Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-05-24
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON, May 14th, 1888.


Mr.. Cleveland is in q glorious good
humor these bright spring days, and
he has good cause to be, for no docu-
ment in the history of this Government
has had such good and immediate effect
upon the people of the country as did
his celebrated message to Congress urg-
ing revenue reform.
1t is not six months since that mes
sage was sent to Congress, and instead
of the Democratic party being torn to
flinders as the croakers predicted, the
party is to-day marching in solid
phalanx to the music of revenue re-
| form. State after State as they hold
their conventions join in the grand
chorus and 'ere long the glad tidings
will be echoed from the Atlantic to the
Pacific and from the Gulf of Mexico to
| the Dominion of Canada.
But even this bright picture has a
sombre side, caused by shadows thrown
from group of Democratic members
who, under the leadership of Mr.. Sam
uel Randall, of Pennsylvania, have
mutinied against the Administration,
at least in this matter. This group is
growing smaller and smaller, however,
and their constituents are beginning to
be heard from. Already one of them
has been defeated for denomination
solely on account of his opposition to
the Mills tariff bill, and more of them
will 90 the same way unless they come
into the party lines while there is yet
time to reform.
A bill has been introduced into the
House to erect monument in this city
to the memory of Gen. w. S. Hancock,
and the bill will go through this ses-
sion. if it is not overlooked in the hurry
and excitement of national conventions
and much more that is connected with
the Presidential campaign.
The Republican Senators who are
members of the Judiciary committee
are in no hurry to make report on the
nomination of Mr.. Fuller for Chief
Justice of the United States. Still the
report will be all right when it is made,
because they can find no reason for its
being otherwise, and as the Supreme
Court adjourned to-day until next DC
tober, there is no particular hurry
about the confirmation.
!. Owing to the large number of mem
! bers who are down for speeches on the
, Mills tariff bill, it has been definitely
, settled to continue the general debate
until Saturday the 10th inst. inclusive
| At caucus of the Democratic mem
bers it was decided that all Democrats
proposing to offer amendments to the
, bill should submit them to the Demo
, cratic members of the Ways and Means
Committee for consideration and re
J mort TO another caucus to be held thi
week, Mr.. Randall gave notice tina
f he would not be bound by caucus acti"!
: on this question.
e A large number of amendments hav'
been submitted to the committee in &C
9 cordance with the above, and Saturda!
afternoon was spent in considering
4 them and in hearing the statements 0
It the gentlemen who proposed them
: No decision has yet been arrived at b.
: the committee, but it is probable tina
9 they will report In favor of som
e amendments to the bill, in the interes
f of party harmony. The final passag
= of the bill is still doubtful owing to tn
q stubbornness of Randall Democrats.
q The River and Harbor bill whic
IS passed the House appropriates $2o, 900
l. 600.
h The Senate has ratified the Chimes
: treaty, and passed the Internation'
l. Copyright bill; also the bill forfeitin
l. all unearned railroad land grants
ID There was no division on any OF tf
. above measures except the copyrigt
1t bill and only ten Senators voted again
II it. ..s...
d One of the ablest speeches yet mao
Is on the tariff was on Friday last by Col
D. gresham Scott, the millionaire
er Erie, Pennsylvania. Mr.. Scott is
" member of the Ways and Means Con
: mittee: o confidential friend of Il
r President, and the owner of large co
d. mines and iron manufactures. ~
m these different reasons his speech WI
IS, attentively heard. He made a stror
le argument bristling with figures al
ss facts in favor of the bill and In concl
III sion said: I'VE are hear, sir-we, Il
t. majority of the Ways and Means Cor
e. mittee and of this House, defen
th Of American industry. We alone OH
e. It protection; we seek alone the ind
ry pendence and aggrandizement
ID domestic labor by liberating 1t fro
in unnatural restraints and allowing