Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-01-27
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Written and compiled tor the HERALD.
WASHINGTON. Ian. %. 1888.

committee on commerce have the
subject of the Reading railroad now
before them. Ii has been informal
ly discussed, and the fact developed,
that about One-half the committee
are opposed to any Congressional
investigation, believing if any is
necessary, it Is within the province
of the Inter State Commerce Com
mission to make 1t. The question
will be called up again tomorrow,
when delegation of Knights of
Labor who want a Congressional
investigation, will endeavOr to get
a hearing.
Congressional Investigations are
always popular with a certain class
Of Congressman, particularly if the
corporations and individuals hap
pen to be wealthy. Impecunious
congressman want all the Opportu-
nifty for fat pickings that they can
get, and they are sure TO make the
most OF their opportunities. The
latest proposed investigation is
that provided by Mr.. Mason's bill,
which proposes to empower a Con-
gressiOnal committee to Investigate
all the trusts and combines that
have been entered into by firms,
corporations, aud individuals in
coal, sugar, mining, and kindred
subjects. The House committee
OH manufactures has unanimously
agreed to report this bill favoraoly
and they are expected to do so ear
lly this week. Then these impecu-
NOUS congressman will begin to in
dulge in champagne and terrapn
stew. and to ride to and from the
Capitol in coupes instead OF the
pIebeian street cars and herdics.
1t is said there is strong lobby
with unlimited cash behind them,
who are here for the express pur'
pose of opposing this bill. If 1t
were not for this lobby it is ex-
tremely doubtful whether the IN
vestigation would ever have been
proposed.
Just why Secretary Villas, late
Postmaster General, should have
been willing and apparently anx.
ious to go down a grade in official
dignity as he did IN accepting the
portfolio of the Interior Depart
ment, has been quite puzzling to a
great many people. The whole
matter is explained, however, by
the following official order WHICH
was made public on Saturday.
"Secretary Villas has relieved AS
slstant Secretary MuldrOw of the
care of supervising land decisions,
and in the future he will devote bis
personal attention to them"
Which means in plain English
that from this time on, the entire
public land system OF the United
States is to be manipulated in the
interest of Cleveland's reelection.
Keep your eye on Villas and his
land decisions between now and
next November.
The POstOfiice Department has IS
sued a circular giving the construc-
tiOn that the department Will put
upon the new law concerning the
amount of printing or writing that
may be placed on the wrappers of
second, third, and fourth class mail !
matter. This new law received the |
Presidents signature on saturday. |
The anti.Randall Democrats in
Congress are wild with JOY over the |
defeat of the Randall candidate for
the craftsmanship of the Democratic
State Central Committee, of Penn
sylYanla, and the passage by that
committee of a resolution strongly
Cleveland and commend
ing bis recommendation for reducing
the tariff. Mr.. Randall keeps cool,
and SAYS the result will not change
his legislative course one iOta; bat
be does not intimate what that
course will be during the present
session of Congress. But it is safe
to say that his opinion on the tariff
ias not undergone any change
since the adjournment of the forty
D nth Congress. 1t is claimed by
anti internal revenue men. that Ran.
lall is with them in their EXTREMIST
measures, while others will tell you
hat he only fdvOrs the abolition of
he tobacco tax; and still few,
yery few, others will tell you that
le will favor the bill for reducing
he tariff, that will be reported by
he Committee on Ways and Means.
The fact of the matter is, no one
,nOws what Randall intends doing.
lie has not committed himself. His
nemies think that his defeat in
pennsylvania will deprive him of {
ONE of his prestige and power IN {
be House. We shall see.
Ex-senator Henry e.. Davis, OF :
Vest Virginia, makes frequent /
rips TO the Capitol. | saw him |
he other day on the floor of the +
enate chamber. lie was evident.
2 in the best of spirits and was
he centre OF an interested group
+ listeners. After he had gone |
as told of a dinner party gwen in ,
-. Nn.l. -. 1000 nnuin ~ "a '