The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1884-07-12
OUR WASh|NGON LETTER.
The Tariff the Stumbling Block.-Paintul
D:sclosures.-Blaine Warns
the Kickers.
THE ELECTORAL COUNT BILL.

think that the tariff is to be the
great issue of the campaign. Thev
regard Blaine as very vulnerable
and Logan as very unfit, but
they say the struggle will come
over the tariff question as it did in
1880, and, in order to succeed, the
Democrats must make straight
forward declaration in favor of a
protective tariff, and then nominate
a man who has done more for the
protection of American labor and
American industry than any other
living Democrat. The Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, and Ohio Democrats
generally take this view. Randall
himself thinks that the contest is
to be contest of ideas and not of
men. He thinks that the personal
careers of B,aine and Logan will
drop out of view and and that the
people will see them simply as the
representatives of the American
policy of protection. He believes
that the Democratic convention
will see the necessity of meeting
the Republicans and beating them
on their own ground. He believes
that he will be nominated on a
platform whose tariff plank will re-
semble those of the Ohio and Penn
sylvania conventions of last year.
He believes, too, that he will be
elected. He believes that he can
carry Pennsylvania and New York.
PAINFUL DISCLOSURES.
The exposures of dishonorable
practices in the army and navy is
one of the most painful features of
Washington corruption. Heretofore
the military and naval services of
the United States have been regard
ed as the very essence Of honor.
But in the general decentralization
their character has suffered degre-
dation with all the other branches
of the government.
1t has been SO common for army
officers to give double orders for
their pay, thus swindling some per-
son by fraudulent token, that, we
arc told, the authorities have ceased
to take any notice OF the offense.
Even the robbcries in the depart
ments excite no surprise. The in
dictment and prospective trial of
the chief judicial officer of the
army for dishonorable transactions
scarcely attracts attention.
As to the navy defalcations, what
can be expected of a department
with an old LOBBYIST like Bill Chand-
ler at it's head? Indeed, what can
be expected of any public service
or department under government
which protects its star-route robbers
and fosters George Bliss, and under
a party which nominatcs Mulligan
Blame as an open challenge to the
"Pharisees" of reform.
BLAINE WARES THE KICKERs.
The Blaine managers are sending
word wherever there are kickers to
have them marked for future refer
ence. Bolting republicans will get
nothing if Blaine is elected. Kick
ers are to be warned of the conse-
queues, after which 4 sufficient
time will be allowed for them to
fall into line. Blaine is reported as
saying that kickers are usually
among the first to come for the Of
fees after a victory has been won.
A black list is to be kept. 1t will
simplify matters if Blaine gets into
the White House.
THE ELECTORAL COUNT BILL.
The Electoral Count bill which
passed the House provides for a
Joint session of the two houses of
Congress for the counting of the
electoral votes, and that such joint
convention shall not be dissolved
uutil the count shall have been
completed and the result declared.
1t provides also that any recess
which the joint convention may
take while the vote is counting
shall not be for a longer time than
one callandar day, and that after
the first Saturday succeeding the
beginning of the count no further
recess shall be taken until the
count has been completed and the
result declared. 1t provides that
in case of objection to the counting
of the vote Of any state, and In
case more than one return shall
have been received from state, the
question, in the first instance
of the counting of the vote
of the state, and of the second, Of
which return shall be re-
ceived and counted, shall be
submitted to the joint convention
by the presiding officer, and that
three hours having been allowed
if necessary, for debate, a vote shall
be taken per capita, commencing
with the state of Alabama, and the
convention shall thus determine the
question. The Hoar bill, which
passed the Senate, provides that II
such cases the two houses acting
separately shall concurrently de.
termine the question.
PRODIGALITY GOING AHEAD.
The Senate has increased the
legislative, executive and judicial
bill by just $1,O37 ,422. The bill
now appropriates $21, ,647, ,26O, OF
about million and a quarter more
than the corresponding bill passed
by the Robesonian Congress Of two
years ago.
The Senate has increased the
Houses river and harbor bill by
$1,333,OOO. The bill now appro