Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-03-09
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Written and compiled Tor the HERALD

WASHINGTON, Mar. 8, 1888.
Senator HiscOck's Presidential
boom has made rapid strides to
wards the front during the pas
few days.
"DeacOnn White, who represents
one of the Brooklyn, n. Y, dis
tricts in the House OF Represen
tatiyes and who is also generally
believed to represent Jay Gould
and his manifold interests in the
same body, in fact it is openly
stated here that he purchased his
nomination and election for that
purpose only, made himself con
spicuous by spiritedly attacking
the Pacific railroad telegraph bill
in the House on Saturday. His
argument was perfectly absurd
He said that the pending bill was
only buncOmbe and would accom-
plish nothing that the present laws
failed to do, and vet the gentle
man was ready to foam at the
mouth for fear the bill would pass,
as it subsequently did.
Senator Sherman's bill amending
the laws governing Chinese emmi-
grafton passed through the Senate
safely on Thursday. Among Its
most violent antagOnizers was the
Senator from Florida, Mr.. Call,
who characterized the bill aS one
undertaking to prove that the
world was made wrong because OF
the 400 millions of Chinese in 1t.
The mountain which has been in
labor, for 10. these many months,
has at last brought forth the
mouse. The tariff bill prepared by
the democratic majority of the
WAYS and Means Committee Of the
House, and which was submitted
TO the whole committee and made
public, was the event of the week
at the Capitol.
1t has already made a perceptl'
BILE chasm IN the democratic party.
1t does not go far enough for the
ont and out free traders, while it
goes entirely too far in the dlrec-
ton of tree trade for the Randall
wing of the democratic party. Mr..
Randall calls the bill vicious.
The new bill is heartily approved
by Cleveland and his Secretary of
the Treasury. Nothing strange in
that, as it is more than probable
that they both bad a hand in its
construction. Still it is extremely
doubtful whether all the power of
the Administration, which will I'M
dOubtedly be brought to bear on
Directing members, can succeed in
getting the bill passed by the
House. Petitions are already be.
ginning to come in opposing the
passage of the bill, the very first
received being from the glass
blowers.
Senator Vance says the bill does
not meet with the wishes of North
Carolina because it Omits internal
revenue relief. Members and Sena-
tors from the tobacco growing
states all object to it because 1t
does not repeal the tobacco tax.
The Senate Committee on the
District of Columbia have decided
in favor of local option for the
District, and an effort will shortly
be made to give its citizens an OPP
portunity to decide the much agl-
tated question of liquor by their
own votes.
The Dependent Pension bill has
been amended by the Senate to in
clude all soldiers who served IN the
war with Mexico and all who served
for thirty days or longer in any Of
the Indian wars.
The House Committee on invalid
pensions has favOrably reported
the bill relating to claims for
pension by dependent parents. 1t
provides that in considering such
claims, it having been shown after
the soldiers death that he was en-.
titled to a pension, and that he left
no widow or dependent children, it
shall be necessary only to show by
competent and sufficient evidence
that such parent or parents are
without other means of support
than their own manual labor or the
contributions of others not legally
bound for their support. The same
committee also favOrably reported
a bill providing that the pension
money Of any pensiOner who is in
the habit of becoming intoxicated
and who neglects to support those
lawfully dependent upon him, shall
be paid to the wife of such pension.
er, if she be proper person to re-
ceive it or to legally cOnstltu ted
and qualified guardian.
Again last week Senator Pad
dock paid his respects to the Adj
in some pointed re-
marks upon the present inefficient
mail service that is being given to
the country.