The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-06-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.

hoped that he is the last President who
ever personally took charge of tie can
vas to get himself renominated, and it
is only since the Blaine boom assumed
such dangerous proportions that Mr..
Harrison so far forgot his dignity as to
do so. But there is no question about
his having taken the management Of
his fight into his own hands. Whether
this was because he doubted the hon
esty or the political sagaci'y Of Secre-
taries Elkils and Foster, or because he
feared they would carry out their
threats Of revolt if he transferred the
management of his affairs to John c.
New, is more than your correspondent
cares to say, but whatever the cause,
Mr.. Harrison is personally bossing
his own political machine. kilograms
signed by him are being sent to the
shaky delegates among the instruct
ed, and he is to be kept in instantane-
Gus communication with the Minneap-
oils convention by means of private
telegraph wire.
Since assuming command Mr.. Har-
rison has instructed his fighting men
to hit every Blaine head that comes up,
and his supporters are now openly
threatening that if they cannot nomin-
ate Harrison they car at least prevent
the nomination Of Blaine without
struggle SO bitter that he cannot accept
without practically confessing that his
February letter was but shrewd move
toward getting the nomination. Ex
Car Reed, who has made up with Mr.
Blaine, with whom he has been on
bad terms for years, is shedding no
tears over the situation, as it is on the
programme for him to fall heir to the
Blaine strength, if for any reason Mr..
Blaine shall decide not to make use Of
it for himself, he also expects 10 be
made temporary chairman of the con
vention.
Representative Stevens, of Massa.
chusetts, has constructed a tariff bill,
covering the metal schedule, which is
the result Of many consultations with
his democratic colleagues on the House
Ways and Means committee. 1t places
iron ore and scrap iron on the free list,
and about cuts in half the duties on
manufactured metal, as they are in the
Mckinley law. The bill is based up
on the report of the u. S. Commits
sioner of Labor, upon the comparative
cost of manufactures of iron and steel
in the United States and Europe, and
Mr.. Stevens says the proposed duties
are more than sufficient to cover the
whole difference between the cost Of
articles manufactured in the United
States and in Great Britain. More
than that no manufacturer has even
the shadow of right to claim.
Representative Hatchs motion to
take up the anti-option bill, notwith-
standing the decision of the democratic
caucus that the appropriation bills were
to have exclusive right of way until
they are all disposed of, received the
solid support of the republicans OF the
House and enough democratic votes
to make ,tie vote on the motion.
Whether M&Hatch will have better
uck when he makes another trial, is a
question he undoubtedly thinks he
will, and that the bill will be passed by
the House before adjournment.
Representative Johnson, of Indiana,
has been heartily cursed, on the quiet,
by the republican leaders for hav-
ing given away the sentiments of Mr..
Harrison on the force bill. They say
that if Johnson had the sense he was
born with he would have known that
he could not have possibly pleased the
democrats better than by making such
speech as he made last week. Some
of them pretend to believe that John
son was ''put up" to it by some wick
ed democrat in search of campaign
material for his party Whatever the
cause, the party got the campaign
ammunition.
The Senate will give the country
some silver talk for while, but for
Juot nv" iOhS IL WOuib DS tiiHCuit ~
say, in the discussion of Senator Stew
arts free coinage bill, which was some
time ago adversely reported by the
Finance committee, and which is to
come up to morrow as the unfinished
business. Senators opposed to the
bill admit that it will pass by majority
of from I to S if it is allowed to reach
vote, and there is suspicion alolt
that they do not propose to allow it to
come to vote.
Mr.. Blaine is again at his Washing
ton residence, but is not doing any
talking, at least that is what
the favored few who get to see him
say. He listens and smiles, but says
not a word that can by any possible
twisting be made to give even the
slightest indication of how he regards
the efforts that are being made for
him, or whether he will accept if they
are successful in getting him nominal