The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-19
THE ELECTION BILL.
Senators Favor Modification of
the House Measure.
THE OPINION OF Mr.. ALLEN.
Probable Outcome OF the Tariff Debate
Warrington One OF the Old
States Now.

WASHINGTON CRY. Aug. 1S.-There are
some straws in sight which indicate that
the wind is blowing in the direction of the
passage of an election bill at this session of
congress. Many who are good prognos-
ticators in general legislative matters say
that 1t will surely pass. As it has been
passed by the House and has been given so
much consideration in the Senate its pass
age by the Senate is thought to be
sure thing. 1t is only question of time.
The administration, or at any rate the
head OF the administration, favors the
passage of some bill if not the Lodge bill
or the one reported by the Senate. then a
combination of some of the important
parts of both.
Hoar and Spooner are the pushers in the
Senate. Chandler would be one of them if
he were here, but for several weeks his
health has been such that he has remained
in New Hampshire in his quiet country
home. A difference of opinion pre- walls as
to the sentiment of the business men of
the Northwest on the passage of some such
measure as is now pending. Senator WASH
burn, who recently went West. says he
found sentiment against the passage of
bill at this session. Senator Allen, from
the far West, has had q communication
signed by several business men from WASH
ington, in which they asked him to sup
port an election bill. Senator Allen favors
the taking up and passage of some bill of
this nature at this session. Senator Wash
burn does not and does not hesitate to say
SO. He will not vote to take up the bill at
this session.
Senator Alien does not favor the Lodge
bill which the House passed. He believes
in as little federal interference in elections
as possible, unless the general plan should
be adopted of holding separate elections
for state and federal officers. If law
could be framed which would, in its re-
suits, be general bracing up and strength
ening of the present election laws he would
favor it.
Hoar and Spooner believe that the change
in parliamentary procedure, so that the
previous question could be ordered in the
Senate, would be long step toward bring
ing those Republicans who are not now
warm supporters of the bill into the line
with those who are its supporters.
The president has been talking politics q
good deal with some of the leading Repub-
licans of late Mr.. Allison and Mr. AID
rich have been discussing the tariff and the
reciprocity scheme quite at length. The
president believes that some measure look
ing toward reciprocal trade relations with
South American nations should be put into
the bill Some of the senators favor this,
but it viii be hard to do, for several rea-
sons. In the first place q good many Re-
publicans will want it clearly shown that
this country would not get the worst of
it on this sort of business. On
the sugar question. reciprocity
clause would not be so hard to engraft
upon the tariff bill. On other products
opposition would be met. Before agreeing
to enter into such relations as regards wool
or hides or other products which are to any
considerable extent grown in this country,
it would have to be pretty satisfactorily
demonstrated whether or not the South
American countries are in q position to
need any of the American products. 1t is
argued that to put into law a reciprocal
possibility as regards WOOL would seriously
be objected to on the Pacific coast, which
produces wool. South American nations
would thus be brought into more close
competition. The men from the far West
would be very apt to scrutinize any meas
ure that touched wool or hides pretty
closely before voting for it.
John l.. Wilson, of Washington, has been
waiting for some time to make a short
speech in the House in which he will pose
as coming from one of the older states. in
view of the recent admission of Idaho and
Wyoming. When Fred Dubois, of Idaho,
was legislsted out of Office by the act adj
mitting his territory, he turned over few
matters of importance to the men from
states near by mis- own, and asked them 10
look after them. 1t struck Wilson and
Carter, of Montana, that they had been
representatives of the "baby states" long
enough, so when opportunity offers they
propose to present the measures Dubois
left in their care, and make the plea that
lit is the duty OF US of the older states" to
help out the new ones. 1t will be a relief
to hear some other states than Washington,
Montana and the Dakotas alluded to as
the new states. These four have had it all
their own way on this line for year back.