Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-20
WORK BEFORE CONGRESS.
A Talk with Senators and Representatives
on Questions to Be Brought Up During
the Coming session-The Tariff Issue
Need of General Election Law.

the Coming Session-The Tariff Issue
Need Of General Election Law.
fsrkcIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.i
w AsHINGToN, October 19--The great ques-
tions of the day will be brought up early in the
session of the Fifty-frst Congress. Asmost OF
them will be presented as party measures. the
contests, both in the Senate and the House,
Will be hard fought. Talks with Senators and
Representatives now in Washington afford
good idea of what may be expected.
To THE DISPATCH correspondent Senator
Joseph N. Dolph, of Oregon, said:
Fifteen thousand bills, more or less, will be
introduced in the two branches of Congress.
They will embrace all the subjects within the
scope of Congressional legislation and many
outside of it, and the great mass Of them will,
as usual, get no further than a reference to q
committee. Among the important subjects
Congress will be called upon to consider Is that
of the coast defenses. The story of the de-
fenseless condition of our extensive sea coast Is
getting to be an old one Aside from making
provision for the construction of few modern
guns for coast defenses Congress has practi-
cally done nothing in this matter. Adequate
coast defenses are demanded by the public sem
timent OF the country, and the condition Of the
Federal Treasury warrants the necessary ex-
penditure to provide for them. What is needed
is the adoption of general plan and an appro-
priation at one time of sufficient sum, to be
available from year to year as required, for the
completion of the work, so that when once COM
menced it will not be discontinued tor the
want of funds, with the consequent loss which
would necessarily ensue"
Pension once Investigation.
"win an investigation of the affairs of the
Pension Office and Civil Service Commission be
ordered by Congress?"
ut is more than likely that one or both
II ouses of Congress viii order such investiga-
tions The rule appears to be to investigate
the transactions of the departments and
bureaus whenever an investigation is called
for by a member 1have observed that it has
been charged that the civil service methods
have not been observed in the conduct of the
affairs of the commission, and the statements
which have appeared in the public press con-
ceruing the methods pursued in the Pension
Office under the present and preceding admin
| istrations will undoubtedly induce some mem
ber of the Senate or House to propose an in
sWiTl there be any legislation on the subject
of trustsr
at is possible that some bill upon that sub
iect will be passed. The subjects of trusts
must be dealt with in the main ain by states. Inc
limited as to render OF little value any law
which it may pass to prevent or control trusts
in the States. 1t is customary to charge most
Of the evils in the country to the legislation or
want of legislation by Congress-. The question
of trusts is charged by free traders to the tariff,
but anyone having general information upon
the subject knows that trusts exist to control
and supply q demand for articles of purely
domestic production as well as articles or
domestic production which come in compet1-
tion with imported articles, and that the tariff
has nothing or comparatively nothing to DO
with the existence of trusts. The people should
look for legislation upon this subject to the
Legislatures of the States which have plenary
power to deal with 1t and are not limited in
their power to legislate by expressed grants Of
power clearly implied from sucn expressed
grants as Congress II"
The Speakership and the Tariff:
Congressman Cultivate, of Ohio, wnen
asked whom he regarded as the coming Speak
er, said:
THE speakershir will lie between Mr.. Reed
and Mr. Mckinley, with about equal chances.
If the administration should attempt to throw
its influence quietly in favor of either Of these
candidates that fortunate one will probably
win. But have seen no indication Of such an
intention on the part of the administration.
have been here about ten days. and for this
season of the year have met quite number OF
members Of Congress"
'What should be expected regarding new
1.-THE majority will attempt to revise the tariff
but they will find greater difficulty in framing
bill than the Democrats did in the last Con-
gress, in my judgment. The Senate Dill could
never have mustered two-thirds of the Republi-
can votes in the House in the last session, and
from the public expressions OF some OF the most
prominent Republicans In their speeches, !
think see signs of a revolt against the idea OF
such general increase as was proposed BY the
Senate bill. They now begin to talk about
their action being to carry out q system, and
not question Of schedules; but to my mind
that is an Indication that they don't like to
consider the disposition they made in their
Senate bill of the schedules"
stVI TAn% orff fo1o will m
most?" 49,
aForpolitical purposes only they will prob
ably attempt to cut the tariff on sugar ana
rice, Southern productions, and to repeal
large portion of the internal revenue tax on
tobacco and alcohol to be used in the arts"
The Outlook In Ohio.
"Will any Congressional action result from
the meeting of the Congress Of the Three
Americas?'
ssIt may be that reciprocal arrangements,
either through treaties or tariff legislation, viii
be attempted and some action secured. but I
have very little expectation OF any valuable re-
suit being obtained"
"WiIl it be possible to pass bill to subsidize
steamship lines in order to encourage Amer
lean shipping enterprisesT
81 don't believe any steamship line VIII be
subsidized. The Democrats will oppose that
character of legislation, as they have hereto
fore. In q general way we may expect quite an
animated Congress next winter
Mr.. Cultivate will 90 to ONO during the
first part of the coming week TO take part in
the Gubernatorial campaign, returning to this
city early in November.
1.-THE election in Ohio will not be walk-over
for anybody" said he. .ft will be very close,
and I think Campbell stands an excellent
chance for victory. He is certainly very
strong will take the stump until the cam
paign is over The fight has been made very
both both Democrats and Republicans. Each party
claims that while the other was In power gross
mismanagement was practiced, but want TO
that I do not believe there has been any con-
siderable mismanagement by either party.
know there has been none on the part OF the
Democrats, and the Republicans have done
very WELL"
The Race Question.
'There is a very general idea that the Repub-
licans will undertake to pass some sort OF cleo
ton law" said Congressman T. @. Catchings, OF
vicksburg. Miss, when Intercepted respecting
the probable legislation of the next Congress-
II have noticed that several of the conventions
have approved the idea of the passage Of such
law but am very certain it will not accom-
plish what its friends expect The effect Of
such alaw will not be to give single Southern
State to the Republican party that 1t does not
now have. There is a general misunderstand-
ing in the North regarding the race question.
If they think they can settle it by simply pro-
yiding some machine which will insure the abb
solute vote of all the negroes of the South for
the Republican party they are very mucn mis-
taken. That Is not the race question; Inc race
question is very much deeper and more i'm
portanr than that 1t makes me tired TO listen
to the talk of Republicans who claim to want TO
settle the race question by determining now the
negro shall vote for President and members OF
Congress- The people of the South care nothing
for such offices except so far as 1t is necessary