The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-06-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
SENATOR ALLISON WILL KICK OUT OF
THE TRACES AND FIGHT THE
MCKINLEY BILL.
The Geological Survey characterized as
Very Soft Snap for Certain
Favored Ones.
WASHINGTON. June 2. 1890


Senators Sherman and Allison are
at loggerheads over the crazy quilt
hodge-podge known as the Mckinley
tariff bill, and Senator Allison is re-
ported to be preparing speech to be
delivered against the bill on the floor
of the senate should he fail, as now
seems probable, to carry his point in
the finance committee. In the mean
time the party leaders seem to have
gotten the whip hand of the kickers,
certainly so far as the Republicans of
the committee are concerned, and the
majority of the committee are work
ing like beavers to get through with
the bill, and up to date they have
made no kchanges of Importance.
Some Republicans say the bill will be
reported in week, but it is more prob
able that it will take four weeks to
get through, allowing that harmony
continues in the committee, which is
by no means certain.
Speaker Reed is getting good deal
of cheap notoriety, because he issued
an order prohibiting the sale of drinks
in the house restaurant. The only
effect of the order has been to stop the
sale,of drinks over the bar, and to put
the proprietor to the trouble of serv-
ing liquor 70 his guests seated instead
of standing, in the good old fashioned
way. Sitting at the table to take your
whisky is Boston idea.
The fiery g. A. R. orator, whose
feelings suffered overwhelmingly be-
cause the people at Richmond chose
to enjoy harmless bit OF sentiment
by exhibiting the flag of the Confed-
eracy, was in his glory in this vicinity
on Decoration uay. He was quite nu-
merous but also perfectly harmless.
No sensible person does anything but
laugh at him.
When Senator Stewart stated on the
floor of the senate that Maj. Powell,
director Of the geological survey, was
at the head of "a lying in hospital for
lame ducks" he struck the nail square
on the head. The geological survey
occupies large and luxuriously fitted
up quarters here, and no man has
ever been able to put his hand upon
anything tangible performed by that
bureau, and it has long been stand
ing joke that the only work performed
by Maj. Powell and his numerous
assistants was in the nature of lobby
ing to get fancy appropriations through
congress for themselves. These fell
lows call themselves scientists, and
perhaps they are. They have GER
tainly learned the science of living in
style at the expense of the govern
ment. An investigation would amount
to nothing unless the "pull" which
Maj. Powell has so long and success
fully had upon congress should fail to
work.
Assistant Postmaster General Clark
son, who has of late been posing as the
special champion OF the anti-civll SER
vice legion, has disguised many of
them by proving himself to be as great
humbug as the civil service law.
Mr.. Clarkson recently discovered that
just as his official life was nearing its
close the postal service on the Pacific
coast was needing an official inspec-
ton by him, and yesterday, having
previously made arrangements with an
obliging railroad official for the use of
a private car, Mr.. GARRISON started on
his farewell junket. At Des Moines
his family will join this model official,
who is doing his level best to reduce
the treasury surplus. AS soon as Mr.
Clarkson gets tired of travelling over
the Pacific slope he will return to
Washington and resign.
Postmaster General Wanamaker is
earning the ill will of all the small
Washington pension agents, because
he is allowing one large firm, which
publishes paper, to violate the postal
laws in sending out copies of that pa
per. Like Mr.. Wanamaker, the head
of this favored concern was large
contributor to the Republican cam
paign fund, which excuseth many
things.