The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-24
NOTES FROM WASHINGTON.
A Western Congressman ON the Tariff
Thrsngs of Curious People at she Gaps
tt0I.
Special to the Press.)

Special TO the Press9
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.
Congressman Townshend of Illinois does not
agree with Mr. O'Neill of Missouri regarding
the proper course on the tariff, nor with Mr..
Converse of Ohio on the same subject. Mr.
O'Neill said few days since that there would
be no general tariff reduction bill, or at least
that there should bs none, but merely a Dill
placing few articles on the free list and per-
haps reducing the rate on a few others. Mr.
Converse said only day or two earlier that
he favored an increase in the wool tsrih and
predicted o reduction in the way OF percent
age, q horizontal reduction" but that even
this would probably not pass. Mr.. Townshend
does not believe in either of these theories.
He says: 81 think we shall have tariff Dill,
general tariff BILL"
"And how will it 60 about making the re-
ductions; simply by general cut OF say ~ OF
20, or 30 per cent, or will it take up the ques-
tion article by article?"
II think it will take it article by article.
should not favor reduction by per centage,
horizontal reduction as it 10 called, nor 90 1
think the House would favor it generally"
"Do you think q tariff bill viii PASS tne
House?"
"Yes, moderate one. don't think We
are likely to get one making very hesvy re-
duction, not a radical one you know. ! think
reasonable bill will pass very readily"
'And how about the Senator"
"That of course Is rather more uncsrtain
than the House, but should not be surprised
to see it pass bill making moderate reduc-
tion, not very large one Of course, but
moderate one. 1t is understood that Ingalls, OF
Kansas and Wilson of Iowa, and perhaps one
or two others on the Republican side Of the
Senate might think favorably of reasonable
reduction in the tariff ~
"And as to the President; would it get past
him do you think, after his note OF warning in
which he advised that the present law be
given chance to show what it can accom-
plish?"
THAT is something nobody can answer"
Throngs at the Capitol.
There are some curious people hese just
now. Probably there are always some curious
ones at the capitol of the great nation, but at
the beginning of new Congress they are more
numerous than on other occasions. They
throng the corridors Of the capitol building,
and the entrances to the House and Senate are
full of them. All days are alike to them when
Congress is in session, and they are always
waiting to see somebody.
They are more numerous at the House end
than at the Senate, for the reason that the
the Senators and that there are more of them.
At the Senate you cannot get your card taken
in during the morning hour" which some
times lasts two hours, and the same is true of
the executive sessions, which sometimes lasts
several hours. At the House cards are taken
in at ali hours The scenes at the doors there
are very curious. Old men and aged women
grown gray and feeble in pursuing a claim for
some fancied or real loss, probably during the
war, hobble to the doors and offer their cards.
The impatient doorkeepers, alwaya busy, aud
usually none too gocd-natured, often refuse
them, telling them that the member they want
to see is too busy or that he is not in, for which
they receive, privately. the thanks of the
member. They hobble off only to come the
next day, and the next. The ladies' waiting
room is always filled with ladies waiting to
see some member about something.
There are old and familiar faces always
about the doors: the claimant in the celebrated
McGarrahan case, Myra CLARK Gaines, whose
bill has been at last favorably reported on,
we'll known railroad lobbyists, and reprssen-
tatives of the sugar and other interests, who
are here every year, and who are never weary.
There are almost always some stardy farmers
to be seen struggling about the edges of ths
crowd, waiting TO see the members from their
district, and frequently one may see an Indian
from some of the more civilized tribes, dressed
in the costume of today, with. perhaps plug
hat and cane waiting to see some Western
member about some matters of interest to the
Territory or tribe which he represents.