Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-12-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Written aud compiled for the HERALD.

he raw material known to be on hand |
what It's products are to be and how long
t will run, President Cleyeland's mess
zee is IN one respect at least, like the
lew tariff bill; it depends largely upon
the politics of the man what he thinks OF
It. or at least what he says he thinks OF
It-some men seldom or never express
their real opinion upon such questions
as the tariff and finance. There is one
thing about the message upon which all
agree it is thoroughly Clevelandish from
its beginning to its end,
1t looks now as though the talk about
eating the tariff bill through the House
before the holiday recess, which pre-
vailed here a few days ago, was entirely
too premature. If members of the Ways
and Means committee know, and If they
don't nobody does, the bill with its &C
companyipg msjorty reports will not lie
ready to be reported TO the House until
next week, and if the bill is net reported
until next week il may be set down as
certainly that it Will not be passed by
the House before Christmas. IL could
be put through the House in forty. eight
hours after il was reported, bat 1t would
be a proceeding so unusual that II would
be generally condemned, even by friends
of the bin. Chairman Wilson says il IS
no. his desire to prevent the bill being
debated TO a reasonable extent IN the
House To railroad the biil through the
House would give his enemies a chance TO
charge him with being afraid Of debate
There is at present considerable taking
democratic opposition to the bill, but
there isn't enough of it to endangeT the
massage OF the bill, so far as the House
is concerned, although it is expected to
result in a f.w slight amendments there
10.
But the outlook in the Senate is full
of uncertainty. and unless some of the
proposed changes are made in the rules
there Is small chance for the Wilson bill
10 get through even through it be ever so
ioajeiously amended. Aud eyea if the
rules are changed there are number OF
auti-Cleyeland democratic Senators
whose actions no one can predict to a
certainty. There are only forty four
democrats il the Senate and 1t takes jdst
forty-three of them to make majority
Of that body as at present constituted
The three populsts Senators have not
committed themselves on the Wilson bill
although their positions on the tariff
generally is known. The thIrty-nine
republicans may be counted upon to vote
solidly against the bill, 1t is well to
keep these things in mind as the session
goes on. Should the Alabama and Lon
isiana Senators vote with the republicans
the sugar aud iron ore schedules could
easily be defeated even if the populsts
voted with the democrats and hints are
not lacking that they will do so; also,
that they will get assistance from Tenne-
see and West Virginia. Slll, 1t must not
be forgotten that the full strength of the
administration and of the party machin-
cry will be exerted to keep the democrats
in line for the bill, ard the power Of such
a combination must not be moderated.
It's rumored that the administration is
about to conclude the negotiations of a
new treaty with China by which in re-
turn for the cessation of all interference
with Cinnamon il the United States,
China binds itself to purchase $50, 900, 600
worth of silver b1llon from US annually
and TO grant US commercial concessions
that would result in giyiagou merchants
the trade of China which nog goes to
Europe.
Representativs Dockery of Mo, is
authority for the statement that the
Legislative, Executive and judicial ap-
preparation bill to be passed by this Con
gress will contain a clause abolishiDg the
Office of Naval Ohioer. There are Naval
officers at a number Of the principal ports
Of the United States and although the
Office was originally created foI the pur-
pose of being sort of check upon the
Collector OF Customs it has long since
ceased 10 be anything more than a S., 900
snecure with patronage worth as much
more. It would seem that there would
be 10 difficulty in aOolishing such an
Office, but it is Just because its occupant
has nothing to do except to draw his
salary that some politicians wish 1t let
alone.
Representative Holman, Of Ind, erst-
while the watchdog Of the Treasury, is
making things a little dlsagreeable for
some Of his party colleagues by insinuat'
ing q the broadest manner that they are
not sincere in their professions Of anxiety
to reduce the expenses Of the government
to the lowest possible sum that tie work
can he properly done for. Can ii possib
that patronage has proven too much for
some OF Mr.. Holman's brother economists