Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1892-02-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.
NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE Ma
TIONAL CAPITAL.


creasing the Hours of Clerks Work from
Six and one half to NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
will Oppose All Appropriation Bills.
Especial for the BELLOWS FALLS TMEs.]
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 8, 1892
At the next meeting of the Democratic
ways and means committed will be read
letter from David A. Wells in which is
the following passage, after saying that
it ought to be tentative rather than radi.
cal. ITO frame a new tariff bill, wisely
embodying reform ideas-even if the
plan of the Walker tariff of 1916 is
adopted as structural model-will re-
quire much time, great labor, and almost
superhuman wisdom. The best experts
can rarely tell where, in our complicated
industrial and commercial organization,
the final incidence of any tax will fail.
No bill can be framed that will not con-
tain incongruities, inexpediencies, errors
and perhaps absurdities, which only time
and experience will reveal. In that hot
partisan political discussion that will fol-
low such bill all these weak points will
be picked out, exaggerated and used to
the public. With a complete tariff bill
the friends Of reform would have to meet
the entire force of the protectionists
active and compart through the action
OF further opportunity for public plumb
der. On the other hand, under the ten
tative plan, that is of a comparatively
few issues, the tendency of those inter
ests not Immediately affected would be
sluggshness and Indifference"
The president has issued his proclama-
ton regarding reciprocal trade relations
with the British West Indies After re-
citing in general way the articles to be
admitted the following distinctive Yer
mont products are mentioned:
Schedule A-Articles to be admitted
Tree OF all customs duty and any other
national, colonial or municipal charges
Live animals excepting mules), beef,
bran and shorts, candles, tallow, carts
and wagons (not including pleasure
wagons), eggs, fresh fish and fishing
tackle, copperas, water pipes, books,
yeast cake and baking powders.
Schedule B Articles to be admitted |
at 5O per cent reduction of the duty
designated in the respective customs
tariff now in force in each of said colo
MES: Bacon and bacon hams, cheese,
lard, mules, slaves, boots and shoes, if
made in part of leather.
Schedule CAS- to the admission at 25 |
per cent reduction of the duties designa-
ted in the respective customs tariff now
In force in each of said colonies: Sailed
and picked beef, corn, corn meal. flour.
II wheat, pork, sailed or picked, wheat
Under the contract for 100 cancelinp
|
been entered into by the postmaster
general, the machines are to be furnished
in March. There are 12S first-class post
offices, and the machines will probably
be placed in rs of them. They have an
average rate of canceling and post
marking 10000 pieces of miscellaneous
mail matter per hour. An electrical ma
chine, manufactured in New York, is
soon to be put into several of the offices
for experimental tests. 1t is claimed
that this last-named machine has devel-
oped rate of 10000 pieces per hour.
The canceling machines now in use are
rented by the government, the title of
OF the machines remaining in the patent
ees The object of the department in
these cancelers is not only to prevent all
uelays IN post offices, or any accumula-
tlon OF mail, no matter in what quanti-
ties it may be dropped, but also to en-
able the clerks, who have hitherto done
the hand canceling, to devote them
selves to other work.
Acting Minister of Customs Bowe, Sir
John Thompson, minister of Justice, and
Foster, minister of finance, came here
Monday to confer with Mr.. Blaine re-
garding trade matters affecting Canada
and the United States and to discuss gen.
oro11 ttnro in,
two countries. The scope of the confer
eDce will include the Behring Sea cues
ton, Atlantic fisheries, trade relations,
the Alaska boundary, and the alleged !
discrimination against the United States
by the dominion government in the use
of the Canadian canals. Premier Abbott
is strongly of the opinion that as result
of the difference he will be in position
to communicate some important and sat
isfactory results to parliament when it |
meets on the 25th inst.
Don Antonio Batres, the Guatemalan
minister, informed the secretary of war
that he will return to Guatemala by the
steamer which leaves New York Februa-
ry 10, and that he will use his best
offices to secure the early approval by
congress of the reciprocity arrange
ments signed by himself and Mr. Blaine |
In behalf of Guatemala and the United |
States. Mr. Batres thinks the Guatema-
Ian congress will ratify the arrange
ments regardless of the result of the |
presidential election in that country, as
the proposed commercial treaty would |
save his country over $500,000 year in
the single item of coffee.
Mr.. Mills announces it as his intention
to opposes any half way measures of |
tariff reform and secuted the idea of going
back to the tariff of 1888 He SAID that
the Democrats had been fighting that
tariff for 30 years and he was for carry
ing on the war. At the close of his
speech Mr.. Mills said: Il will follow
wherever the flag points to fair trade
1 will follow where the flag goes, no
matter where it is and will fight wher-
ever the battle is pitched