Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-04-24

WASHINGTON. April % 100

WASHINGTON. April %, 80.
To most people in Washington the
Capitol by day is as familiar as their
own homes. But when night comes and
the sight-seers and place-hunters are
driven out, when the noisy house and
the stolid Senate have both adjourned
for the day and the last committee clerk
has gone home, then the Capitol is al
together different place. The Senate
usually ends its days proceedings in
secret session, when the galleries are
cleared, and so the change from anima-
tion to its suspension is less pronounced
and sudden. But in the House wing
the transition from bustling activity to
silence and desertion is remarkably quick
and complete, especially when the ses-
sion has lasted till evening. When the
speakers gavel is finally laid down the
members hurry out in groups of two or
three, the galleries empty their usually
scant crowds into the corridors, and the
whole lotswarm out at the various doors to
goto dinner or worse. The big white build
ing is then in the hands of the Capitol
police force, and they are supreme for
the night. No one is admitted save
members of Congress, clerks of COM
mlttees and messengers, or people who
have business in some part of the build
ing. By midnight the last of the late
staying members and committee clerks
has gone home, and the Capitol is
left to the watchers and mice. The tes-
selated floors of the long corridors re-
echo no step to the vaulted ceilings, save
when once an hour solitary watch
man passes on his rounds. In the Senate
end of the Capitol there is one room
that is watched with especial solicitude.
] u,
of the Senate, the records of what the
Senate does when it hides its chamber
and communes alone, out, more or less,
of the high light of the public press
One of the watchman is especially
charged with guarding these mighty
secrets at night, and he is never far
away from the room in which they are.
1t is well into the morning before the
Capitol wakes and becomes again the
most interesting place in Washington.
Its frequenters are late risers for the
most part. But the Capitol is the first
building in all Washington the sun
shines on. His earliest beams kiss the
bronze lips of the helmeted Goddess of
Liberty that stands on the dome of the
Capitol several minutes before he gets
down to any other. But the Goddess is
well warmed in the sun rays before the
Capitol displays any signs of animation.
M
The Mckinley tariff bill will be intro
duced in the House to-day. Its pro-
visions are already pretty well known
The chief merit claimed for it by its
friends is that it will reduce the revenus
of the Government, some say $40, 900 900,
some say 100000 annually, at the
same time affording maximum of pro-
lection to our infant phenomenon in
dustries. This reduction, however, is
contingent. 1t depends on the way in
which the increased duties which are
levied on many articles and products
operate. If they serve to keep out al
J together certain foreign articles which,
under the present relatively low tariff
rates, are imported in large quantities or
, largely reduce the importation of them,
then, of course, the revenues will fall
off. Otherwise the revenues will remain
about what they are, and the only effect
of the bill will be to make millions of
! Americans pay more than they are now
; paying for the articles in question
notably woolens, carpets, shoes and
goves-while few hundred protected
manufacturers will pocket increased
profits; and this in all probability will
be the way the thing will work 1t has
worked that way again and again in the
, past. But this result will not cause
great grief TO the men who framed the
, bill They are not averse to giving the
: manufacturers, monopolists and the
. trust-kings increased revenues. Another
Presidential campaign approaches; more
: fat will have to be ''fried' out of the
protected plutocrats to meet its expenses.
But, sad to relate, the interests of all the
fat Wiz lnrG J. fln,,
are the interests of the different sections
of the country. And although Mr. Nc
Kinley and his associates have spent
many weary days and night in anxious
thought and prayerful struggle, they
have not been able to satisfy anyone.
The task was too difficult and they will
bring in their bill with chorus of pro-
tests and denunciations going up against
it from conflicting interests within the
party. But Mr.. Reed has said that the
bill will pass, and what Mr.. Reed says
goes in the present House of Represent
atiyes, not by very large but by an en-
tlrely safe majority.
*.*
The proposition formulated by the
committee on banking of the Pan-Ameri-
can Conference for the establishment of
I all lnleTlldllOlldl Ddlh uIueT IL onlueu
States charter, with branches or agencies
in the several countries. With interna-
tional arbitration for the amicable ad-
justment of any MISUNDERSTANDING or
difficulties that may arise between the
American governments, and the neces-
sary banking facilities at home for the
transaction of their business-facilitle
for which they now have to make a cir
cuitous trip to another continent at
serious disadvantage-th establishment
| of reciprocitY on terms mutually bene-