Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-02-21
WASHING TON LETTER.
From our regular CORES pondcnt.
WASHINGTON, u. c., Feb l6, lSi

From our regular correspondent
wAsHrSGroN. u. c., Feb, 10, 1891.
Speaker Reed and his able lieu
tenants are working like beavers to
get the regular appropriation bills
through the House, and they expect
to pass the last one this week, or at
the outside by the lst of next week.
The first bill to be taken up after
the disposal Of the appropriation
bills in the IIOuse viii be the ship.
ping bill, or Us it is more popularity
known the subsidy bill. This is the
bill proposing to encourage Ameri-
can shipping by the granting Of
subsidies based upon the tonnage Of
vessels. Representative Farquhar,
Of New York, who is in charge of
The bill, tells me that be is confident
Of It's being passed by decisive
majority, but the opponents of the
bin appear to be equally confident
that it will be defeated
The House coinage committee has
informally decided to report the free
coinage bill to the House next week.
1t il expected that the majority Of
the committee will recommend
against any further silver legislation
instead of presenting substitute
for the free coinage bill AS it was
supposed would be done. This
change Of program was probably
made for two reasons: First, the
President has given several promi-
nent Republican Senators to under
stand that he would refuse to sign
any silver bill, no matter what its
character might be, at the present
session, because he thinks the pres
ent silver law has not been IN ope-
ration long enough to demonstrate
the necessity for further silver leg
islation. Second, this method will
prevent the bill going on the House
calendar, and will make it impossi-
BILE, without the adoption of a spec
ial rule, to call up the bill unless a
majority of the coinage committee
give their consent
The free coinage men who booted
at the very idea of any modification
of the bill a few days ago are now
trying to make combination in
support Of an amendment limiting
free coinage TO silver of American
production. Ten days ago they
might have succeeded, but now it Is
almost impossible. 1t is about as
certain as anything in the future
can be that there will be no silver
legislation at this session.
Secretary Blaine has concluded
another reciprocity treaty, which
will open the markets Of Venezuela
TO our products and manufactures,
and there are several other treaties
well advanced which will probably
be sent to the Senate before the end
of the session.
Mr.. Blaine denies most emphatic
ally that he has written any letter to
any person in Canada or elsewhere
on the subject of Canadian reciproc-
ity, except his note to Representa-
tive Baker, Of New York, stating
that this Government would not
consider any limited proposition
from the Canada authorities. This
is i'm answer TO statements that have
appeared in Canadian papers.
Representative Dlugiey, who D,
chairman Of the committee engage
in investigating the alleged silver
pool. says that the statements made
by Owenby in Chicago interview
10 the effect that he was hampered
by the committee and prevented
from telling what he knew when he
was here last week are absolutely
false aud without THE slightest loun
dation. Representative Dorsey
stated under oath before the com
mittee that If he was the Nebraskl
Congressman who Owenby stated il