Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1888-12-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.

~ VIC icf'uoiiCuu euDStltute ~
the Mills tariff bill, the Senate
| having promptly taken th,
measure up, and the defeat o
Senator Harris m ot,on to lay o,
the table makes it absolutely
certain that the bill will pass the
Senate substantially in its present
shape. Thus the democratic
predictions of division in the
republican ranks on thestarif,have
been elfectually disposed of. The
only item in the measure that is
not wholly approved of by the
republicans, is that removing the
tax from alcohol used in manufact-
ures and the arts, and that is not
opposed, but some republicans,
among them Senator Sherman,
have doubts as to whether the
enforcing of that portion of the
bill will not have tendency to
encourage fraud. But this doubt
will not cause them to vote
against that section on the bill.
On the contrary they express them
selves anxious to see the expert
ment tried, believing the result
aimed at to be good one.
Contrary to general expectation,
the opening to Congress found
about two thirds of both Houses
in their seats. Mr.. Cleyeland's
message, though an unusually
long one, made little impression
on the members, owing largely to
the bad temper displayed in that
portion of it relating to the tariff,
pension, and other Congressional
legislation. But the republican
members, who are feeling partic-
ularly good, found little difficulty
IN excusing him for the pettish-
ness displayed. They argued that
a man who has just had both
himself and his pet hobby repudi-
ated by the people, could not be
expected to be in an angelic frame
of mind.
Senator Vance made several
Intellectual attempts to amend the
internal revenue section of the
Senate tariff bill in the interest of
his "moonshiner' constituents,
whom he fears may be put in jail
by the new Federal officials, but
the republicans promptly voted
them down, not being Influenced
by the fear of the "moonshiners"
votes.
A resolution has been offered
IN the House making the postal
telegraph bill a special order for
Dec. "A. 1t IVES referred to the
committee on rules, but it is not
thought that it will be possible to
get this bill up until late in the
session, if at all.
Mr.. Springer endeavored to get
unanimous consent of the House
on Wednesday 10 call up the
omnibus bill for the admission of
Dakota, Montana, Washington
and New Mexico. Mr.. Grosyenor,
of Ohio, objected, at the same
time stating that the gentleman
from Illinois had shown no i
anxiety during the last long ses-
sion to bring this bill uH
Everything az the capitol points
to an extra session OF the Fifty
first Congress. Representative
Payson, who was one of the firse |
members to advocate an extra
session, thinks that the new Con-
gress will meat in April; that If
will pass the present Ssnate tariff
bill (Which he does not think will
get through the present House,
that it will admit South Dakota,
Montana and Washington Terri
tory, and pass an enabling act for
Dakota, and also that it will per-
feet some general pension legis-
latlon. Continuing. Mr.. Payson
said: L have no desire to conceal
our motive for admitting the
territories in the spring. We
have very small majority in
each House. More especially in
the Senate is it desirable that
this majority should be increased
in the Fifty-frst Congress.
These three Territories are enti-
led to representation during the
lew Congress. | lhink we should
admit these territories during an
'xtra spring session, so that they
nay be fully organized into States
md send six Senators and as
many Representatives as they are
ntltled to, to be regularly en-
oiled as part of the Fifty-frst
congress at the regular meeting
n December. This would give us
good working majority in both I !
ranches of Congress. E
There are now four ayowed v
in the field for the b
peakership of the next House, @
lessrs Reed, Mckinley, Cannon Q
nd Burrows; and the friends of
ach express themselves as con-
dent of winning, but if the caucus
as to be held now | doubt very
luch whether any of them cnnld