The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-12-02
WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, Nov. as, 1902.

the sentiment IN 1aVOr OF an lmmSul-
ate extra session was overwhelming
among prominent democrats, as for
several days about nine out of ev.ry
ten Senators and Representatives. that
arrived and were willing to express
decided opinion were in favor of an
extra session at the earliest possible
moment. Then there was a change
the other way, and about the same
percentage of arrivals opposed an
early extra session, although many of
these opponents of an early extra
session think it would be an advant-
ageous saving of time to call an extra
session about September or October.
lfa poll of all the democratic Senators
and Representatives now in Washing
ton were taken on the question of an
early extra session, it is extremely
doubtful which side would get a
majority, so evenly divided has the
sentiment become.
Hon. Chauncy +. Black, Of Penn
sylvania, President of the National
Association of democratic clubs, is
here confer to with Secretary Gardner
as to the associations future work,
particularly that relating to the cam.
paign Of 1896, which he saysis already
commenced. Mr.. Black called at
tention to the manner in which the
Walker tariff of 1916, which was one
of the most satisfactory the country
ever had, was prepared, and ask
good many democrats if the next
democratic tariff could not be better
prepared in that way than in any
other. He was surprised to find that
very few people remembered, if they
ever knew, how the Walker tariff bill
was prepared. 1t was prepared dur
ing recess OF Congress by Robert J.
Walker, President PolE's Secretary
of the Treasury, and when Congress
met IN regular session it was sub
stantially as prepared enacted into
law and brought credit and honor
both to its author and to the demo-
cratic party. If that plan succeeded
so well then, why not try it again, by
letting the democratic Secretary of
the Treasury to be selected by Mr..
Cleveland prepare tariff bill to be
submitted to Congress when it meets ?
is now being asked on all sides.
Ordinarily the officials of the Trea-
sury Department who have to deal
with impo. talions are better posted Oh
tariff matters than outsiders, even
among those who have devoted much
time and study to the complicated
question, and are consequently better
to arrange the details of
tariff schedule, but it must not be for
gotten that nearly or quite all of the
tariff experts now in the employ of the
Treasury are hide bound protcctionists
and that it might not be altogether
safe to trust them with the work of
a new tariff bill on reform lines.
The relations Of the Comptroller of
the currency with the National banks
are 50 close that when a Comptroller
retlres from Office he usually enters
the employ OF National bank, but all
the same much surprise was caused
when the annual report Of the present
Comptroller was made public and it
was seen that he had embodied there
in an argument against the establish
ment of State banks with authority to
issue currency. 1t is regarded as
akin 10 insolenCe for a republican
official thus to attempt to tell the
democratic Congress that it should
not carry out a plank Of its National
platform, which the country has Just
endorsed.
General Rosecrans, Register of the
Treasury, and about the only demo-
crat now holding a prominent posit
ion under the Government, struck the
civil service law knock down blow
by stating in his annual reports that
the competitive examination held
hereunder were practically of no use
in determining the competency of
clerk. Not that this statement was
'~' 'ei P'A'Ah6 pNt tiiat IL WAS
made by big official, 1t has leen
fashionable among officials
for several administrations 10 bow
down to this civil service mumbo-
jumbo, and it is refreshingto find one
that will speak what so many of them
think.
The question of immigration legis-
latlon at the coming session o. Con
gresS is being agltated, and if the Joint
committee which has been investigating
the subject shall in their report which
will soon be ready make any practi.
cal recommendations it is altogether
probable that they will be embodied
in legislation. Most democrats agree
with the National platform, that in.
dustrious and worthy foreigners should
be free 10 come TO us, and all stand
ready to vote TO prohibit the con.ir g
OF the unworthy,
Whether it is because the news
papers got the news first or because