The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-12-28
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
ASyIIXGTOy ID {. Dec Is lSS

Senator Sherman made a remark in
regard to the work of the Senate,
which Speaker Carlisle repeated in
reference to the work Of the House,
and it was that there were many
possibilities but few probabilities.
Neither branch Of Congress adhered
to the program which had been ar
ranged for it in the early part Of the
week.
No one expected Il Tariff debate
to come eff in the Senate, but every
body was prepared for an agitation
of the question in the House on
Thursday. AS chance and circum-
stances wculd 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 considera
tion Of revenue bills, and the friends
of the Tariff legislation think his
motion will prevail.
y story was printed TO the effect
that the President had promised to
aid Mr.. Morrison by securing four
votes fer him from the New York
delegation. OF course every body
knew that the President would not
DO anything OF the kind. The story
had its foundation in the fact that
several New York Democratic mem
bers who voted against considera-
tion Of any tariff measure at the last
session, have since changed their
views. and will vote with Mr.. Nor
ris0n.
If the issue cannot he evaded it
is understood that the present plan
Of the Republicans in the House is
to strike Off the tobacco tax %2S,-
000,GC0; 10 strike of 20 per cent. of
the sugar duty, $4,000, ,000; to make
alcohol used in the arts and manu-
factures tax free, which would strike
off $iG.0G0,G00 more. This would
reduce the revenue $4S,000,0G0 in
all.
When the Senate was talkingTar-
III, a disappointing speech was made
by Senator Dawes CT Mass. His as
sociates knew that he was trying to
be reelected to the Senate this win
ter, and as some of his constituents
have views on Tariff subjects, inter
est was felt in the drift of his re-
MARKS. and rather better attention
was given him than the Senate usu-
ally accords to speeches. The Sena-
tor began with platitudes which no
one cared to dispute, dwelt at length
upon the past policy Of the Rcpub
Iican party which, he said, had been
to reduce customs, duties, and in
ternal taxes to the point nearest the
needs Of the Government; criticised
Secretary Mannings report, and fin
ally wound up with some sneering
comments upon the President's mes
sage.
Senator Beck's bill to oprevent Sen
at0rs from acting as attorneys Of
railroads whose interests are liable
to come before the Senate was mutil-
atcd and twisted out Of shape in
Committee by such experts as sena=
tors Evarts and IiOar. The way in
which they cvaGed, postponed dodg
ed and finally modified this measure,
which was so warmly supported by
public opinion, may be called cred
liable to their ingenuity, but not to
their regulations for honesty. And
what is worse still, Senator Edmunds
stood beside these manoeuvrers, as
sisted by Senator Mitchell Of Ore
gon.
The railroad Senators who think
it is all right to legislate upon rail
road matters while taking big fees
as attorneys for railroad corpora
tons, could not stayc of considera-
ton Of the Beck bill altogether, how
ever, and ON Wednesday it came up
for debate.
The Woman Suffragists are com
ing to Washington as usual to hold
their annual convention and they
have asked for the use of the hall Of
the House Of Representatives on the
evenings Of Jan. 25th, 26th, and
2!th. The women want a chance to
be heard literally within the walls
OF Congress, and it is probable they
will have It. The Committee on
Rules is to decide the matter. Rep
resentatiye Townsend of Illinois in-
troduced tie bill, making the request
for the Hall, But said he. this
does not mean that ! am a convert
to woman suffrage"
The President made his first ap-
pearance in public since his illness
at the theatre whsre he saw Law
renee Barrett in ''Rieuzi.' The au-
dience inclnded many others dis
tinguished in public and social life.
Among these in the boxes were no.
ticed Speaker Carlisle, Gems. SAer-
man and Sheridan, Chief Justice
Waite and family, Hon. S. S. Cox
and several Senators and Judges.
Col and Mrs. Lamont sat in the box
with the President and Mrs. Cleve-
land, and obstructed q view Of the
President greatly to the annoyance
OF hundreds Of curious eyes. Some
lingering rheumatism was apparent
ir the presidents deliberate move
ments and slight limp, but other
wise he looked well. On one occa-
sion President Arthur attended the
theatre here in ultra English style,
bringing in his footman to stand at
his box during the performance. On
another occasion, however, he came
without q reserved seat, and as
there was only standing room left,
took Il position in the crowd until
some friend saw and sent for him.