Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1893-12-14
WASHINGTON Letter
cM OUR REGULAR CoRPEsroNDENT

WASHINGTON. d. c.. December 18th, 1898.
Che first week Of Congress disap-
pointed those who believed the
chestnutty advance statements that this
was to BE- a business session from
the first day, and that the new tariff
bill was to be passed by the House be
fore the Christmas adjournment, as there
would be no delay In organizing the
House and making up the committees
Old stagers are never caught BY such
statements they know that they are
always made and meyer lived up to, end
that there is always certain amount
Of friction at the beginning Of every
first session Of Congress that must he
overcome before the legislative macAin.
cry will work smoothly. This friction
has never been more apparent than
during the past week. The principal
cause IN this Instance being the tariff, "a
subject that has neyertaileI to'produce
it in large quantities.
The Wilson tariff bill will, unless
there be a change i'll Chairman Wilson,
latest announced programme, be re.
ported to the House this week but the
internal revenue bill vii, not accompany
it, for the very good reason that the
majority Of the Ways and Means com
mittee have not yet been able to agree
upon its main featuee-a form of income
tax, beginning with incomes Of $4,000,
and there would be nc donbt Of it's being
reported In that shape We're 1T not that
President Clegeland message AZ
nounced that the committee had agreed
upon the tax gu the net income of
corporations; some of them are about
classifying that announcement.
Great efforts have been ard are being
made TO have the tariff bill submitted
to a democratic caucus before it Is
reported to the House and it may yet
succeed. The principal obstacle ie the
hesitation of members tic pledge
themselves TO abide by the caucus
decision. Members representing
districts IN winch Sugar i produced
were among the first to stalt the
agitation for caucus, but they have
discovered that the SCI. timent of the
HOUSE IS not only against putting duty
ON foreign sugar consequently they are
not "a anxious for Caucus as they
were. Whether there is a caucus or
not the impression is becoming general
that the sugar bounty vail be dropped
if not in the House, in the Senate.
All Of the papers relating to Hawaii
have been copied and will this week be
semitic the Senate, in answer to the
resolution adopted last week. That
! they vii DO the basis OF an interesting
debate there 10 little doubt, although
the fact that the Senators stand 90
nearly together on The sub ject may
make it very short.
Those who thought tine Presidents
message 'onf document will find that
tor length it was not in it with Secretary
Carlisle annual report, which is expected
to be completed and sent to Congress
this week. Not WITHIN the memory Of
the oldest habitre of the Ia ,,ol has
the Secretary of the Treasury annual
report bee kept ba~A 90 late, but the
delay is explained by the announcem
that the report will cont ain more than
10000 words, making it ulore than
three times as long 81 the Presidents
message. Impor ant as 1t will Doubtless
oe there are few people aside from pro-
''essiohal tinanciers who will do r.sre
han read that portion otit which will
'ontain the Seer etary recommendations
n legislation. In tact that is the only
part prepared BY the Secretary; he
rest is the work OF his slEorlinates.
'Boonab ,ro, a town with possibly two hun.