Mohave County miner., 1890-04-05
WASHINGTON LETrER
of THE MINER.
w .anfruro~ Mavah "a 1Q{

ways ana means cUHllulltee are itdutnS a
hard lie since the premature publication
!, OF their report to the House of the tariff
bill. Every industry that is unfayorably
| affected has its lobbying friends either in
Washington or en- route TO protest. The
committee room is besieged by emphatic
pleaders, who announce that II this or
the other thing isn't undone the Repub-
lican party will soon be in the throes OF
| dissolution. The biggest howl comes
from the New England shoe men, who
threaten to present an enormous petition
against taking hides from the free list.
The hide men are quite as loud in their
| appeals that they must be protected
against foreign competitor. As between
the divided interests OF the men on the
western farms, who will be relieved Of an
extra tax on ready made shoes while he
trudges to market with calf's hide that
will have to come into competition with
the pauper hides OF Europe, and the
clashing interests OF the hide men and
the shoe manufacturer, there seems to be
chance for fine Congressional deliber-
alton.
The pension appropriation bill, inyoly-
ing the expenditure Of S0s, 800 900, passed
the House on Friday. There was no at
tempt at opposition further than few
remarks about the crying need Of reform
in the pension bureau and few words
from Mr.. Allen, mildly protesting against
the growth of the pension system. Bu.
there we're more political stump speeches
than the House has heard for many a
day. The entire gamut OF pension legis-
lation was sounded. General Grosvenor,
who can be Away trusted for extremely
partisan speeches, led off for the Repub-
icans, while General spinoia took upon
himself the task OF showing that the
Democratic party was the only and orig
inal, simon-pure, all wool friend OF the
soldier. Then the debate degenerated
| into free fight, in which the combat
tants were badly disGgured. General
Spinola lost his temper, and wonnd up
by reading letter IRON Kansas to tile
effect that prohibition and the kepnb-
lican administration were failures in that
state. What bearing the MASSIVE had
upon the pension bill he did hot say and
question is still unsolved.
The House committee on the alcoholic
liquor traffic will fayorably report bill
providing for the appointment OF five
commissioners by the president, who
shall hold Office not longer than two
years. The bill is rather hazy as to the
exact duties Of this commission, aside
from inquiry into the general character
OF intempcranee. Ina general way it is
asked to ascertain first, whether or not
intemperance is an evil in this country,
and, second, how 1t can best ba restrained
The inquiry on the first point belongs.
properly to the census bureau, If any
where. The second in qu!ry may be Of
some benefit.
Senators Stanford and Sherman jostled
each other in the debate on public build.
ings Saturday. Senator Sherman object
ed to giving San Diego $300, ,0)1 for pub
lie building, while Dayton, Ohio, only
asked for 100000. Senator stanford adj
mitted tha. the towns were about the
same size, but added that the building in
San Diego would contain, besides the
postofice, the custom houses, internal
revenue office and land office. The Ohio
Senator was not exactly satisfied bat the
bill went through all the same.
After occupying large part Of the time
| Of the Senate ever since December, the
Blair educational bill has been finally
buried by a vote that makes its rssunec:
ton during the present session impossi-
ble. The Blair bill has been gigantic
monument to buncombe ior the last eight
years. Apart from Senator Blair, who is
fond parent to every child Of his legs-
latiye fancy, the bill has had few real
friends among the Republican leaders.
Its doubtful constitutionality and its I'M
wieldy and visionary provisions long
SINCE condemned it. Still no long as
there was Democratic House and a
Democratic president, the Senate cheer
fully and readily passed it. Now that
the entire administration is Republican
the Republican Senate discovers change
Of heart, the bill is abandoned and after
bis eight consecutive days speech, SEN
ator Blair finds himself alone and with
the empty bag to hold. The rest Of the
boys ran away and left him. The windy
bill that was good enough measure to-
charm the neutral voters in the poorer
districts Of the South was not good
enough 10 be made law, when the time
came that the united action Of the Re-
publican party could have made 1t such.
Probably no one will ever take the
trouble to ascertain what the Blair bill
has cost the government. The months
OF more or less eloquent harangues, the
waste Of thousands and thousands OF
pages Of printing, the needless delay OF
really important legislation to make way
for the consideration OF bill that no one
but an insane man could have dreamed
would pass, the thousand and one ex-
penses that every days session incurrs,
may never be known. 1t is the history
OF eight years OF bombast.