The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-02-09
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Ex-Governor Foster and the Presidential
Questionable Fitz John Porter Bill
The Tariff Question and Other
Matters of Interest.
WAsH1yerox, D. G., Feb. 4th, 1884

WASHINGTON, D. u, L Gu. ttu, IoOt'
Editors Union A few days ago it was report
ed that ex- Gov Foster, of Ohio perhaps cognizant
of the growing popularity of President Arthur in
the country and the possibility of his receiving
the nomination at the coming Chicago convention,
somewhat contrary also to his own feelings, and
as far as possible to head off the growing feeling
in favor of the President, made q bold claim that
if nominated President Arthur could not carry the
State of Ohio. This has stirred up hornets nest
around "Charlies" head, and it is found that
many prominent Republicans, whose means Of
knowing the feelings of the people of that State
are as good as his, differ decidedly with him.
Gen. Boynton, correspondent OF the CINCINNATI
Commercial Gazette, has taken a census OF the
opinion of the Ohio Representatives in Congress
on the question, including Representatives Z. B.
TAYLOR (of the Garfield district), J. B. Taylor,
Hart, Mccormick, Mckinley and Robinson, and
they all concur that if President Arthur is the
nominee he will get the electoral vote of the State
In the House on Saturday the Fitz John Porter
bill, relieving him from the effects of court mar
Jlai ouIins .i.s s.1 .einstetinS hiHa in
his rank in the army, and placing him on the re-
tired list, passed by large majority. 1t was
sent to the Senate to-day. Just what will yet be
its fate cannot be told. If it should pass the SEN
ate it has been rumored that it may be vetoed by
the President but on the other hand the opinion
is expressed that the President will readily sign
it, if it comes to him to be signed
Representative MOrr1SOn, OF llnnOlS, To-Day IN
troduced his tariff bill in the House. He admits
that it is only an experimental measure, to test
the of the House upon it, that it is entirely
his own personal creation and that he does not
want it to be understood as coming from the Com
mittee on Ways and Means, or as an expression
of the opinion of that committee on the subject
1t provides for general or horizontal reduction
of the existing tariff rates Of about 20 per cent,
with such notifications are suggested by cir
of no
committee, is also preparing a bill, based, how
ever, on an entirely different idea. His is for
reduction of the duties in specific cases, and with
no view to a general reduction of nearly equal
ratio on all imported articles. But as an illus
tration of the dscord that exists this question
among the Democrats, Mr.. Converse, of Ohio,
offered motion day favoring the restoration of
the old duty on wool, while Mr.. Frank Hurd, of
the same State, offered another in favor of placing
that article entirely on the free list. Mr.. Con-
verses proposition will be test of what is known
as the "Ohio platform" of the last campaign, and
the vote on it will be interesting.
Still another new "wrinkle" is about developing
here in connection with this question, but this
time affecting exports. Mr.. Robinson, of New
York, generally known here as "Richelieu" Rob
inson, is said to have prepared bill amending
the Constitution of the United States so to ad-
NIT of an export duty. His design is to place a
duty of one cent pound upon raw cotton export
ed, which he thinks will enhance the manufacture
of cotton goods in this country and thus build up
manufactures all over the country and give better
employment to labor.
Mr. Groome, Senator from Maryland, no doubt
with the Governor of Maryland, thinks there is
virtue in "eight- hour laws" though possibly it
may not have done so in the case of the more for
tunate Gov. McLane. He to-day reported in the
Senate, from the Committee Education and
Labor, bill which provides that eight hours shall
constitute days work for all aborers, mechanics
and workmen in the Government employ, and
that when they are required by exigencies to
work more than that number of hours per day,
for each additional hours labor performed they
shall receive one. eighth of whole days wages,
which latter shall never be less than that paid for
days work in the vicinity where they are en-
ployed, regardless of the number of hours consti-
tuting days work there.
To-day Second Assistant Postmaster General
Elmer sent his resignation to Postmaster General
Gresham, also stating his regrets at being COM
PEELED to sever his connection with the Depart
ment. Mr, Henry d. Lyman, Of Ohio, Chief
Clerk, was nominated to fill the position for the
present.
Your neighboring editor of the Peoples Voice
should hold his Washington correspondent down
to sricter accuracy, except he wishes him to rival
the famous Tom 0chiItree in newspaper -.
Last week he reported an animated discussion that
took place between the Democrats and Republi-
cans in the Senate over the Sherman resolutions
to investigate the Danville (Va.) and Copiah
(Miss.) massacres. But that discussion did not
take place. 1t was only what might have been
expected to take place had the Democrats deemed
it prudent to agitate the subject and to reply to
the conclusive statement Of facts in Senator Ma
homes speech. which they did not, Mr.. Editor of
the PEOPLES Voice, ANON.