The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-02-07
Our Washington Letter.
Special to the Democratic Press:
THE OMMlTTEES HARD AT
WORK.

WORK.
The showing of reports from COM |
mittees proves that Congress is busily
at work. A large part of the general
which will be considered at
this session is already reported, or is
in very forward state in committee.
But the most important bills have yet
to come i'll. The appropriations and
the ways and means committees are
both of them silent as yet, and the
banking and currency committee has
made no sign.
AMERICAN SHIPPING.
Within the last few days special at
tention has been directed to the ship
ping bills, and the business interests
involved are actively engaged in match
ing legislation. In this matter two
antagonistic influences are at work.
one urging subsidy as panacea for
our depressed shipping, and the other
a 81" free trade policy in ships where
by our merchants can avail themselves
Of the cheap vessels of foreign build
erS.
TWO TARIFF BILLS ARE UNDER WAY,
one by Mr.. Morrison, who proposes to
effect horizontal reduction of 20 per
cent, and an extension of the free list
very elaborate plan. He has made out
list of the dutiable goods, taking the
tariff as it now stands in one column,
the recommendations of the tariff
commission IN another, the bill as it
passed the Senate in another, and the
tariff legislation AS it stood before the
agitation of the question, in another;
from these five columns he has taken
the lamest tariff ever sanctioned on
any article as his basis of reduction.
The committee will take up these two
bills in about ten days, but it cannot
be ascertained which measure is the
most popular with the members of the
committee.
TRYING To BRIDGE OVER.
Mr.. Wood, "a rising Democratic states
man from Indiana, introduced bill
in the House the other day to create
an International Commerce Commits
sion, alias a Tariff Commission, which
he claims would avoid the necessity of
tariff legislation this year, and thus
carry the question over the Presiden-
tial campaign, as the Commission
would not report until 1885. The fate
of Mr.. Woods nursing bottle is to rest
in it's committee grave, never to be
resurrected.
THE LAND FOR THE PEOPLE.
There is no longer any doubt as to
the fate of the land grant grabbers.
Mr.. Holman's sweeping resolution de,
claring that all grants are forfeited
where the railroad companies have
failed to comply with the terms, pass
ed the House with only IS dissenting
votes. Each particular grant will now
be declared forfeited as was the Texas
Pacific the other day, and the one
hundred millions of acres will revert
to the people.
HUNTINGToN'S APPEARANCE
before the committee on public lands,
defending his interests, only precipita-
ted this coup de ctat, and the California
magistrate left the Capitol in disgust
threatening to appeal to the courts
against I" this high handed usurpatior
of power by Congress"
A NEW CABINET OFFICER.
The Indications now are that the
Department of Agriculture will be
created into cabinet office, the com
mittee on agriculture having reported
the bill to the House favorably. Th.
present Commissioner, Loring, feel:
confident of the passage of the meas
ure, and expects soon to become ont
of President Arthur's advisers The
present Congress has large granger
element in it, and they rightly consid
er that the agricultural interests of The
land are of sufficient magnitude t.
admit that bureau to the cabinet circle
The question has been agitated TO
several years, and will now become :
law.
! THE GREELEY RELIEF BILL.
The action of Congress during th'
week on the Greeley relief bill make
it certain that an expedition of suita
BILE character will be dispatched to th'
Arctic regions as soon as possible t.
search for the Greeley party. Th'
House ond Senate wisely cOnfided tn
details of the expedition to the Presi
dent, giving him the largest discretion
regardless of expense, in order that IL
: effort be spared to do ali for the los
explorers that ingenuity and courage
can devise. The expedition will b.
composed of voluntary enlistments.
EX-SPEAKER KEIFER IN A CORNER.
General Keifer is in ill luck. Th,
committee on accounts which has be el
Investigating his appointments mad
at the close of the last session, callet
Mr.. Keifer before it and asked him
it was true that he had demanded on
Tyson, u stenographer, to resign il
order that Mr.. Keifer could appoin
, his nephew, Gaines, to the vacancy
l Mr.. Keifer stated TO the committe
: that Tyson resigned of his own accord
: Mr.. Tyson was then called in an
made oath to the statement that eX
Speaker keifer came to him just be
d fore the close of the last session an
demanded his resignation, to whic
: Tyson objected, but finally compile
upon pain of dismissal. The questio
, now is has Keifer sworn to a lie or
i Tyson seeking revenge? Other az
y pointments are being investigated, IAN
u the report of the committee is locke
e forward to with absorbing interest.
j. BREWSTER, ATTORNEY GENERAL.
This gentleman, who signs his nam
= to his official document as brewster
IN Attornox Ganaral ~ il nrenarinp him