Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-01-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsHINToN. Jan. q, Is

The Senate has passed the amend.
ment to the tariff bill, allowing a
bounty of one cent per pound on
all sugar produced in this country.
Senator Quay was the only republi.
can Senator that voted against the
amendment, aud Senator Payne the
only Democrat that voted for it.
Unless something now unforeseen
shall prevent, the bill will be passed
by the Senate tomorrow afternoon.
Commissioners of Pensions Black
wants to be appointed Judge Advo.
cate General of the Army, and rum.
or says Cleveland has promised him
the appointment, but there is con.
slderab bic doubt about his eligibility.
Mr.. Morton's present visit to
Washington is for the purpose of
familiarizing himself with the duties
of the presiding officer OF the Senate,
in order that he may be prepared to
assume them after the fourth of
March without awkwardness.
The House has passed q bill pro.
viding for the admission OF South
Dakota with two Representatives
and Montana with one, by Presiden.
tial proclamation, when the voters
accept the constitutions already
formed; and for the admission of
North Dakota, Washington aud
New Mexico by Congress when their
constitutions are formed. Opinion
differs as to the probabilities OF Sen
atorial action on this measure, but
the majority think that nothing will
be done at the present session.
Senators Morrill, and Stanford,
the republican members OF the sub
committee of the Committee on pub
lie buildings and grounds, which is
engaged in investigating the Office
of the Supervising Architect of the
Treasury, have already exposed
condition of affairs that should put
somebody in prison. 1t has been
common practice in this Office for
employers to make contracts, through
outside dummies, to perform work
which should be done in the Office.
Although receiving salaries from the
Government, these men were allow.
ed to contract for doing work, and
what is worse than all, to fix the
price to be paid for the same. The
investigation is not yet over; and it
is said that considerable crooked.
ness is expected to be shown up in
connection with the selection of
sites in various cities for pnblic
buildings.
The democratic Senators are some.
what frightened at the prospect of q
number Of democrats of the House
voting with the republicans to pass
the Senate tariff bill. Representa-.
tive Wilson OF West Virginia, and
Representative Catchings of Miss,
have openly stated their intention
of voting for the measure, if it ever
gets before the House, and it is gen
orally believed there will be enough
of the same sort to insure its pas.
sage, if it could be brought before
the House. There's the rub. 1t is
hardly likely to be voted upon in
the House, unless it's friends can
steal a march on its enemies.
The supporters OF several candi.
dates for Speaker are showing a
disposition to divide up into factions.
Pennsylvania has two candidates for
Clerk of the House, Hon. Ed.
Mcpherson and Major Carson,
Washington correspondent of tire
| Philadelphia Ledger. Pennsylvania
has always had the clerkship when
the republicans have had the House
but the combinations made on the
Speakership may result in giving il
to some other state this time.
Mr.. Randall, although he doubt
less greatly enjoyed the defeat OF
the Mills Carlisle wing of the party,
which Mr.. CowIes of North Carolina
brought about when be secured the
adoption of his motion referring a
q bill containing the international
revenue portion of the original Mills
bill to the appropriation committee,
of which Randall is chairman, in.
stead of the ways and means com
mittee to which it properly belonged,
is now in great quandary about
what to do with the bill. If report
cd to the House it may pass, and
that would be rebuke to the ad.
ministration and the party leaders,
and as Mr.. Randall expects to lead
his party in the next House does
not want to set precedent that
might cause him trouble in the in