The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-12-20
THE COUNTRY'S CAPITAL.
SOME THINGS HAPPENING IN
WASHINGTON CITY.

| SOME THINGS HAPPENING In
WASHINGTON CITY.
What Congress is Doing and What II
Proposes to Do--Our Regular Week.
ly Washington Letter.
Especial Correspondence to the Sentinel
| WASHINGTON, Dec. III have In
terviewed number of Congressman
and officials within the past few days
as to the probability of any legislation
this winter affecting the internal rev.
enue tax Senator Vance says "the
internal revenue amendments are a
part of the general tariff bill and as
the House and Senate will never agree
on tariff bill, nothing will be done
this session."
Hon. John S. Henderson says posi-
lively "that no measures affecting the
internal revenue tax will pass during
this Congress. He believes the mai
ority of Democrats in Congress think
as he does, on this subject Mr..
Brewer has promised me his opinion
at later date. Commissioner Miller
says, "You may quote me as saying
there will be no Legislation this win.
ter which will affect the internal rev.
enue system, and moreover, I don't
believe there will be an extra session
of Congress"
There is only one way in which the
internal revenue tax will be reduced
or repealed and it is not probable that
course will be pursued. have heard
it limited at, however. 1t is this. If
a separate bill is introduced in the
House to repeal the system, the Re-
publicans with the North Carolina
and Virginia delegations and some
other Democratic members will pass
it. Such bill would pass the Senate
beyond a doubt. Nothing definite
has yet developed in this direction and
probably will not, The House has
enough work to do by the time 1t ex-
pires by limitation to occupy its en-
tire time.
~
Contrary to the opinion of many OF
my friends, believe there will be an
extra session and as soon as that extra
session is convened, the Republicans
1
North Carolina and Virginia by re-
pealing the entire internal revenue
system. There are many reasons why
an extra session is desirable by the
Republicans. First, they have the
House by majority of about three.
They will wish to take control, get the
Speakership, and other patronage of
the House, at once for the average
death rate of a summer might change
this status quo. After this extra ses
sion meets, the contested election cases
will be managed SO as to give the Re
publicans safer majority. The g. o.
p. is not given to political generosity
and the Democrats who expect it will
be most grievously disappointed. The
admission of the Northwestern terri
tories as States, the repeal of this in
ternal revenue system, aud other
measures of minor political impor-
tance will also tempt the Republicans
to avail themselves promptly of all
the advantages they have gained.
The Republicans are disappointed
at the evident determination of the
Democratic Senators to fight the Sen
ate tariff bill at every point. and pre-
vent it being railroaGed through with
out having its defects pointed out. 1t
is understood that they are now be.
ginning to fear they will be unable to
pass it until very late in the session.
if at all. Even if they should pass ii
then, it is doubted by prominent men
at the other end of the capitol wheth
er the House will do anything With it
and there have been some quiet and
informal conferences between Repub-
lican Representatives and their party
friends in The Senate as to the course
of action to be pursued.
Among the suggestions thrown Out
is the probability of the passage of
bill under suspension of rules to repea
the tobacco tax few weeks after the
beginning of the new year, and that Ii
might be practicable to get such {
bill through, even with the addition
of free list and change of admins
trative features of the tariff laws. The
hope Of this scheme is based upon The
supposition that the Democrats from
the tobacco States would support sucf
bill as the only chance for the mex
year to get rid Of the tobacco tax.
The low tariff Democrats in tn,
House laugh at this idea, and say i
only shows th.t the Republicans are
sin hole," out of which the Demo
Gratis certainly will not help them
They say the Democrats have passed .
bill repeating the tobacco tax, which
the Senate can agree to if they like
that no Democrat will ask the Speak
er to recognize him to move to sus
pend the rules to pass such bill, ant
Speaker Carlisle will as firmly refus
to recognize any Republican for thi
purpose as he did two years ago, il
the second session Of the Forty-nint
Congress.
| Other Republicans say the Demo
Gratis of the Ways and Means Com
mittee may depend upon having
chance to act upon the Senate substi
tute for the Mills bill in good time
and if they choose to go back on thei
professions of axinety to reduce tarii
duties by ignoring the Senate bill the
are at liberty to do it, and thereb
emphasize the insincerity of their pro
fessions. The fact seems to be tbs
those Republicans who desire an extr
! session of Congress would be please
to have the tariff and internal revenu
questions left untouched by the Houe
this session, because this would suppl
a strong reason for the convening I