Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-05-23
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondence of the Standard.

The Republicans of the House held
caucus Tuesday in which they expert
enced how vexatious Speaker Reeds
arbitrary rulings are when ap-
piled at home. The caucus
met to decide upon the order Of busi-
ness. The river and Harbor managers
tried hard to have that appropriation
bill disposed of the first thing, but Mr..
Reed had determined the tariff should
have precedence. Then they wanted
second consideration, but were denied
that, or any time definite, and were ex-
tremely exasperated. The time to be
taken up by tariff talk was discussed.
Speaker Reed suggested that general
debate be omitted and the bill taken
up in detail at once. He knew the
bill would pass and there wasn't any
use of much talking. Mr.. Mckinley
jumped to his feet and protested ve-
hemently against the insinuation that
no debate was necessary. He declared
that the party need not fear to discuss
the bill before the country; that to cut
off general debate would be an out
rage upon both minority and majority.
Mr.. Burrows, created amusement by
saying that some people having made
a tariff speech thought the subject ex-
hausted for all time to come, and were
naturally impatient at hearing other
people talk. (This was a drive at Mr..
Reeds tariff speech two years ago.)
The Speaker then laid down his ul-
timatum. There would be fifty more
working days this session and the ma
jority could give the whole time to the
tariff if it would, but it must be under
stood that other legislation suffered as
it was very necessary'to adjourn early.
He probably meant public buildings
and other little jobs SO important to
candidates for reelection. The out
come of it all was a compromise that
bill should pass the house and be in
the Senate in q fortnight.
Importers of all kinds that put up
their money for the high tariff candi-
date have discovered their mistake and
are daily harassing the Ways and Means
Committee for favors and relief. The
manufacturers of sugar made from i'm
ported molasses, now insist upon a
bounty. But out west the light OF
reason is finally dawning upon the
people. The leading Republican pa
per in Minnesota, the st. Paul Pioneer.
Press, says that if the Mckinley tariff
bill passes, that State will go Demo
cratic; that all the farmers necessaries
are previously taxed and that he is
given no corresponding relief. The
session will be q long one. The Re.
publicans have full power to enact any
measure they want and are not likely
to leave until the approach of the con.
gressional elections this fall warns
them to 60 home and correct the idea
the farmers are getting that the tariff
is heavy tax.
The Senate Republican committee
has abandoned all hope of reaching a
satisfactory solution OF the silver ques-
ton. The whole matter will therefore
have 10 be determined on the floor ol
the Senate. An influential member
OF the finance committee said that il
they desired it, the free coinage people
could pass their measure as the ma
jority of the Senate was in favor of it.
But that the President had intimated
that he wouldn't approve free coin
age bill and the doubt in the minds OF
the extreme silver men was whether
they should go ahead in spite of this
intimatiOn, or whether they should
agree TO some compromise that would
obtain the Presidents signature.
Before the committee of the whole
house in discussing the Diplomatic and
Consular Appropriation bill, Mr.. Nc
Creary, of Kentucky, condemned the
Administration for being opposed to
reciprocity with the South American
States and for keeping the proceedings
of the Pan-American Congress as quiet
as q STAR Chamber. The Mckinley
tariff bill, he said, cut off reciprocity
with Canada, as we'll.
The blunders and mistakes of those
having the Pan-American Congress in
charge had delayed and retarded its sue
cess. 1t was a mistake to appoint all
the U. S. Delegates from those who
were in sympathy with the present Ad-
ministration, and not in sympathy
with more than one-half of the people.
1t was q mistake not to appoint one
delegate who was identified with the
Southern States. 1t was q mistake
that the delegates were not sent south,
but he feared that was q premeditated
blunder. This bill has been passed in
the house.
Kee Nee, a Chinaman of high rank,
arrived in Washington to enter the
diplomatic service of his government
In speaking of the exclusion of his
countrymen from this country, he said
that he could not conscientiously con-
denim the measure, for the reason that
ninety per cent. of the emigrants are
the worst vagabonds of the nation, an
element of which home government
would gladly be rid. "Did our respect
ell citizens come over here however,
he said "such q law would not have
been necessary" DEN.