The Portland daily press., 1888-05-08
REED AND M'kINLEY THE MEN
To Speak Last in Opposition to the
Mills Bill.
Senators Say Anew that the Chinese
Must Co.
Various Topics From the City of the
Potomac.

WASHINGTON, May THE debate on the
main question of the Mills bill will close in
the House week from tomorrow. Messrs
Reed and Mckinley will speak last in oppo-
sition and Mr.. Breckenridge of Kentucky and
Speaker Carlisle will close for the bill.
The Fate of TWO Treaties.
The Senate has ratified the Chinese treaty
without division. Senators Teller and
Mitchell set forth the grounds of their oppo-
sition but did not demand vote. Senator
Edmunds has reported the fisheries treaty
adversely, submitting the written majority
report, Senator Morgan has submitted the
favorable minority report. Senator EdmundS
gave notice that he would call up the treaty
a week hence.
The Labor Party.
The convention which meets at Cincinnati
on the 10th inst. to consolidate the Labor
party interests on national ticket has at
tracted but little attention among Congress
men. Representatives of the workingmen' S
interests here in Washington have talked the
matter over with members of the House.
With few exceptions, perhaps not exceeding
three, they have not given the agents OF the
cause the slightest encouragement.
It is said that the nominee Of the conven-
tion will be A. j. Streator. of New Windsor
Ill. Mr. Streator is a we'll known anti-mo-
nopolist He is man of moderate wealth,
and has been for years identified with the
development of the Granger and labor move
ments in the West.
Overtures have been made to two gentle
men now in Congress to accept the n0mlna-
tion, but both have declined. One Of these
gentlemen is General Weaver OF Iowa.. Inc
other is Henry Smith, the Independent LABOR
Representative from Milwaukee, ;,
General Weaver was the Greenback candl-
date for the Presidency in 1880. HIS 1rienas
say that his reason for declining Presiden-
tial honor this year is that he can do the
cause of labor more service as Representa-
tive in Congress than in leading forlorn
hope as the head of third party.
Mr.. Smith was probably influenced Dy e Lne
same consideration, as the report reaches
here from the Northwest that he Will De re-
elected to his present seat in the House.
Some of the labor champions in Congress,
assert that the third partys strength VIII
comprise the regular party Leaders, iney
Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan and Illinois. for
example-they Twill poll an Unexpectedly
strong vote.
unwarrantabIe Interference.
Secretary of War receiving pretty severe
handling by the pens of military writers for
the recent snubbing of Gen. Gibbon, because
he assumed the right to pardon soldier COM
mitted to the penitentiary by a court martial
which had been ordered from his headquar-
tiers. Some of the ablest military critics in
the country are taking the position that the
Secretary of War, the President and the At
torney General have committed themselves
to a wholly untenable position, and have re-
yised the construction placed for a hundred
years upon the article of war involved. The
powerful review of the Secretary's opinions,
which appears in the last number OF the Ar
my and Navy Journal, is regarded here as
unanswerabe, and as leaving the Secretary
and the President in most unenyiable pc 81
tion.
Our Trouble With Morocco.
The State Department announces
that the Tangier affair has been sub
mitted 10 arbitration between Consul
Lewis and the agents of the Sultan of Nor
they cannot agree. The presence Of man
war at Tangier is purely incidental.
Notes.
Mr.. Henry f. Spaulding, treasurer of the
American committee of the Statue of Liber-
by, ID III fdouiuSbOu uPOA htouioSao
Of Congress an appropriation of $4,000 to
complete the arches and stairway of the ped
estal, the work to be done under the super
vision of the light house board. The memo
randum Mr.. Spaulding presents makes a
strong showing as to the necessity OF the
work.
Senator Voorhees, will be given a reception
by the members of the Indiana Democratic
club in Washington on the night of the 18th
instant. On that occasion the Senator will
review the charges made against him by Mr.
Ingalls, that he was not in sympathy with the
Union during the war, and will read docu-
mentary evidence to show that the charges
are untrue.
Ira G. White has been appointed post
master at Whites Corner, Maine.
The Senate public buildings and grounds
committee, today, acted favorably upon bills
for public building at Bar Harbor, Maine,
appropriating $25,:00. and at Nashua, N. H.,
appropriating $4,000.