River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-07-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent
Washington. July 2

Senator Chase's bill, providing that
mailable matter of the third class
shall consist of all matter now en-
braced by law in the third and fourth
classes. and shall pay a postage of /
cent for each two ozs., has been favor
ably reported from the Senate COM
mittee on pOstoilices.
The purchase of the craftsmanship
of the national democratic campaign
committee by Calvin Brice, the rail-
road millionaire, has been much dis
cussed here during the past day or
two. lie is to pay for it with a big
contribution TO the corruption fund of
the democratic party. Some say he
promised 100000. 1t will be his first
political experience and the old wheel
horses of the party are much disgust
ed at his being selected.
The discussion of the Mills bill this
week, brought out the sectional points
of that hodge podge in a stronger
light than ever. II protects the in
terests of the South, with the eXcep-
ton of her newly developed iron in
dustries, and let's the interests of all
other sections suffer. 1t goes in for
free wool, but refuses to give the
country free sugar; it admits free of
duty iron ties for baling cotton, but
refuses to admit free hoop iron for
baling hay. These are fair specimens
of the injustice that runs through the
entire measure, which probably be-
fore this paragraph is in print will
have received, by its passage of the
House, the official endorsement of the
democratic party.
Cleveland has evidently got the
whip hand of the democratic House.
OF the large number of democrats
who loudly swore they would never
vote for free wool, only three had the
courage to vote against the dictation
of Cleveland when that clause of the
tariff bill was reached. Those three
were Foran and Wilkerson, of Ohio,
and SOwden, of Pennsylvania.
In spite of the opposition of the
democrats, the Senate has passed the
bill placing John C. Fremont on the
retired list of the army, with the rank
of Major General. This is an honor
that Gen. Fremont has well earned by
great services to his country.
Senator Stewart has been working
hard to have Washington Territory
made state.
The bill introduced by Senator
Spooner some time ago, to put the in.
ter.state telegraph business under
the control of the interstate COM
merce commission, has been favorably
reported upon.
The House conferees have so far re-
fused to agree to all the canal appro-
priations put into the river and har-
Dor bill by the Senate.
The Senate has passed the bill
known as the eight hour claim bill
1t provides that all laborers, workmen
and mechanics, employed by the Gov
eminent since June 5th, 1868, shall be
paid for each eight hours he has been
employed, without any reduction OF
pay on account of the reduction of the
hours of labor.
The select committee to investigate
contract pauper immigration, consists
of Representatives Ford, Spinola,
Oates, Morrow and Guenther. They
will take testimony at New York,
Boston, San Francisco and possibly
other places.
Senator Chandler has made a red
hot speech against the ratification of
the fisheries treaty. He said the
| treaty was a national dishonor, that
the vanity and decrepitude of that
aged statesman, Mr.. Bayard, made it
easy for Mr. Chamberlin, the expert
enced English diplomat to secure a
great victory. He said further that
the great object of the democratic
British alliance, was to pass the Mills
bill. to keep the democratic party in
power, and to destroy the American
tariff system. These injurious as.
saults on American interests, by the
combined forces of English free trade
and Southern democrats, ought to be
met on the threshold by the rejection
of this miserable treaty. In eonclud-
ing Mr.. Chandler pointed out the fact
that this administration had deliber.
ately abandoned the Monroe doctrine.
To the South the Panama canal was
being constructed, and within five
years the Isthmus of Panama was
likely to become a French colony
while the administration was oppos
iug and defeating the Nicaragua cana
scheme. To the North, the Dominion
of Canada was growing stronger anC
more powerful than had ever beer
dreamed of. She was boldly seizing
the transportation interests of The
United States, was forcing her way
into American markets, was perpe
trating outrages on American fishing
vessels, and was forcing the United
States to treat with her on unequa
and degrading terms.
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An Interesting Course of Lectures.