Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-04-13
WASHINGTON LETTER
TsPECTAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MONITOE
Washington, d. c., Apr. 6, 81.

OecFeIafy Diane was clOSeCeQ lot
several hours to-day with Sir John
Fauncefote, the British Minister, Sir
Charles Tupper and several other
representatives of the Canadian gov
ernment. This conference is under
stood to have been informal, "a nd was
granted by Mr.. Blaine at the request
of the Canadians for the purpose of
exchanging views on the subject of
reciprocity. 1t is not known wheth-
er definite agreement was reached
as to common basis for negotiation,
as Mr.. Blaine declines to talk about
the conference, considering it only as
a friendly talk about official signifi-
cance. Unless there was a great
change on the part of the Canadians
from their recent expressed opinion
as to what Canada was prepared to
offer us it is certain that no agree
ment was reached, as it is known that
Mr.. Blaine will never consent to any
arrangement that will injure the agri-
cultural interest of this country.
There is a we'll defined suspicion here
that the Canadian government is lay
ing wires for the purpose of trying to
get some benefit in some manner not
yet clearly apparent out of the arbi
tratiOn of the Behring sea question.
However, if they can fool Mr.. Blaine
they are welcome to everything they
can get. He has not been fooled yet.
The international sensation caused
by the request Baron Fava, the Ital-
ian minister, made of the department
of state for his passports lasted just
four days. Last week every one was
talking of the situation; to-day, Ow-
ing to the dignified and positive man
ner IN which Mr.. Blaine answered
the silly vaporings and demands of
the Italian government and entirely
reversed the situation in the eyes of
the civilized world, the incident is re-
garded as a back number. although
it will occupy an important place in
the diplomatic records for some time
to come. The silly talk about chang
inc the constitution of the United
States for the purpose of giving the
general government authority to pro-
tect the citizens of foreign countries
resident in any portion of this coun-
try does not emanate from the adj
ministration, nor does it, as far as
can learn, reflect the sentiments of
single member of the administration.
If being put upon precisely the same
footing as native Americans isn't
good enough for the foreign subjects
they had better return home. The
idea of giving them more than our
own citizens is rather more than
American people will stand.
The president had an unexpected
visitor Saturday in the person of Jay
Gould. Afterward Gould had long
talk with Postmaster General Wana-
maker. He endeavOred to pursuade
Mr.. Wanamaker to change his mind
about the price named by him nearly
two years ago to be paid the Western
Union Telegraph Company for carry
ing government kilograms. The
Western Union Company has never
agreed to accept that price, although
it has continued to send the govern
ment dispatches right along, and its
bill, even at the reduced prices nam
ed by NJ. Wanamaker, must be a
pretty stiff one now. Mr.. Gould left
here Saturday afternoon for St. Louis,
where it is said another big railroad
deal is about to be consummated.
Senator Henderson, chairman of
the senate committee on printing, af-
ter a months rest, has returned to
this city in order to begin the ardu-
Gus duty imposed upon his committee
by congressional resolution, of inves-
tigating the method of printing and
distributing all classes of public doc
uments including the Congressional
Record, for the purpose of reporting G
q bill to reduce the expenditures in
this line, if it can be done without in
jury to the public interest There
are unquestionably gross abuses in
he present system of distributing
apublic documents but a reform would
axe away some of the perquisites of
congressman and their hangers-on,
and is for that reason doubtful. An
other considerable expense that may
easily be avoided is the printing of a
quantity of each and every bill that
are worried into intro
ducing for their crank constituents,
an editing committee could remedy
this by reporting upon the bills that
should be printed at the govern
ment's expense. About ninety per
cent of the bills printed under the
present system entail an absolute
waste of money,as they are not again
heard from until the next session,
when they are again introduced and
printed at government expense.
The president WILL nothing turns
up to prevent, leave here on the 14th
of this month or whereabouts on a
trip to the Pacific states, and will
make short stops at several places.
Mr.. Harrison will preside over the
opening ceremonies of the patent CEN
tennial to be celebrated here this
week.