Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-12-31
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondent.

W hat Congress Is likely to do one
day ahead no one can safely say.
Senator Sherman made remark in
regard to the work of the Senate,
which Speaker Carlisle repeated in re-
ference to the work of the House, and
it was that there are many rossil ilitics,
but few probabilities. Neither branch
of Congress adhered to the programme
which had been arranged for it in the
early part OF the week.
No one expected tariff debate to
come off in the Senate, but everybody
was prepared ior an agitation of the
question in the House on Thursday.
As chance and circumstances would
have it, the Senate made tariff
speeches, and the House decided to
defer the subject Then Col. Morrison
proposes to ask the House to proceed
to the consideration of revenue bills,
and the friends of the tariff legislation
think his motion will prevail.
A story was printed to the effect
that the President had promised to aid
Mr.. Morrison by securing four votes
for him from the New York delegation.
OF course everybody knew that the
President would not do anything of
the kind. The story had its founda-
| ton in the fact that several New York
Democratic members who voted
against consideration OF any tariff
measure ut the last session, have
since changed their views and will
vote with Mr.. Morrison.
If the issue cannot be evaded it is
understood that the present plan of
the Republicans in the House is to
strike off the tobacco tax, SOS, ,OOO, 600
to strike off 90 per cent. of the sugar
duty, $1O,OOO,OOO; to make alcohol
used in the arts and manufactures tax
free, which would strike off SIC, ,00O, ,OOO
more. This would reduce the revenue
$4S, 100000 in all.
When the Senate was talking tariff,
a disappointing speech was made by
Senator Dawes, of Massachusetts,. His
associates knew that he was trying to
be reelected to the Senate this winter
and as some of his constituents have
views on tariff subjects, interest was
felt in the drift of his remarks, and
rather better attention was given him
than the Senate usually accords to
speeches. The Senator began with
platitudcs which no one cared to dis.
pute, dwelt at length upon the past
policy of the Republican party which
he said, had been to reduce customs
duties and internal taxes to the point
nearest the needs of the Government
criticised Secretary Manning's report
and finally wound up with some sneer
ing comments upon the President's
message.
Senator Beck's bill to prevent Sena
tors from acting as attorneys of rail
roads whose interests are liable to com,
before the Senate was mutilated and
twisted out of shape in committee by
such experts as Senators Eyarts and
Hoar. The way in which they cvad
ed, postponed, lodged and finally
modified this measure, which was sc
warmly supported by public opinion
may be called creditahlc to their in
igenuity, but not to their regulations
for honesty. And what is worse still
Senator Edmunds stood besides these
maneuvers, assisted by Senator
Mitchell, of Oregon.
The railroad Senators who think il
is all right to legislate upon railroad
matters while taking big fees as at
torneys for railroad corporations
l Noult ilot SldNC Oll Ol TIT
Beck bill altogether, however, and or
Wednesday it came up for debate.
| The Woman Suffragists are coming
to Washington as usual to hold theil
annual convention, and they have
asked for the use Of the hail Of the
House of Representative on the even
ings of January 25th, Goth and 9th
The women want chance to be heart
literally within the walls of Congress
and it is probable they will have it
The Committee on Rules is to decid,
the matter. Representative Townsend
of Illinois, introduced the bill making
the request for the hail. "But," sale
he, this does not mean that ] am q
convert to woman suffrage"
! The President made his first appear