The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-12-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
Eanator Roolio ahoan,a bos

From our Regular Correspondent
Senator Beck's absence has been sc.
riously felt in the Senate since the re.
publican tariff bill has been taken up.
He is the one democratic Senator who
has the whole subject at his fingers
ends, and hope that he would be able
to resume his seat at the present ses-
sion, together with the idea, which for
some reasons was prevalent among the
democratic Senators, that the republi-
cans would not take up the tariff at
this session has doubtless prevented the
democratic Senators from preparing
themselves to make as stout. a resist.
ance as was expected of them to the
passage of the bill This may be
remedied yet, but as it stands now, the
democrats of the Ho1se are expressing
great dissatisfaction at what they call
the "apathy" of democratic Senators.
Mr.. Cleveland is also understood to be
dissatisfied In the meantime Senator
Beck's physician has ordered him to
spend the winter in the south, and he
will go to Aiken, S. G.
Representative Mills has broken down
under the immense strain of the last
session and the campaign. He will go
in search of health, and is not expected
to return TO Washington during this
sessi on.
Last week it looked for a while as if
the republicans were to lose the next
House after all, recount in several
close districts resulting in favor of the
democrats, and even now they appear
to have majority OF only one, which
so far as legislation is concerned is
hardly better than minority. The
would-be speakers of the next House
are all on the anxious bench.
Secretary Whitney has ordered three
naval vessels to proceed to Hayti as
soon as they can be made
ready for sea, to enforce the demand
made by the State Department for the
release of an American vessel illegally
seized by the Haytian Government.
One republican has been discovered
who says that under no circumstances
would he be a member of Harrison's
cabinet. 1t is Senator Palmer, of
Michigan. He says that after the
fourth of March he is going to be a
farmer.
No signs of the "busiNess session of
which we have recently heard so much,
have yet been discovered in Congress.
Already the members are begin
ing to talk about the Holiday recess,
although short time ago that was to
he dispensed with this year.
No legislation looking to the almis
sion of new stGtes is probable at this
session, The democrats are wiling TO
prss bill for the admission of Dakota
as one state, provided that New Mexi-
60 is admit d at the same time.
This does not SUIT the republicans.
A bill has been introduced in the
House to make two states out of Cali
fornia, but nothing is expected to come
ont of it at this session.
| Secretary Whitney favors the estab-
lshment in this city of an Army and
Navy Museum. The government has
in it's possession many articles that
would make such an establishment a
very interesting one to visitors, and the
idea has been received with such favor
that it is probable that Congress will
pass bill to that effect
Senator Butler has introduced Joint
resolution, proposing a constitutional
amendment extending the presidential
term to six years. 1t is an excellent
idea, and should he adopted with an
amendment making the President
ineligible for second term.
The House committee on invalid
pension has reported the pensions ap
propriated is SSl,767, 500, and yet some
people are not satisfied with the liberal
ity of the Government towards its for
mer soldiers.
Senator Plumb, in few remarks on
the Senate tariff bill, made the fac,
very plain that he does not approve of
that measure as it now stands. He
called attention to the duty on silvered
glass, which caused every bureau
manufactured to cost from two to
three dollars more than it otherwise
would. 1t is not made in the United
States, and Mr.. plumb thinks that i,
should go on the free list. He also
spoke of the steel trust, and mentioned
the fact that large sums of money haye
been saved in the construction of the
State House of Texas and a public
building at Wichita, Kansas, by the
purchase of steel joistes, beams etc
abroad. If Senator Plumb is noG NOR,
ar,ful in his speeches he will rise W
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