The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-05-18
WASHINGTON LETTER
From our Regular Correspondent
WAsuINaroN Nav 14tt

WASHlNGTON LETTER
From our Regular Correspondent
WAsniNaroN, May 14th, 1888.
Mr. Cleveland is in a glorious good
numor these bright Spring days, aud
he has good cause to be, for no docu.
ment in the history of thus Government
has had such good and immediate ef-
feet upon the people Of the country as
did his celebrated message to Congress
urging revenue reform.
II is not yet six months siuce that
message was sent TO Congress, and in
stead Of the democratic party being
torn to flinders as the croakers pre-.
dicted, the party is today marching in
a solid phalanx to the music of reve-
nue. reform. State after State as they
hold their conventions join in The grand
chorus and ere long the glad tidings
will be echoed from the Atlantic to the
Pacific and from the Gulf of mexico
to the dominion of Canada.
But even this bright picture has
sombre side, caused by shadows thrown
from a group of democratic members
who under the leadership of Mr..
Samuel Randall, of Pennsylvania,
have mutinied against the Administra-
ton, at least in this matter. This
group is growing smaller and smaller,
however, and their constituents are be-
ginning to be heard from. Already
one Of them has been defeated for
denomination solely on account of his
opposition to the Mills tariff bill, and
more of them will go the same way un-
less they come into the party lines
while there is yet time to reform
A bill has been introduced into the
House to erect monument in this
city to the memory of Gen. w. S.
Hancock, and the bill will 60 through
this session, If it is not overlooked in
the hurry and excitement of national
conventions and much more that is
connected with the Presidential cam
paign.
The republican Senators who are
members of the judiciary committee
are in no hurry to make report on
the nomination of MIR. Fuller for Chief
Justice of the United States. Still the
report will be all right when it is made
because they can find no reason for its
being otherwise, and as the Supreme
Court adjourned today until next Oc-
tober, there is no particular hurry
about the confirmation.
Owing TO the large number of men,
who are down for speeches on the
Mills tariff bill, it has been definitely
settled to continue the general debate
until Saturday the 10th inst. inclusive.
At caucus of the democratic members
it was decided that all democrats pro-
posing to offer amendments to the bill
should submit them to the democratic
members of the Ways and Means
Committee for consideration and re-
port to another caucus to be held this
week. Mr.. Randall gave notice that
he would not be bound by caucus &C.
ton on this question.
A large number of amendments
have been submitted to the committee
in accordance with the above, and
Saturday afternoon was spent in con-
sideriug them and in hearing the state
ments of the gentleman who proposed
them. No decision has yet been arriv-
ed at by the committee, but it is pro-
bable that they will will report in ia
vor of some amendments to the bill, in
the interest of party harmony. The
final passage of the bill is still doubt.
full owing to the stubborness of the
Randall democrats.
The River and Harbor bill which
passed the House appropriates $780,
100000.
The Senate has ratified the CHINESE
treaty, and passed the International
Copyright bill; also the bill forfeiting
all unearned railroad land grants.
There was no division on any of the
above measures except the copyright
bill and only ten Senators voted against
it.
One of the ablest speeches yet made
on the tariff was on Friday last by
Congressman Scott, the millionaire of
Erie, Pennsylvania. Mr.. Scott is a
member of the Ways and Means com
mittee, a confidential friend of the Pres
ident, and the owner of large coal
mines and iron manufactures. For
these different reasons his speech was
attentively heard. He made strong
argument bristling with figures and
facts in favor of the bill and in con-
clusion said: "We are here, sir-we,
the majority of the Ways and Means
Committee aud of this House--in de-
fense of American industry. We alone
offer it protection; we seek alone the
independence and aggrandizement of
domestic labor by liberating it from
unnatural restraints and allowing it the
undisturbed possession and the com
plete enjoyment of its own earnings
The other side offer it-whati A mon
opolized market in which to buy the
neccesaries of life on the one hand,
and on the other labor market sub
ject to the caprice of trusts" Among the
distinguished people who heard Mr..
Scots speech were Mrs. Cleveland,
Postmaster Stevenson, who, by the
way, has declined 10 allow his name to
be used in connection with the guber-
material nomination in Illinois.