Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-09-07
VOLUME XXVIII.-NUMBER IL.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondence Of the Standard.
WASHINGTON, Aug. "a, 1883.

WASHINGTON, Aug. "a, 1883.
Senator Reagan, who does not be
lirvc with Mr.. Bllne that trusts AT,
private affairs, has introduced sub
etituie for his former bill definin.
trusts, and providing for the punish
hi"nt OF persons connected with them
Ht says he proposes to have his bill
voted on at this session il possible.
A substitute for the bill to, give Mrs
Sheridan a pension Of 5000 a veal
has been reported from the Senate
Committee on Pensions. 1t reduce,
the amount to SO 800 year.
The Chinese prohibition bill wa.
unanimously passed by the House
after the discussion had brought out
Harrisun's damaging record on tn.
Chinese question.
There seems to be no limit to some
peoples ideas OF pensions. "A bill
came up i'll the Senate this week which
proposed to pension the daughter of II
soldier in the Revolutionary wal. II
was not passed, nor even voted upon
so great was the opposition.
Democratic Representatives who are
absent on leave may have their leaves
revoked, as there seems to be a dispo-
sition on the pait of the Republicans
to bring about n deadlock.
Representative Hooker, of Mississip-
pi, has introduced bill changing the
time for the assembling of the Fifty
first and subsequent Congresses to the
first Monday in March of each year,
instead Of the first Monday in Decem-
ber
The Republican Senate has rejected
the fisheries treaty, and now they are
frightened to death lest Mr. Cleveland
should take advantage of the power
conferred upon him by the Retalia-
ton Act" to bring about strained rela-
tions with England
Notwithstanding the fact that the
Treasury Department paid out $1O,-
OOO, 600 this week on account of pen
sions, the total receipts for August up
to date are $1,000, 900 in excess of the
disbursements.
Senator German, who has just re-
turned from Democratic headquarters
in New York, says: Everything is
being done by our managers there that
is possible. They cannot shape the
canvass. They can only send out doc
uments, look after organization and
encourage active work. They are do
ing all that. There is no friction
whatever, nor is any change needed
or thought of. am satisfied with the
outlook"
The Republican lie about the sur
plus for the present year having been
entirely exhausted by the appropria-
tions made by Congress has been COM
pletely exploded by an official state
ment made by the Treasury Depart
ment, which shows that with all the
appropriations made and expected to
be made, the estimated receipts of the
Government will give surplus of
nearly $27 100000.
The Republican Senators are still
trying to agree ON the tariff question.
Senator Quay left their New York
headquarters this week long enough
to come here and add his voice to that
of Mr.. Blaine in trying to persuade the
Senators not to offer a substitute for
the Mills bill. The Republican men,
bers of the Finance Committee still
persist in saying that they will report
a tariff bill.
1t is believed here that the Demo-
Gratis can hold their own in the House
at the coming election. In fact
slight increase in the majority is fig
ured on at the headquarters of the
Congressional Committee.
Representative Matson declined a
silver pitcher and goblets which was
presented to him by Government
printing Office employees for his help in
getting the bill passed giving them
thirty days annual leave. He says he
is opposed to being rewarded for doing
what he considers to be his duty.
l understand that Mr.. Cleveland's
letter of acceptance is to be given out
next week.
Senator Beck wants to abolish the
Treasury sinking fund. He says there
is enough money lying idle in the
Treasury to-day to pay off every one
of the four and half per cent. bonds
without any embarrassment to the
Government The requirement of
sinking fund, which had been fraud
for ten years, was designed simply to
maintain taxes. The sinking fund
was maintained for no other purpose
than to keep up taxes and to put
money in the pockets of bondholders
by enabling them to combine together.
They had already (within five months)
put up the price of bonds 5 per cent,
and they would put it up so per cent.
within year unless the sinking fund
laws were repealed. Mr.. Beck has in
troduced an amendment to the House
tariff bill, suspending all the laws re-
lating to the sinking fund. He has
also introduced bill to repeal these
laws. Dem.
THE Norwegians are breaking up
worn out wooden ships in q singular
way. They take the vessel to some
dangerous point on the coast and an
chor it there, leaving it to be broken
into bits by the sea in the first heavy
gale. The fragments are carried
ashore, and are collected and sold at