Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-04-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.


of the week was the minority report
of the republican members of the
Ways and Means Committee, which
was presented TO the House with the
Mills tariff bill. 1t created surprise
and almost CONSERVATION among the
democrats, who had supposed that
the minority report would contain
nothing more than general de-
nunciation of the bill.
Great was their surprise therefore
to find that the minority had taken
their bill clause by clause and shown
the evil results which would follow
its adoption. Not satisfied with this,
the wicked minority also proved
that the bill if passed in its present
shape would result in an increase
instead of a reduction Of the reven-
ne of the Government, thus adding
to the surplus which the democrats
are so much afraid of that Cleve-
land refuses to take advantage of
laws already on our statute books to
reduce it.
The document does not by any
means stop with showing up the
intersections Of the Mills bill, but
boldly outlines what the republican
policy is to be on this question; "a
bill which will assuredly diminish
the revenues Of the Government,
without any impairment of the
American system of protection"
The result of this report has been
highly beneficial to the republican
party in the House, which is now
nearer being in perfect harmony on
the tariff question than at any time
for several years.
The rumors of a deal between
President Cleyeland and a number
of the democratic members of the
House who were opposed to the
Mills bill, created no surprise here
where the people have become ac-
quaintcd with Cleveland Pharisee.
ism. The substance of The deal is,
that in return for the votes of these
members for the Mills bill, Mr.
Cleveland has promised to sign the
River and Harbor bill, which has
been fixed up to give the districts
represented by these members un-
usually large appropriations. The
River and Harbor bill which he We
toed last year was far better bill
than this one is which he has prom
ised to sign before it is passed.
Senator Sherman denies the re-
port that he is going to withdraw
from the race for the Presidential
nomination His friends say that
his chances are getting better every
day.
The value of the estate left by the
late Chief Justice Waite is estimated
at $4,000. Senator Gray, of Della
ware, is tavorably mentioned by his
Democratic colleagues for the va
cant Chief Justiceship, and il is said
that siN Of the Justices of the SUI
Ireme Court are in favor Of the pro-
motion OF Justice Field to the
vacancy. Justices Field and Lamar
are the only Democrats on the
Supreme 8ench.
The Senate has devoted much
time recently to The consideration
of the House bill authorizing the
Secretary Of the Treasury to pur-
chase United States bonds with any
surplus funds which may be in the
Treasury. The necessity for this
bill i. not at all apparent The
authority which it confers already
exists, but the President, in order to
drive people to his way Of thinking
on The tariff question it would seem,
pretended to doubt the legality of
the Secretary of the Treasury taking
such steps under the law Of lesI,
and in consequence the surplus has
been piliug mp month after month,
and thc country almost brought Is
the verge 81 a financial panic, an
for the purpose of forcing people
to accept doctrines which their own
good sense teaches them are per
uieious.
Tie House passed This b;a ana