownership and control of all telegraph lines, have been continued this week. Whatever the effect of the able arguments made by the friends of the International Typographical Union, which has taken charge of this agitation, may have upon Congressmen who oppose the proposed charge it has already resulted in frightening the controlers of the gigantic monopoly known as the Western Union Telegraph company as they have never been frightened before.

• • • It seems that the House and the Senate will never agree upon a site for a new Government Printing Office, notwithstanding the danger which constantly surrounds the 3,000 people who work in the old building. Not long ago the Senate passed a bill providing for the purchase of ground adjoining the old building, but this was not satisfactory to the House, which this week passed, in defiance of the report in favor of a site, from the committee on Printing, a resolution instructing the committee on Public Buildings and Grounds to report a bill for the erection of a Printing Office on ground owned by the Government, in some of the parks. © • • Making a tariff bill to please all the members of a political party is like editing a paper to please all of the subscribers—an impossibility. The 409 amendments to the tariff bill presented to the Senate this week pleased the Senators who had been “kicking,” but they also produced a new act of democratic “kickers.” Upon the strength and extent to which the new “kickers” will go depends the fate of the bill.