The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1886-12-16
ON our r egular CORRESPONDENT.

Washington Letter.
From our egular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Dec. IA, 1856.
The first week of the new session of
Congress shows the Senate's record
-as blank, so far as public bus
mess is concerned. But the much
abused Houseof Representative, which
is too bulky to transact business,
which is composed of a dozen hetero-
geneous elements, and which is un-
der Democratic control, accomplished
some useful work.
The tariff question will not "down."
1t has made its appearance several
times since the session began at UNI
expected times and places. Senator
Morrill, introduced it with the same
speech he has made for about twenty
successive years. Senator Beck, who
is heartily in favor of radical reduc-
ton Of custom duties, answered the
Senator from Vermont in a speech in
which he quoted Secretary Manning,
Senator Sherman, and the Bible in
support of free trade or "fair trade"
He quoted what Senator Sherman
had once said in advocacy Of the ut
most of freedom Of intercourse between
nations.
The Ohio Senator next took the
floor to answer the remarks Of the able
KentucGian, but his speech was sim
ply an arraignment of the Democratic
party. Mr.. Sherman is working with
his usual adroitness and with more
energy than any OF, the other Repub-
lican aspirants for nomination at the
National convention in 1888. He has
never forgiven Gen. Garfield for hav.
ing gotten the nomination at Chicago
when he expected it himself.
While many Democrats seem to
think that Mr.. Sherman is q strong
man with his party, the truth is that
his Republican associates do not like
him. He is not a man whom any
body could like without a great effort.
AS in the case of Senator Fdmunds
any liking must be an acquired taste.
Indeed there is such complication Of
dislikes and hatreds and old grudges
among the Republican aspirants that
not many men of real eminence in
the party are solicitous for the NOM
nation in 1888. Said one of them the
other day "what would be the use of
getting n nomination. The Demo
Gratis have come in to stay for long
time"
Returning to the tariff, it seems now
to he foregone conclusion that the
two opposing forcesin Congrests will
cross swords on this issue during the
winter Both sides are in earnest.
An Ohio member remarked yesterday
"This thing has gone on long enough
The tariff must be reduced. We have
a hundred millions coming in
which we do not know what to dc
with.
The tariff reformers and their oppo.
nents have been consulting with each
other, and it is thought another effort
for tariff reform will be made this week
) Speculation upon the probable result
OF that effort would be mere wild con
lecture. Whether Mr.. Morrison's tax
reducing measure joined with that o.
Mr.. HewiIt's custom-adminlstratior
) measure will pass, or whether one will
pass without the other, or whether
some substitute for the one or fol
both will pass, or whether every tariff
proposition will be rejected, it is i'm
possible to say. At present the prop
, osition to abolish the internal revenue
taxes on whisky and tobacco seems tC
be the most formidable rival of Mr.
Morrison's proposition to reduce Gus
tom duties and to extend the list o
I articles that shall be entitled to free
I entry.
The Maine Representatives in Con
, gress are all Republicans and SO they
, do rot indulge in any very fervent
: praise Of the published correspondence
! between our Department of the State
Department and the British Foreign
: Office in regard to the fisheries ques
ton. The only fault they have tt
: find with it, however, is that the
!, storm from the State Department die
not start sooner They agree thai
both Secretary Bayard and our owr
Minister to London are on the right
track now.
The course adopted by the Secreta
: ry of State in sending the fisheries
correspondence to the House of Rep
! resentative instead OF to the Senate
! as is usual, was in reproof OF Senatori
] al discourtesy to the State Depart
ment. Last summer, without gath