New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-02-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, D. c., Jan. 21

.
predecessors. The House Committee
on commerce have the subject of the
Reading railroad now before them. II
has been Informally discussed, and the
fact developed, that about one half the
committee are opposed to any Con.
gressional investigation, believing il
any is necessary, it is within the pro-
vince of the Interstate Commerce
Commission to make it. The question
| will be called up again tomorrow,
when a delegation of Knights of Labor
who want Congressional investigation
will endeaver to get a hearing.
Congressional Investigations are al.
ways popular with certain class OF
Congressman, particularly if the cor
porations and individuals happen to be
wealthy. Impecunious Congressman
want all the opportunity for fat pick
ings that they can get, and they are
sure to make the most of their oppor.
tunities. The latest proposed investi,
CATION is that provided Dy Mr.. Mason's S
bill, which proposes to empower Con.
gressional committee to investigate all
the trusts and combines that have been
entered into by firms, corporations,
and individuals in Coal, Sugar, Mining
and kindred subjects. The House Com.
mittee on Manufactures has unanimous
ly agreed to report this bill favorably
and they are expected to do so early
this week. Then these impecunious
Congressman will begin to indulge in
champagne and terrapin stew, and to
ride to and from the Capitol in coupes
instead of the plebian street cars and
herdics.
1t is said there IS a strong lobby with
unlimited cash behind them who are
here for the express purpose of oppos-
ING this bill. 1t it were not for this
lobby it is extremely doubtful whether
the investigation would ever have been
proposed.
Just why Secretary Villas, late Post
master General, should have been will
ing and apparently anxious to go down
a grade in official dignity as he did in
accepting the portfolio of the Interior
Department, has been quite puzzling to
a great many people. The whole mat
ter is explained, however, by the fol-
lowing official order which was made
public on Saturday.
Secretary Villas has relieved Assist
ant Secretary Muldrow of the care of
supervising land decisions, and in the
future he will devote his personal at
tention 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 os Cleve-
lands reelection. Keep your eye on
Villas and his land decisions between
now and next November.
The Postotfice Department has issued
a circular giving the construction 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 re-
ceived the Presidents signature on Sat-
urday.
The anti-Randall Democrats in Con.
gress are wild with Joy over the defeat
of the Randall candidate for the chair
manship of the Democratic State Gen.
tral Committee, of Pennsylvania, and
the passage by that committee of a res
olution strongly endorsing Cleveland
and commencing his recommendation
for reducing the tariff Mr.. Randall
keeps cool, and says the result will not
change his legislative course one iota;
but he does not intimate what that
course will be duriug the present ses-
sion of Congress. But it is safe to say
that his opinion on the tariff has not
undergone any change since the ad-
journment of the forty ninth Congress.
1t is claimed by anti-internal revenue
men, that Randall is with them in their
EXTREMIST measures, while others will
tell you that he only favors the aboli'
ton of the tobacco tax and still few
very few, others will tell you that he
will favor the bill for reducing the tar.
iff, that will be reported by the Com
mittee on Ways and Means. The fact
CT the matter is, no one knows what
Randall intends doing. He has not
committed himself. His enemies think
that his defeat in Pennsylvania will de-
prive him of some of his prestige anG
| power in the House. We shall see.
The Last Chance.
The Chicago & North Western Ry
| ~ ,,,;1l coll ro,,~I C,I: