The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-12-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.
rrom our Regular corrsspOndent.)


From our Regular Correspondent)
Washington, d. G. Dec. Is, 1890.
Mr.. Harrison little scheme of push
ing the Force biiI for his own personal
benefit is at last slowly beginning to
percolate through the brains of the
other Presidential candidates, and the
result is decided GOODNESS towards
that measure on the part of number
of leading republicans. 1t is believed
that Mr.. Harrison is figuring that the
thousands of supervisors and deputy
supervisors who would be appointed
under this bill, should it become law,
might be utilized to form the basis OF
a Harrison machine that might cont ol
enough of the state delegations to the
next republican national convention to
insure his nomination.
There is very strong probability
that the Force bill will be shelved for
good this week. The administration
and the republican Senators of the
Hoar stripe have heard from the people
and are in almost a panic in their
anxiety to do something to satisfy the
public demand for more money; and
vet they are mortally afraid that when
once financial bill of any kind gets
before the Senate substitute provid-
iEg for free coinage will be adopted.
It was this fear which caused certain
Senators to attempt TO get democratic
Senators to promise that If bill was
introduced authorizing the Secretary
of the Treasury to purchase anywhere
from twenty to thirty millions of dol,
lars worth Of silver bullion they would
not offer free coinage as q substitute
for it. 1t is needless to say that no
democrats made any promise; it is the
policy of the democratic Senators to
keep clear OF all entanglements, in
order to be prepared to take advant-
age of any circumstances that may
occur to secure legislation In behalf oil
the people.
Mr.. Harrison has, / am credibly in
formed, made up his mind to send a
special message to Congress intimat-
ing what kind of financial bill he
would sign. He has so little influence
in Congress that it matters little what
he recommends.
No nomination for the vacancy on
the bench of the Supreme Court has
yet been sent to the Senate, and l am
told by republican Senator that it is
doubtful whether it will go in until the
Force bill is disposed of because Mr.
Harrison has rendered the appointment
to Senator Spooner, and he is afraid tC
have him leave the Senate before the
vote is taken on the Force bill-thC
margin is toe. small to loose a vote.
The farce called an investigation o
the Pension Office has been resumed b.
= the House committee. The comm
ittee shows great deal more aDxiet.
not to find crookednesss than it doe
to find it. An attempt will be mad
to get the committee to look into The
methods by which a son of Commis
sioner Raum became Attorney for
large number of applicants, who's
claims had been practically pigeon-hol
ed in the the Office before he tool
charge of them.
The bill reducing the fee for oh
tanning an increase pension to 81 ha
been fayorably reported TO the House
This Is a hard blow to the pension
sharks, but Secretary Noble is tryin,
to strike them still harder by gettini
all the states to adopt the system nov
in vogue in Massachusetts, Minnesot
and Wisconsin, of having the Alto
ney General of the State look after a
applications for pensions, free G
charge.
WThe re-apportionment bill providin
for membership of $50 to the Hous
of Representative has been reporte
to the House, and the republicans ha,
ing tacitly agreed that New Yor
should have whatever additional rel
resentation it is entitled to shoul
there be recount in New York Cit
and Brooklyn, it is not thought th'
the democrats will oppose its passag
Senator Vest has presented to Il
Senate memorial from the Nation
Bankruptcy Convention urging the II
mediate passage Of the Torrey ban
ruptcy bill, which passed the House
the last session. A number of pc,
tions against It's passage have been 7
ceived from the northwestern states.
The notorious ship subsidy bi
which passed the Senate at the la
session were too much for the repub
cans of the House committee on Nj
chant Marine and they have agre
upon a single bill as substitute 4
both of them. The new bill combin
many of the features of the other tw
and is certain to pass the Houi
more's the pity.
Representative Grain, of Texas, h
reported from the House committee
Post offices a resolution calling on t
Postmaster General as to the exte
and grounds tor complaints of incl
cient post-oflice service in Texas a
other states.
There isn't as much talk about y
Blaine's reciprocity schemes as the
was short time ago, and suspici
is arising that the administration isl
giving the Secretary of State al
earnest support in this matter.
Equalization of Taxation.