San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-05-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
IFrom Our Regular cOuespOndsn,,l
WAsnINaroN. April, 22, lSSi.

WAshINdroN, hprii, -, 1901
At the Capitol, the notable oratory
OF the week was expended on the
Tariff question, Among these who
made their "living issue" record in
the Introductory stage OF the debate
may be mentioned Mr.. Bloutn Of
Ga, who believed in getting revenue
from importation, but thought no
Legislation should DO enacted which
would mako the rich richer, and tho
poor poorer, on tho pretcnse OF elevat-
ing American labor above the pauper
labor of Europe, and keeping the
home market for ourselves. Repre-
sentative Jones of Arkansas said it
was in response TO widespread
demand for n reduction OF the Tariff
that the pending bill was brought in,
and that its passage would announce
that the Democratic party was in
favor ofreformation. Representatives
Chace, Russell, and Mills made
opposition speeches. Chairman Morri
son. in his remarks which opened the
debate said, that if the Democratic
platform had an honest meaning, it
was that the Tariff shall be lowered
to n revenue basis. He held that
gentlemen deceive themselves who
expect the people will be deceived by
q refusal to legislate in accordance
with this declared purpose. If the
protective policy was to be the con-
tinuing policy OF the Government it
would be, and, he thought ought to
be entrusted to it's friends, the Re-
publican party. Mr.. Morrison refer
red to the free trade quinine bill
which he introduced eight years ago,
providing for untaxed alcohol for use
in making it, At once twas insisted
that quinine making would become q
lost art if such bill should pass into
a law. Later, when the story of free
quinine got among tho people, an
other placed the bill before the House,
emitting the free alcohol provision,
and the bill became law, protection
lists themselves voting for it. The
great Philadelphia house did not go
into decline, but continued it's bust
ness successfully as the second larg-
est quinine establishments the world.
and the Chairman of the Ways and
Means committee insisted, 80 every
legitimate industry would go on with
O revenue Tariff. While this debate,
was progressing in the House Sena-
tors Morrill,, and Beck were having a
tilt on the same subject in the other
end of the Capitol.
During the week the Senate passed
the Post Office and Naval appropria-
ton bills, and will probably decide
the Bankruptcy question to day. The
Pension bill is pending measure in
tho House, but on Legislative days,
the programme for that branch Of
Congress will be Tariff, Tariff, until
the question is disposed of.
The action of the House committee
on Civil Service Reform in reporting
adversely bills to repeal the existing
Civil Service law,may be taken as con-
elusive evidence that the experimental
system now in operation is rot to be
disturbed. Nor will the law be
antagonized by the committee on
Appropriations, as Mr.. Randall him
self declares. The Civil Service
committee also reported against the
bill to reduce the salaries of the
President, Cabinet officers, Justices
of the Supreme Court, and Members
of Congress.
Postal telegraphy is pretty well
assured fact sometime in the future.
The bill will not get through this
session, but it will stand a good chance
next winter. 1t has been decided
that the Government can run tele-
graphs, as well as it can conduct the
mail service, and it is only question
time when it shall assume control
and ownership of the telegraphs Of
the country. The report of the
House committee was to this effect
by ten to one.